Earlier today, it was announced that the New York Knicks signed Michael Beasley to a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum ($2,116,995). Since being drafted #2 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Beasley has bounced around the league, playing for the Heat (twice), Timberwolves, Suns, Rockets, Bucks, and now Knicks. While not living up to the expectations that come with being a #2 overall pick, Beasley has found a way to stick around the league and carve out a nice career for himself, averaging 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
While not an all-star level player, Beasley is still a very solid NBA player, capable of scoring both inside and out. Last season with the Bucks, he averaged 9.4 points per game in 16.7 minutes of action, shooting 53.2% from the field, 41.9% from three-point range, and 74.3% from the foul line. If placed back in a starters role and given 30 minutes of action per night, Beasley could average right around 17 points per game, which is pretty good for a starting small forward.
What a lot of people are wondering is whether or not the signing of Beasley indicates that the Knicks are open to trading Carmelo Anthony. When you consider all the money that Carmelo is scheduled to make next season ($26, 243,760) and the fact that Beasley can be a decent starting small forward for a fraction of the cost, there's good reason to think that moving Carmelo is in the Knicks' best interest.
Of course, if the Knicks decide to keep Carmelo, Beasely could still be a solid off the bench type of scorer, similar to what he was for the Bucks last season. What the Knicks have to weigh is whether or not they think they can make a run for the playoffs over the next two seasons if Carmelo sticks around. If they do, then it might not be a bad thing to hang on to him for the next two seasons and then let him walk in free agency. If on the other hand, the Knicks don't see themselves making the playoffs or they have no interest in being an 8th seed in the East, then it probably does make sense for them to trade Carmelo and try to get some quality pieces back for him.
Personally, I think the Knicks will look to move Carmelo. They've not accomplished what they hoped they would during his tenure and it's largely due to their own incompetence. While they've failed to put a quality team around him, the very least they can do for Carmelo is trade him to a team that can contend. They need to retool and build for the future and Carmelo deserves a shot at playing for a contender. It really makes sense for both sides.
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