So much for the New York Knicks swooping in and convincing Malik Beasley to join the team at a steep discount.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, while the Orange and Blue are among the squads most seriously keeping tabs on the 28-year-old sharpshooter, he “will ultimately be seeking a deal north of the veteran minimum.” And he’s expected to get it.
If true, this effectively eliminates New York from the Beasley sweepstakes. A minimum contract is all they have to offer.
The Knicks can still try to entice him by dangling the promise of a starting spot, as well as the chance to play for a contender. But after signing a pair of one-season deals the past two summers and seeing a three-year, $42 million offer from the Detroit Pistons evaporate while he became the subject of a gambling probe, it makes sense that he’d prioritize guaranteeing himself as much money as possible.
Plenty of other teams can offer Malik Beasley more money
Detroit can now offer Beasley a $7.2 million starting salary using non-Bird rights. That is the benchmark for every team to beat.
Eight squads currently have the ability to give him more, according to Keith Smith of Spotrac. This list includes the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards. Depending on how the Jonathan Kuminga saga plays out, the Golden State Warriors could be added to this group as well.
Not all of those teams will have interest in Beasley. But this financial roadblock always put the Knicks at a stark disadvantage. The list of obstacles has only grown now that he’s drawing interest from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have their $5.7 million mini mid-level exception available—a toll New York already used on Guerschon Yabusele.
The Knicks aren’t out of it just yet
Optimists are free to hold out hope something changes. And look, it’s not impossible.
Connections matter, and Knicks Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas gave Beasley a three-year, $60 million deal back when he was president of the Timberwolves. That is history that could work in New York’s favor.
Other teams may also be hesitant to invest in Beasley while the federal gambling probe continues to unfold. Although ESPN’s Shams Charania initially reported the nine-year veteran was “no longer a target” of the investigation, Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports notes that he’s not out of the woods just yet. The longer he remains unsigned, the more likely he might be to consider joining the Knicks at the minimum in hopes of rebooting his value ahead of next summer.
This is not an outcome on which New York can count. The importance of its final veteran slot may be overstated, but the team can’t wait forever for a golden opportunity to fall into its lap. Ending up with Landry Shamet or Malcolm Brogdon profiles as the most likely outcome at this point.
So while the Knicks shouldn’t abandon their pursuit of Beasley altogether, they clearly shouldn’t place much stock in it, either.