Beasley Could Return To Miami Heat This Weekend

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Michael Beasley could return to Miami Heat this weekend
By Michael Wallace
Miami Herald

Embattled Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley could return to the team as soon as this weekend after a month-long stay at a Houston-area drug rehabilitation program.

Beasley, the second pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, was required to enter rehab after a violation of the league's substance-abuse program.

Saturday would mark at least the 30th day Beasley, 20, has been in the in-patient program. He had been in Houston several weeks earlier as an out-patient in rehab, but was admitted on a more strict basis after an undisclosed rules violation.

Beasley's Twitter account was taken down after he sent out a series of messages Aug. 21 complaining of his predicament, including one tweet in which he suggested life wasn't worth living.

Sources said Beasley posted the messages after he was told he had to enter the inpatient program.

A Heat spokesman and Beasley's personal manager, Bruce Shingler, declined to comment Friday night. The Heat has confirmed that, barring a setback, Beasley is expected to be with the team by the Sept. 28 start of training camp.

Beasley has been under the league's substance-abuse microscope since he was caught in a hotel room with unpermitted female guests amid the smell of marijuana at the rookie symposium in New York. Beasley has since been connected to at least one program violation.

Beasley has been permitted to work out with the Heat's coaching staff the past several weeks. Heat teammates, including captains Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade, have communicated with Beasley during his stay in Houston and expect him to regroup and improve on his promising rookie season.

"He has a chance to learn from his mistakes and make something positive of it,'' Wade said recently.

Beasley, a 6-9 versatile forward, averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds last season and was a NBA first-team All-Rookie pick.

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