The Brooklyn Nets will lose Michael Beasley as he tested positive for the coronavirus and finding replacements was a challenge.
It looks like the nightmare in Brooklyn is far from over. Recently acquired free agent Michael Beasley won’t be able to join the Brooklyn Nets and the National Basketball Association (NBA) restart is just around the corner.
Nets forward Michael Beasley tested positive for coronavirus, returned home and his roster status is up in the air, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 14, 2020
Last July 10, the Brooklyn Nets officially announced his signing via Twitter. However, it looks like COVID-19 has taken a toll on its roster once again.
OFFICIAL: We've signed Michael Beasley as a Substitute Player for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.
⚪️⚫️ Hello, @Michael8easley ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/hHMBleW4G6
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 9, 2020
Michael Beasley was formerly part of the New York Knicks last 2017 averaging 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists a game. He also became a key role player in his last games with the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
As per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Brooklyn Nets will most likely replace Beasley with Justin Anderson.
Nets forward Michael Beasley will not join the team and the franchise will replace his roster spot, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Beasley tested positive for coronavirus. Justin Anderson remains a signing candidate.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 16, 2020
Challenging times ahead for Brooklyn
CBS Sports notes that Beasley becomes the fifth player in the Brooklyn Nets roster that tested positive for COVID-19. A lot of players in the roster have tested positive for the coronavirus including Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Taurean Prince.
With a lot of key players missing in action, it will take a miracle for the Brooklyn Nets to secure a playoff spot once the NBA restart resumes.
In addition, even if Beasley had rejoined Brooklyn in Orlando, he would have still had to undergo a five-game suspension for a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy that he got last April as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooklyn reaches out to other players including Jamal Crawford
Aside from Michael Beasley, the organization also signed a lot of players to substitute their missing pieces including guard Tyler Johnson and veteran sixth man Jamal Crawford.
It looks like, with the acquisition of the NBA veteran, he may have a chance in building his legacy. Looking at his NBA stats, he still has some left in the tank averaging more than 20 minutes a game.
Not to mention playing all 82 games during his time in the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2016-2017 season averaging 12.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists off the bench.
No classroom like @JCrossover’s classroom 🙌 pic.twitter.com/NQv4ZTMcyk
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 18, 2020
The Brooklyn Nets also reached out to veteran forward Lance Thomas and rookie big man Donta Hall for the remainder of the season. Lance Thomas was a former New York Knick who only played a few games and this is his third stint with the Nets, as reported by NetsDaily.
In 2010, he played for the Nets summer league after going undrafted out of Duke. Then, back in October, he was invited to the Nets training camp. However, he was waived in both cases.
Donta Hall, who went undrafted in 2019, played four games with the Detroit Pistons earlier this season, says CBS Sports.
As the NBA restarts this month, fans shall see if this surprising lineup from the Brooklyn Nets can withstand the competition for the rest of the season.
Featured image courtesy of MSG Networks/YouTube Screenshot