Malik Beasley Opens up on Decision to Sign With Detroit Pistons
Upon hitting free agency last summer, Malik Beasley went a different route in regards to his career. After a few years of being a complementary piece on contenders, he opted to be a veteran leader on a young Detroit Pistons team.
Deciding to join the Pistons has paid huge dividends for Beasley, as he's putting up some of the best numbers of his career. Primarily serving as the team's sixth man, he is averaging 16.3 PPG and shooting 40.4% from deep on an impressive nine attempts per game.
Earlier this week, Beasley sat down with insider Michael Scotto to discuss a variety of topics. During in the interview, he opened up on what led to him choosing the Pistons in free agency.
I chose Detroit because I wanted to go through the grit and grind and show that I could be a veteran and a leader. I think with the last couple of teams, as I’ve bounced around the league, I haven’t really been able to show leadership being on a team with LeBron and different guys. Here, I’m able to bring my playoff experience and everything I’ve been through in my life. I feel like I can bring different aspects to this team.
Of all of the moves Trajan Langdon has made since taking over the Pistons' front office, signing Beasley is near the top of the list. Along with drastically improving the on-court product, he has been a strong presence in the locker room.
Through the first half of season, Beasley has been one of the best in-the-margin signings of the offseason. While he only signed for one year, the Pistons should strongly consider doing what they can to keep him around long-term.