NBA News Wire
NBA roundup: Beasley waived, now heads to China
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Forward Michael Beasley’s NBA career never panned out like he or many others thought after he was drafted as the second overall pick in 2008 by Miami.
On Thursday, his NBA career came to a screeching halt when the 25-year-old Beasley was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies.
But his playing career continues. Beasley has signed to play for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. The Sharks are owned by former Houston Rockets star Yao Ming.
Beasley had been trying to earn a spot on the Memphis Grizzlies’ roster after spending last season with the Heat. Illness during the preseason had limited his playing time and made Beasley a long shot at sticking with Memphis.
His best season came while a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010-2011 when he averaged 19 points per game. But his production decreased every year since. Last year with the Heat, he averaged just 7.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Beasley could find his way back into the NBA come March when the CBA season ends. At that time, he will be a free agent and free to sign with any team.
–The Indiana Pacers picked up the 2015-16 option on forward Solomon Hill’s contract. Per club policy no details of the contract were released.
Hill, entering his second season with the Pacers, averaged 1.7 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season.
–Sacramento Kings rookie Nik Stauskas, who said Sunday night that the Toronto Raptors were attacking him because he was white, is surprised at reaction to his comments.
The former Michigan shooting guard drafted eighth overall in the NBA draft said he was not looking for sympathy Sunday when he said: “I understand that I’m a rookie and I’m white, so people are going to attack me at all times. Just coming out there in the game, I felt it right away.”
After another game with the Raptors on Tuesday, Stauskas tried to explain his perspective without backing away from the statement. Stauskas said his feelings were based on experiences on the court and he does not apologize for treading on sensitive ground.
–Forward Kenneth Faried, a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team at the FIBA World Cup this summer, signed a multiyear contract extension with the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
The Nuggets did not reveal the contract particulars, but the Denver Post reported that Faried received a four-year deal that could max out at $52 million if all incentive clauses are reached.
Faried, 24, averaged a career-best 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last season, but those figures rose to 18.1 points and 10.1 rebounds after the All-Star break. His season was highlighted when he scored 24 points and grabbed a career-best 21 rebounds April 12 against the Utah Jazz.
