NBA Rumors: Brooklyn Nets Reportedly Finalizing Deals With Jamal Crawford, Michael Beasley
With multiple key players opting out of participating in the NBA’s 22-team restart of the 2019-20 season, the Brooklyn Nets will feature the most depleted roster among squads resuming action at the league’s bubble environment near Orlando, Florida later this month. In order to help compensate for the loss of personnel, the Nets are bringing in a pair of notable veterans — guard Jamal Crawford and forward Michael Beasley — according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.
Charania tweeted that Crawford had come to terms on a deal with Brooklyn on Wednesday. Less than three hours later, he reported on negotiations between the Nets and Beasley via Twitter.
The reported addition of both Crawford and Beasley comes in the wake of guard Spencer Dinwiddie and center DeAndre Jordan both electing to opt out of the restart after testing positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Nets’ two stars — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving — are rehabbing injuries.
Irving has made only 20 appearances for the Nets this season due to a myriad of injuries and underwent surgery on his shoulder in February. Meanwhile, Durant hasn’t played since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals when, as a member of the Golden State Warriors, he suffered a ruptured Achilles. As shared previously by The Inquisitr, the suspension of the 2019-20 campaign due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic had given fans hope that Durant could make an unexpected return to the hardwood, but he and the Nets ultimately elected to err on the side of caution.
Although Crawford and Beasley wouldn’t come close to replacing the production the Nets have lost due to players opting out and injuries, both players have extensive experience in the league and have been known to light up the scoreboard.
The 40-year-old Crawford, who last played for the Phoenix Suns in 2018-19, was one of the league’s most electrifying bench scorers and streak shooters. Over nearly two decades in the Association, he appeared in more than 1,300 games, averaging nearly 15 points and just over three assists per contest while making 2,220 three-pointers (the eighth-most in NBA history).
As for Beasley, the second overall pick in 2008 never lived up to his pre-draft reputation. However, he likely has a lot of basketball left in him at age 31 and has been a dynamic and effective scorer in stretches throughout his career. Beasley last played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018-19 season, averaging seven points per game over 26 appearances. In his career, Beasley has averaged nearly 20 points and more than seven rebounds per 36 minutes.
