JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Former NBA Forward Michael Beasley Says He Could’ve Taken Knicks to Playoffs if They Hadn’t Played Him Out of Position
Former NBA forward Michael Beasley discusses his frustrations with being played out of position and asserts he could have led the Knicks to the playoffs.
Former NBA forward Michael Beasley recently opened up about his NBA career, particularly his time with the New York Knicks, and expressed his belief that he could have led the team to the playoffs if he had not been played out of position.
Beasley, a former second-overall pick out of Kansas State, was known for his scoring prowess and rebounding abilities during his college days. Despite a promising start to his NBA career and being named to the All-Rookie first team, Beasley's career did not reach the heights many expected.
In a recent interview on the popular Club 520 Podcast, Beasley shared his frustrations about how his career was managed, particularly by his former coaches. He emphasized his scoring abilities and expressed disappointment at being primarily urged to focus on defense, which led to a decline in his playing time and performance in certain seasons.
Beasley pointed out instances during his tenure with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns where he was moved to the second unit despite previously starting and putting up solid numbers.
“With Porzingis, Tim Hardaway, and Courtney Lee, I could’ve made that a playoff team. I was playing out of position. If they had played me at 2 guard, fronted with Jarrett Jack, I would’ve been better… I’ve been playing out of position my whole career. You play me at the 1, 2, or 3, I’m bigger. I’m better on defense,” Beasley said.
“Now I had somebody to play pick and roll with. I could’ve run a great pick-and-roll game with Kyle O’Quinn and Kristaps Porzingis. But Jeff (Hornacek) was on the hot seat, and Porzingis didn’t really know how to play good basketball. I was just playing basketball, so that situation was trash, man,” he added.
He believed that his scoring prowess was undervalued, especially during a time when the focus was on limiting his offensive contributions. This shift in his role affected his performance and his overall satisfaction with the game.
His stint with the New York Knicks in the 2017 offseason provided him with a chance to showcase his scoring abilities once again. Despite posting respectable numbers and starting in a significant number of games, Beasley felt that he was still being played out of position, which limited his effectiveness on the court.
He believed that with the right positioning and utilization of his skills, he could have been instrumental in leading the Knicks to a playoff berth. Reflecting on his career, Beasley highlighted the challenges of being asked to play positions that did not align with his strengths and physical attributes.
