Is Michael Beasley the biggest bust in NBA history?

[kozelkid]

Simple question. I expect to hear the usual suspects like Darko, Bowie and Kwame. But here's my argument here. In the case of Bowie, he got injured (not his fault) and viewed as a bad pick from the get go. In the case of Kwame, he was just another raw HS player in a draft that notoriously produced very little anyway. And in the case of Darko, much like Kwame, he was also very raw and proved very little beforehand if I recall correctly.

And then there is Beasley. A player who not only had obvious NBA talent, but who had one of the best college seasons by a freshman. Not only that, but he also wasn't one of those raw "projects" who had to be developed, he was NBA ready and polished and suffered no big time injuries in the NBA. In short, he is the prime example of a big time talent who failed because he had no work ethic nor took the sport seriously. It obviously doesn't help that that same draft proved to be very deep and produced other big time talents after him like Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, and Eric Gordon.

So, is Michael Beasley the biggest bust in NBA history?

[conway429]

Not even remotely close.
He put up 19+ points a game one season and he wasn't even a 1st overall pick.

[DanG]

Kwame

[Gritz]

Wow

[netsgiantsyanks]

kwame.

[B'sCeltsPatsSox]

lol no. He's at least somewhat of a serviceable player.

[kozelkid]

Not even remotely close.
He put up 19+ points a game one season and he wasn't even a 1st overall pick.

He put up 19 at awful efficiency. This year, on a team where he would have all the chance to do whatever he wanted, his scoring efficiency has been absolutely putrid.

And many, I'd say most, called for Beasley as the number one pick as he had a much better freshman year than Rose. Rose only went up the draft boards after the tournament and even then, Beasley was viewed as the number one guy.

Really, it was only his attitude (as I remember Bulls FO being reportedly being upset with at the interviews) that really held him back.

[kozelkid]

lol no. He's at least somewhat of a serviceable player.

The guy currently has a PER less than 10, a ts% 44.6, and an o-rating of 87. Those efficiency numbers are pretty much historically bad.

I'm well aware that there have been top picks that have been worse, but the expectations, at least for me, were always higher for Beasley than say Kwame.

Funny enough, while we have that Austin Rivers thread, he is one of the few players that is currently playing WORSE. He currently has -.8 WS. He is literally hurting his team more than helping.

[conway429]

He put up 19 at awful efficiency. This year, on a team where he would have all the chance to do whatever he wanted, his scoring efficiency has been absolutely putrid.

And many, I'd say most, called for Beasley as the number one pick as he had a much better freshman year than Rose. Rose only went up the draft boards after the tournament and even then, Beasley was viewed as the number one guy.

Really, it was only his attitude (as I remember Bulls FO being reportedly being upset with at the interviews) that really held him back.

Honestly, just google "nba lottery picks" or something and be reminded of the players who have been drafted high, and then done absolutely nothing in brief careers. That's what a bust is.
Beasley hasn't even been that bad. Disappointing, sure, but still a capable NBA player.

[B'sCeltsPatsSox]

The guy currently has a PER less than 10, a ts% 44.6, and an o-rating of 87. Those efficiency numbers are pretty much historically bad.

I'm well aware that there have been top picks that have been worse, but the expectations, at least for me, were always higher for Beasley than say Kwame.

27 game sample sizes FTW! His career PER is 15.3 and his TS% is .507. When can't look at 27 games out of a players 300 game career and call him a bust.

[LaLa_Land]

I believed coming out of college Beasley would be an immediate all star. He had the athleticism, ball-handling, and shooting to be a superstar in the league. Many people though he was going to be a dominant, dominant force for a long time. But his head wasn't on straight, he had the incident where he took a self picture with bags of ganja and other drugs on the floor.

He doesn't have a work ethic, and was rumored to have come to Minnesota games after smoking bud.

I still believe that under the right tutelage, and getting traded to a contender he can be bred to produce at a high level. He still has go-to potential, but that potential will be completely squandered because his time is running out quickly.

I hope the Lakers consider trading for him. Jamison is out of the rotation, and I believe he can be the centerpiece of a package for Beas - at the very least as an expiring.

[IAmARanger18]

Kwame Brown.....

[kozelkid]

Honestly, just google "nba lottery picks" or something and be reminded of the players who have been drafted high, and then done absolutely nothing in brief careers. That's what a bust is.
Beasley hasn't even been that bad. Disappointing, sure, but still a capable NBA player.

I guess we differ on this. I think the expectations HAVE to be considered when evaluating the degree of how much a player is a bust.

And no, beasley is no way a "serviceable" player. Again, many of his numbers are historically bad.

[kozelkid]

27 game sample sizes FTW! His career PER is 15.3 and his TS% is .507. When can't look at 27 games out of a players 300 game career and call him a bust.

His numbers have been pretty consistent throughout this season.

Although, I suppose your last point is fair.

[conway429]

I guess we differ on this. I think the expectations HAVE to be considered when evaluating the degree of how much a player is a bust.

And no, beasley is no way a "serviceable" player. Again, many of his numbers are historically bad.

What numbers are historically bad? Other than the ones you mentioned from this year only.

And every 2nd overall pick has huge expectations.