We here at Sportaphile are in the late stages of putting together the 2008-09 NBA Preview Package that will run next week. In the meantime, there was the strong urge to respond to the latest juice making its way around hoopsland. Honestly, I am writing this because I am starting to see some disturbing trends developing in Miami, and the common denominator equals one Michael Beasley. Will he be able to maintain the off-court pressure of being a star rookie playing so close to South Beach or will Pat Riley have to schedule an intervention for him by season’s end? I’m just saying… Who gets fined $50,000 before ever receiving their first NBA paycheck?

This late breaking news on Thursday caught many eyes primarily because Beasley is apparently receiving the stiff penalty for not being a stand-up guy about his role in the much-talked about incident involving Darrell Arthur and fellow Heat rookie Mario Chalmers. The dust had pretty much settled on the storyline of alleged blunts and babes at the Rookie Transition Program last week. At least that was until the news of Beasley being hit with the 50k fine kicked it back to the forefront and oddly this pic surfaced, though the two aren’t related.

Or are they?

There certainly is a reason why the punishment was so stiff, though the league will do its best to keep the juiciest details under wraps. Even still, the real PR damage is already done. Since the public is left to draw its own conclusions at this point, I will say, if nothing else,TownBiz knows what it is. And who are we kidding? Most of us are too high to care if they were in fact firing it up anyway. But the commercials don’t lie: the NBA cares…especially if the highly-marketed Beasley has that hookup. Stern and his disciples are livid that this biggest personality in this year’s draft class and the number two overall pick is entangled in drama directly resulting from “character issues,” the one big knock against him that always comes up in any conversation about the dude. Way to prove the haters wrong, Mike.

This is the last thing D-Wade and the Heat need to be dealing with going into training camp. Can Alonzo Mourning please come and mentor young Be-Easy on how to handle himself in his new life as a NBA baller with brand new money? All appearances indicate that he will need a stabilizer like ‘Zo in his life. ASAP.