Nuggets coach Michael Malone credits reserve guard Malik Beasley for not sulking during a difficult season, Mike Singer of the Denver Post relays. Beasley, who can be a restricted free agent this summer if the Nuggets extend a qualifying offer, got extended minutes on Thursday with Jamal Murray and Gary Harris sidelined and took advantage. He scored a season-high 27 points in an overtime win over Golden State. Beasley hasn’t received steady playing time but Malone says Beasley has handled it professionally.
“You have a choice, as a man, you have a choice,” Malone said. “‘Am I gonna feel sorry for myself or am I gonna stay ready?’ And to his credit he’s continued to stay ready.”
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Malone vows to keep rookie Michael Porter Jr. in the rotation going forward, Singer tweets. “Earlier in the season, he wasn’t sure when he was going to be playing, is he going to be playing? So now, that’s out the window,” he said. “Michael Porter is a huge part of our future, he’s going to play every night.” Porter has reached double figures in each of his last three games, including an 18-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist performance against the Warriors.
- Trading forward Juan Hernangomez would negatively impact the locker room, Singer opines in his latest mailbag. Hernangomez has a major influence on team chemistry and is close friends with Nikola Jokic, Singer notes, adding that Jokic, Murray and Porter are the team’s untouchables in trade discussions.
- Malone is glad to be coaching a playoff contender that didn’t take shortcuts to success, as he explained to Michael Lee of The Athletic. Malone notes that Denver hasn’t gone for the quick fix. “For me, this being my fifth year, that’s maybe one of the more enjoyable things about our journey, is how we’ve been able to build this from the ground up and build it from within, organically,” he said. “We haven’t gone out and traded for the marquee player. We haven’t mortgaged our future by sending these two young assets to here, to rent a player for a year or two, to have instant success, but not long-term success. It speaks to our front office, our ownership that we can continue to communicate and collaborate and challenge each other.”
Dumbest decision by the Sixers not taking MPJ and that includes trading up for Fultz.
No matter if they later trade him for Zhaire Smith.
That goes without saying MPJ is untouchable in any trade.
That sounds pretty bad what they’ve done to Beasley. Deliberately not playing him to lower his market value in restricted free agency??? I would be pretty outraged… He could lose out on 2-5 mil a year at least… or 20 mil over the course of a contract… money he well deserves
I think it’s a stretch to say it’s intentional to maybe lower his price… but pssible. if you have a source for that, interesting.
No source. It’s just my perception because Gary Harris has not been playing well, and getting over 30mpg.
True; and Murray has not advanced as expected either, after the playoff +17 on/off and big contract extension.
And it is logical, financially, from the club’s perspective, to try to hold back expenses.
But I think a premium was put on the ability of a player to interact with Denver’s unique point-center, who can be seemingly lethergic, and keep him and Millsap sparked through a long season. Beasley & Hernangomez may be solo types. Nugs certainly have options.