Houston Rockets Expected To Sign Former No. 2 Draft Pick Michael Beasley For The Rest Of Season [Breaking News]
About a week after The Inquistir reported that Michael Beasley — the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft — was drawing a lot of attention from NBA clubs after finishing his season with the Shangdong Golden Stars of the Chinese Basketball Association, ESPN Marc Stein is reporting that he is heading to Houston to sign with the Rockets for the rest of the season.
Sources say Michael Beasley is en route to Houston to sign with the Rockets on a rest-of-the-season deal … with a team option next season
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 2, 2016
The terms of Beasley’s contract are unknown but it will likely be for the league’s minimum. Beasley had a fantastic year this season, which concluded with the 27-year-old being named the best foreign player in the CBA this year per The Sporting News. The combo forward averaged 31.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game this year while shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc. He also poured in a eye popping 63 points to go along with 19 rebounds and 13 assists in the process of being named the league’s All-Star Game MVP for a second consecutive season.
Beasley has appeared in 433 regular season NBA games over the course of his seven-year NBA career and owns averages of 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. His last stint in the NBA was with the Miami Heat last year after coming back from China, averaging 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 24 games. Beasley also has played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns.
Houston (29-31) is battling to hang on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference as the Rockets currently sit a half game ahead of ninth place Utah Jazz. The Rockets have lost two straight and six-of-their-last-10 heading into tonight’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
After the New Orleans game, Houston will have three days off before heading to Chicago to start a five- game road trip that also includes stops in Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston and Charlotte. The Rockets are 3-4 in their last seven road games and 13-17 overall away from home, being outscored by 2.1 points a game which is 1.1 points worse than when they are at home. Houston is 8-12 against Eastern Conference foes.
Houston had two open rosters spots earlier today available after waiving Ty Lawson and Marcus Thornton. The Rockets reportedly filled the other spot with guard Andrew Goudelock. Goudelock’s contract is a minimum salary arrangement that covers the rest of the season and includes a team option 2016-17 season according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Goudelock will sign a two-year deal, the second at a team option, source said. This season fully guaranteed.
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 2, 2016
![Andrew Goudelock [Harry How/Getty Images]](http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Andrew-Goudelock.jpg)
Goudelock has NBA experience, appearing in 41 games for the Los Angeles Lakers over two seasons (2011-13). The former second round draft choice also has a previous relationship with the Rockets, having played for their D-League affiliate for part of the 2012/13 season, when he won D-League MVP honors. Goudelock is a solid outside shooter who owns a career average of 4.3 points as well a shooting percentage o 37.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Lawson, who was in the last of his contract, struggled coming off the bench for the Rockets. The 28-year-old was averaging a career- low 5.8 points and had seen his assists drop from over five a game to 3.4 this year.
Thornton hadn’t appeared in a game for the Rockets since returning to the team as a result of the voided trade between Houston-Philadelphia-Detroit. Thornton averaged 10.0 points in 18.8 minutes of action off the bench for Houston this year.
[Photo by Matt Slocum of the Associated Press]
