New York Knicks forward Michael Beasley might be new to the bright lights of Manhattan, but he isn’t afraid to lay down some bold statements.
Speaking with the media on Tuesday, the 28-year-old who just signed with the Knicks in August sees big things in his team’s future:
“If Tim Hardaway Jr., Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and myself [are on the roster], those are four guys that can score 25 points per game,” he said via ESPN.com’s Ian Begley. ” I think we’ve got a position to be not only a playoff team but a five, six seed team if we do it right.”
That’s quite a statement coming from Beasley, who hasn’t averaged more than 19.2 points per game in a season, which was all the way back in 2010-11 as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft was expected to hit that number regularly as a can’t-miss prospect out of Kansas State. He was unable to reach his full potential though due to legal problems surrounding marijuana as he became a journeyman.
In his first nine seasons, Beasley has played for five different teams in the NBA as well as briefly playing in China. So if he does hit that 25 points per game mark, it will be a surprise to many.
It’s also quite a stretch to think Tim Hardaway Jr. could do the same seeing as he’s averaged 11.0 points per game over his first four seasons in the league. Though Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis are likely to lead the Knicks in scoring this season. That’s, of course, assuming that Anthony stays for the entire season.
Even if he makes it to the regular season in blue and orange, the prospect of Anthony being dealt to the Houston Rockets is still on the table. The Texas franchise is the only team he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause for, but the Knicks have to find a third team in order to make the swap beneficial for them.
Then there was his comments about the Knicks being a fifth or sixth seed in the postseason come spring, a lofty goal for a team that is in the midst of a rebuild that will be in full swing once Anthony departs.
New York hasn’t made the playoffs in four years season and hasn’t won more than 37 games in a season since 2012-13.
That doesn’t matter much to Beasley though, who had no qualms about being brash on Tuesday.
“I’m your favorite player’s favorite player,” he said via Begley. “It’s not enough for me for him to know that. I want the world to know that.”
Someone get LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the phone.
