Former NBA player Michael Beasley recently shared his thoughts on his time with the New York Knicks, claiming that he could have led the team to the playoffs if they had played him in his preferred position.
In a tweet, Michael Beasley stated, “With Porzingis, Tim Hardaway, and Courtney Lee, I could’ve made that a playoff team. I was playing out of position. If they had played me at 2 guard, fronted with Jarrett Jack, I would’ve been better… I’ve been playing out of position my whole career. You play me at the 1, 2, or 3, I’m bigger. I’m better on defense. Now I had somebody to play pick and roll with. I could’ve run a great pick-and-roll game with Kyle O’Quinn and Kristaps Porzingis. But Jeff (Hornacek) was on the hot seat, and Porzingis didn’t really know how to play good basketball. I was just playing basketball, so that situation was trash, man.”
Michael Beasley says he could’ve taken the Knicks to the playoffs if they hadn’t played him out of position
“With Porzingis, Tim Hardaway, and Courtney Lee, I could’ve made that a playoff team. I was playing out of position. If they had played me at 2 guard, fronted with Jarrett… pic.twitter.com/o9jvxWTRUI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 24, 2024
Michael Beasley Playing Out of Position
Michael Beasley expressed frustration over being played out of position throughout his career. “I was playing out of position. If they had played me at 2 guard, fronted with Jarrett Jack, I would’ve been better,” he said. Beasley believes that his skills were better suited for the guard positions rather than the forward spots he was often assigned to. He argued that playing him at the 1, 2, or 3 positions would have maximized his defensive capabilities and allowed him to better utilize his size and skill set.
The Potential Lineup
Beasley highlighted the potential of a lineup featuring himself, Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Courtney Lee. He envisioned a scenario where he could have run an effective pick-and-roll game with Porzingis and Kyle O’Quinn. “I could’ve run a great pick-and-roll game with Kyle O’Quinn and Kristaps Porzingis,” Beasley stated. This combination, according to Beasley, could have been a playoff-caliber team if utilized correctly.
Criticism of Coaching Decisions
A significant part of Beasley’s critique was directed at then-head coach Jeff Hornacek. Michael Beasley felt that Hornacek’s coaching decisions, influenced by his precarious job security, hindered the team’s potential. “Jeff (Hornacek) was on the hot seat, and Porzingis didn’t really know how to play good basketball,” Beasley remarked. He suggested that the instability and lack of clear direction from the coaching staff contributed to the team’s struggles.
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