Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors: New York Knicks interested in Malik Beasley
By Ben Beecken
The Minnesota Timberwolves have more decisions to make as free agency opens this weekend, and one of them has to do with Malik Beasley.
In the wake of Wednesday night’s NBA Draft, the Minensota Timberwolves have a bevy of decisions to make prior to free agency opening at 5 p.m. CT on Friday.
One of those decisions had to do with guard Malik Beasley, and the Wolves made that decision on Thursday. Now, there’s word that perhaps they’re more than willing to part with Beasley in a trade.
Minnesota Timberwolves Rumors: New York Knicks interested in Malik Beasley?
The Wolves extended a qualifying offer to Beasley on Wednesday, officially making him a restricted free agent. It was an expected move, but notable all the same, especially given the recent legal issues that Beasley is facing.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have extended a qualifying offer to Malik Beasley, league sources told @hoopshype. Beasley will become a restricted free agent. https://t.co/RksKJE6ioR
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 19, 2020
Shortly after the report that the qualifying offer had been extended, Yahoo’s Vincent Goodwill reported that the New York Knicks are one of “several” teams interested in acquiring his services.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have made guard Malik Beasley available in discussions, and the New York Knicks are one of several interested teams, according to sources. He averaged 20 after being traded from Denver to Minnesota last season
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) November 19, 2020
Given that the Wolves selected Anthony Edwards first overall and acquired Ricky Rubio on draft night, combined with Beasley’s legal issues, there were a couple of hours on Thursday afternoon when it felt as though Malik wasn’t long for the Timberwolves roster.
But Dane Moore trascribed a Gersson Rosas comment from the radio in which Rosas reiterated the desire to keep Beasley in Minnesota. Then, Darren Wolfson chimed in.
There's also this on Beasley. What we know: This FO LOVES to wheel & deal, & not like he's off limits. NY or someone else wants to make a nice offer, cool. Seems NY has its fingerprints on a handful of things. Do I sense this sec. #Timberwolves are aggressively shopping him? No. https://t.co/la8SDI7vfa
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) November 19, 2020
Wolfson is likely spot-on. The Wolves’ first choice is to have Beasley back in the fold, and there’s even a chance that his contract may be more affordable given the off-the-court question marks.
But if the Wolves receive a palatable offer for Beasley, well … they’re still in asset acquisition mode and now have several players (D’Angelo Russell, Edwards, Rubio, Jarrett Culver, and Josh Okogie) who all have positional overlap with Beasley, not to mention likely draft-and-stash Leandro Bolmaro, who the Wolves traded up to select.
Of course, things are going to happen quickly, with free agency opening on Friday evening and player due in their markets for COVID-19 testing by Nov. 30.
dark. Next. Why Ricky Rubio is a perfect fit with the Wolves
The next few days are going to be crazy, and there’s at least a solid chance that a Beasley trade is part of the madness.