Miami Smoke Session: Udonis Haslem Deserves Michael Beasley Treatment
Somewhere in Minneapolis Minnesota there’s a 21 year old shaking his head in disbelief. Not out of disagreement with something or someone. But out of the irony that has just played out in Miami.
On Sunday it was report by the Associate Press that Heat veteran forward, Udonis Haslem, had been arrested for possession of marijuana.
Seriously people?
First the Heat gave Udonis Haslem a birthday surprise like none ever in franchise history. The Heat then kicked Michael Beasley to the curve in the Heat version of what the Grizzlies gave the Lakers nearly three years ago. All to prove to Haslem that they valued him over the player who had been the second most productive in the past two seasons, and is easily the second most talented player in team history.
Beasley was traded because it was deemed that he didn't live up to his potential. It was believed that he didn't reward the Heat for drafting him second overall in the 2009 NBA draft.
So what about Haslem?
So this is how so-called professionals reward first class team presidents? I must say, I am not impressed…not one bit at all. But being a Miami native and a person that has meet Haslem in person, I am not surprised either. He's great at talking the talk, and equally adapt at putting his own foot in his mouth.
Riley dropped the ball on this one. He showed too little faith in Michael Beasley, he wasn’t patient enough. He was too loyal to Haslem, he wasn’t honest about who the man is.
Now as an organization that has advertised itself as being First-Class and treating players fairly. The Heat is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Do they exercise the same treatment for Haslem as they did former Hear forward Michael Beasley? Or do the once again turn the other cheek for “The Burnt Lip Bandit?”
Make no mistake, Haslem smoking pot is not some new revelation for the Heat organization. They might parade their franchise as one that doesn’t have any skeletons in its closet. But that is far from the case. And today proves that much to be the true…with so much pressure already on the Heat and its Mega-Star trio. One of the so-called “team leaders” just got arrested.
Am I the only one wondering if James paid Haslem to take this hit to get the monkey off his back?
Speaking of monkeys, has Charles Barkley commented on this latest Heat news…seems to be the only thing keeping him relevant besides mooching off the Dwyane Wade T-Mobile ads.
Anyway, this is just another case in how life isn’t always as fair as we think. This latest Haslem smoke session proves how idiotic and ignorant the average fan can be.
The majority of people ignored the fact that Michael Beasley was the Heat’s second rated player from a production standpoint. The kid ranked 20th in defensive rating, and if you think the list is flawed; have a look for yourself.
Defensive Rating
1. | Dwight Howard-ORL | 95.4 |
2. | Andrew Bogut-MIL | 98.1 |
3. | Gerald Wallace-CHA | 99.7 |
4. | Lamar Odom-LAL | 100.4 |
5. | Rasheed Wallace-BOS | 100.5 |
6. | Marcus Camby-POR/ LAC | 100.8 |
7. | Tim Duncan-SAS | 100.8 |
8. | Kevin Garnett-BOS | 101.0 |
9. | Joakim Noah-CHI | 101.0 |
10. | Josh Smith-ATL | 101.4 |
11. | Kendrick Perkins-BOS | 101.5 |
12. | LeBron James-CLE | 101.7 |
13. | Anderson Varejao-CLE | 101.8 |
14. | Ersan Ilyasova-MIL | 101.8 |
15. | Pau Gasol-LAL | 101.8 |
16. | Carlos Boozer-UTA | 101.8 |
17. | Andrew Bynum-LAL | 102.1 |
18. | Carlos Delfino-MIL | 102.6 |
19. | Dwyane Wade-MIA | 102.6 |
20. | Michael Beasley-MIA | 102.6 |
Almost all the players on there are regarded as good to great defenders. All of the players were apart of top defensive clubs. So you can’t give these players credit and not do the same as Beasley.
Yet so often it was Beasley making the defensive play while Haslem was being beat. Yet Beasley got regarded as the poor defender. It was total BS that went on with the Media, mostly those out of Miami. They elected to either focus on the brilliance of Dwyane Wade or blame Beasley for Heat loses, even when Beasley out played Wade.
Haslem had the 15th highest turnover percentage in the NBA this past season. Beasley wasn’t anywhere near the list even though he had a USAGE percentage of 26. Haslem had a usage percentage of 17 percent and he turned the ball over 10 percent. That means he turned the ball over more often he actually made a positive play. Have a look at the NBA rankings.
Turnover Pct
1. | Antawn Jamison-WAS/ CLE | 7.2 |
2. | 7.4 | |
3. | Rasual Butler-LAC | 7.8 |
4. | Martell Webster-POR | 7.8 |
5. | Dirk Nowitzki-DAL | 7.8 |
6. | Jason Richardson-PHO | 7.9 |
7. | Courtney Lee-NJN | 8.3 |
8. | Vince Carter-ORL | 8.4 |
9. | Jason Terry-DAL | 8.6 |
10. | Marvin Williams-ATL | 8.7 |
11. | Andrea Bargnani-TOR | 8.8 |
12. | Joe Johnson-ATL | 8.8 |
13. | Channing Frye-PHO | 8.8 |
14. | Danilo Gallinari-NYK | 9.4 |
15. | Udonis Haslem-MIA | 9.5 |
16. | 9.5 | |
17. | Brandon Roy-POR | 9.5 |
18. | John Salmons-TOT | 9.9 |
19. | Al Jefferson-MIN | 9.9 |
20. | Jamal Crawford-ATL | 9.9 |
Yet it was Beasley who was blamed for causing the Heat more games than any other player. Never mind the fact that he was responsible for more wins than anyone not named Dwyane Wade, in regards to the Heat of course. The young man lead the Heat to three wins in the six games that Wade didn’t play or finish because of injuries.
I’m sure Beasley isn’t happy about the situation that Haslem finds himself in. But he sure as heck can't keep from smiling.
For the first time in his NBA career, he finds himself on equal footing. Consider this people. In an interview with FanHouse's Tim Povtak in December 2009, Beasley acknowledged prior problems with alcohol, and beamed that he hadn't drank alcohol since August 2009.
Never did Beasley admit to marijuana usage publicly, and never did the league -- which maintains a strict policy of confidentiality about such matters -- announce that Beasley had ever flunked a drug test.
A second failed test for marijuana while one is already in the league's substance abuse program comes with a mandated five-game suspension; Beasley has never been suspended by the NBA, which would suggest he has not failed two tests in his two-year career.
Players can be tested up to four times per season. But that isn't what the idiotic haters of Beasley believe. They rather make up their own stories about the kid.
Now no longer can the word “pot-head” be associated with the guy who has passed all of the monthly, NBA ordered, drug test. That title now belongs to Udonis Haslem, better known as mister dependable.
Pat Riley advertises Haslem as the face of everything the Heat organization stands for. Hard work, dependable, ACCOUNTABLE, and RESPONSIBLE.
We’ll find out if hypocrisy is at the top of the list come the next few days. My money says it is. I expect a slap on the wrist and a water-under-the-bridge approach.
I expect the same fans that bashed Beasley for getting caught in a PHOTO with a empty bag to remain mute. It’s what bias and ignorant folks do. They don’t apply the same rule of thumb in matters of the heart. And apparently neither does Udonis Haslem.
So much for Michael Beasley being the immature one in this matter. This is one time I bet he wishes he didn’t have to take the “high” road…no pun intended.
Who am I kidding? Or course it was intended.
Michael Beasley...this blunts for you.
