Michael Beasley agrees to one-year deal with Detroit Pistons despite five-game suspension

The Pistons now have the top two picks in the 2008 NBA Draft

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• by Sam Quinn

Michael Beasley has agreed to a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. The veteran forward was recently suspended for the first five games of the 2019-20 season for a violation of the league's drug policy, but assuming he makes the roster, he will join the team after that.

The fit, it seems, was born out of last season's struggles without Blake Griffin. Detroit scored a strong 109.8 points per 100 possessions when Griffin was on the floor last season, but that number fell to a miserable 102.9 when he was out. That difference was especially pronounced in the postseason, as Griffin was dealing with an injury. The Pistons were held to 96.8 points per 100 possessions in their four-game sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks.

In Beasley, the Pistons hope to have found a bit of insurance in case of future injury problems for Griffin. He can't match Griffin as a passer, and his pure production trails far behind the All-Star's, but functionally, Beasley can hold a similar role in Detroit's offense. As a ball-handling forward with range on his jump shot, he thrived as the primary bench creator for the 2017-18 New York Knicks, averaging over 13 points per game in that capacity. The Pistons are expecting that version of Beasley, not the one that flamed out with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Beasley wasn't the only addition that Detroit has made in order to boost its offense around Griffin. They also signed Derrick Rose, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, to serve as a key cog in their reserve units. Beasley was the No. 2 pick in that same draft. The last team to have the top two picks in the same draft class was the Miami Heat in the 2007-08 season. They had Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning, the top two picks in the 1992 class, and for a brief period they employed No. 3 overall pick Christian Laettner as well. The No. 3 pick in 2008, O.J. Mayo, is currently playing in China's second-tier league, so the Pistons could theoretically match that feat if they wanted to, but likely have no interest in doing so.

The Pistons returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season, but their greatest flaw was exposed to the world by a Bucks team that outclassed them in every way. In signing Beasley, the Pistons have taken a step towards correcting that issue this season.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...detroit-pistons-despite-five-game-suspension/

The Pistons returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 last season, but their greatest flaw was exposed to the world by a Bucks team that outclassed them in every way. In signing Beasley, the Pistons have taken a step towards correcting that issue this season.

 

Dwight Howard technically still is in the NBA. He's currently under contract for the Memphis Grizzlies.

 

Michael Beasley may not have been the Pistons first choice, Joakim Noah had an offer with the Pistons according to NFL hall of famer Terrell Owens. Looks like Noah may have turned Detroit down and Beasley was plan B...

Joakim Noah gets inspiring advice from Terrell Owens

One of the bigger NBA names who’s still unsigned is former defensive player of the year and two-time All-Star Joakim Noah. While Noah is weighing his options, he has been training in Los Angeles and talking with Terrell Owens, who relayed his experience of playing with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals at the end of his Hall of Fame career.

“I told him about the end of my career when I was with Dallas and looking to sign with another team and Buffalo came to the table,” Owens said. “That’s not the most desirable place to play football, but I didn’t allow that environment or what people said about it to deter me from going there. [Noah] might have a chance to go to Detroit, which isn’t a desirable destination, but I said be a bright spot in a not so great environment. It doesn’t matter. Just rededicate yourself and be the best basketball player you can be.”

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2019-08-05/klay-thompson-warriors-acl-surgery-nba-playoffs