NBA trade rumors will likely get hotter and heavier as the March 15 trade deadline comes closer and, apparently, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley will be involved in basically all of them. The latest reports indicate that the Boston Celtics and New Jersey Nets are interested.
Trade rumors not coming out of Minnesota involving the Timberwolves are always to be taken with a grain of salt, but the New York Post's Peter Vecsey dropped some knowledge regarding Beasley on Tuesday morning.
The Lakers, also in dire need of a legitimate scoring threat at small forward, have genuine interest in Michael Beasley, but it's doubtful they'll use the $8.9 million trade exception (from Lamar Odom being shipped to Dallas) to acquire him because of the increased luxury tax consequences stemming from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman recently committed to boosting Derrick Williams' minutes, making Beasley extraneous. Minnesota is pushing hard to relocate his $6.2 million expiring contract and have the Nets and Celtics leaning.
"Leaning" is an interesting word to use there, of course, but it's about all Vecsey leaves us to go on in his report. What the teams would be willing to give up in return is the wildcard, but if David Kahn and Rick Adelman would like Beasley gone sooner rather than later, they may as well get whatever assets are available before he's a free agent and no longer property of the Wolves.
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