Michael Beasley chooses Knicks over Kevin Durant reunion
DENVER — Thanks for the sentiment, Kevin Durant, but Michael Beasley seems like he would rather stick with the Knicks next season than bolt to the Warriors’ juggernaut.
Durant talked a lot about his DC buddy Beasley in his postgame press conference Tuesday night after the Knicks’ 123-112 loss at Golden State, lavishing plaudits on his skill level and agreeing with his friend’s controversial preseason assessment that he “matches up talent-wise” with LeBron James and Durant.
But KD saved his bombshell nugget for the San Jose Mercury News, saying how “amazing’’ it would be to play with Beasley next season on the Warriors, who won’t have cap space but will wield the $5.3 million taxpayer exception.
Beasley was flattered by his buddy’s remarks and acknowledged they have talked about being NBA teammates since they were kids. But Beasley said he would prefer to make New York his home.
Beasley, an impending free agent, told The Post he’s tired of moving and hopes his scoring prowess this season will earn him a long-term spot as a Knick. He also said it wouldn’t be appropriate to start fantasizing about playing with the Warriors next season.
“He’s a best friend. Why not?’’ Beasley said. “But right now I’m a New York Knick. So me placing myself on another team during the season is not fair to my guys. Let the summer be the summer.
“One thing I do think about it is me being tired of moving — having a long-time home,’’ Beasley added. “I don’t want to move anymore.’
When told Durant said Wednesday “he’s found a solid home in New York and hopefully he sticks there,” Beasley responded, “Me too.”
Nevertheless, Durant let his mind wander about hooking up with Beasley next season in Golden State: “It would be amazing,’’ Durant told the Bay Area newspaper. “Especially now, I mean, if we link up now at this age, we done so much, seen so much, being on this league as a player.
“It would have to be next year. I’ll be 30, he’ll be 30 too, so it’ll be like, man — to finally meet up as grown men. Imagine if we were on the same team, that’ll be crazy.”
Beasley, 29, was teammates with Durant twice in high school — at National Christian Academy in Maryland and Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Beasley admitted that playing together has long been a topic of their conversations.
“All the time before we even thought we could make the NBA,’’ Beasley said. “Before we knew it was a possibility. That’s what best friends do. Talk about the future. Would it be amazing to play with him? One hundred percent. But like I said, I got to fight with my guys.”
Beasley signed a one-year deal for the $2.2 million veteran’s minimum. He has been on a scoring binge since Tim Hardaway Jr. was injured in November. Beasley’s scoring average is now at 12.6 in 19 minutes per game, and “The Walking Bucket’’ is shooting 52.5 percent.
During his 32-point explosion that beat Boston last month, the Garden fans chanted “M-V-P.’’ Certainly Beasley has taken a liking to the big stage after a journeyman’s career.
Durant said Beasley never “got a fair chance’’ before the Knicks. Durant was the No. 2 pick by the SuperSonics, who later became the Thunder, in 2007. Beasley was the No. 2 pick by the Heat in 2008.
On Wednesday, Beasley stepped in for Kristaps Porzingis as starting power forward in the loss, scoring 21 points, four rebounds and four assists and kept the Knicks close into the third quarter.
During training camp, Beasley received scorn for comparing his skill level to James and Durant in Bleacher Report.
“People criticize everything I say,’’ Beasley said. “Ever notice that? I know how good I am. I know how hard I work. It’s good for guys like KD to acknowledge it.”
Indeed, Durant said the comparison isn’t crazy.
“I love Beas,’’ Durant said after Tuesday’s game. “I love his family. I love what he’s doing. He never had a fair chance. I said in a comment earlier this year before the season where he said he was just as skilled as LeBron and myself, and I was feeling him on that.
“I was feeling him, because he is. He can score from anywhere. He can score on anybody. He can use both hands, but there’s something else that separates. I think that’s just the difference, the mental part of it. And he’s got the foundation of his game set, it’s just time to build on top of it.”
Beasley said he and Durant have borrowed from each other’s games but noted KD has been more of a work machine.
“In my lifetime, as hard as I work, I’ve put up a millions of shots,’’ Beasley said. “He’s definitely got up at least twice as many. His jump shot has always been a little better than mine.’’
After Hardaway’s injury, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek started trusting Beasley as a mainstay of the rotation. Whether Beasley will be re-signed is unclear.
“He’s played his way into a nice deal hopefully, and he’s come in handy for this team throughout the whole season, so I’m proud of him,” Durant said.