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AP: eb209a30-1d5b-4780-866f-0cadf243e663
Phoenix Suns' Michael Beasley goes after a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn., Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013. The Suns defeated the Grizzlies 96-90. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
listen Listen: Lon Babby discusses Michael Beasley incident with Doug and Wolf
Phoenix Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby thinks the Michael Beasley traffic incident has been "completely overblown."

Late Monday afternoon it was reported that Phoenix Suns forward Michael Beasley had a bit of a run-in with the law.

The oft-troubled player was cited for driving with a suspended license, driving with with excessive speed, driving with expired registration and failure to display a license plate on the rear of his vehicle.

He was clocked by Scottsdale Police going 71 MPH in a 45 MPH zone.

On its own, the issue is really not that uncommon. People speed, and sometimes they get caught. However, Beasley's track record of issues off the court likely made this a bigger story than it otherwise would have been, and although Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby understands why people were so interested in the incident, he pretty much thinks the entire story "was completely overblown."

"I have a lot of confidence in Michael and the work he's doing here, and I can't condone anybody driving too fast," Babby told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf. Adding he wouldn't condone speeding from anyone in his family, Babby said he believes "the reaction to it was overblown."

"It was a traffic incident," he said. "I guess when you have a little bit of a history people are going to overreact to it."

Babby, who said he does not believe the team needs to take any further action with regards to Beasley, adding it didn't really cause him "great angst" or anything like that.

"Obviously we wish all of our guys would not get speeding tickets, but people get speeding tickets."

This is true, but it would probably be fair to say most people who get speeding tickets are never placed in handcuffs for any period of time during the stop. Beasley was.

Even with that, Babby said he believes the media overreacted to the issue and that "the notion that he was arrested connotes something far more serious than what happened."

"It was a traffic stop, they investigated the traffic stop, he was briefly detained while they did that," Babby said. "There was a question, as I understand it, about his driving privliges in Arizona even though he has a Florida license."

Babby said Beasley has an Arizona ID card -- not a license -- which is something the team makes sure all its players have.

What it comes down to is Babby feels like while Beasley made a mistake, it's simply not one that deserves as much attention as it has received.

The topic accounted for a little more than five minutes of what was roughly a 14 minute interview Wednesday.

"I think it's unfortunate we're spending so much time on it," he said. "I don't condone what he did, but I also think he is being held to a microscope. And you know he brings it on himself, I get that."

Adam Green, Web Content Editor - ArizonaSports.com

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  • Abuse
    Hauvay wrote...
    What a....
    I say this over and over, this is not the Suns the valley has grown to love. Now the Suns are no different than the T-Wolves. This behavior in the past would have been dealt with harshly. Now its' " no big deal". The Suns I used to love would never sign a guy like this punk Beasley. That's why I don't watch or go to games anymore. It's sucks for me b/c I loved the Suns so much.
  • Abuse
    the cooker wrote...
    OK Folks!
    Everyone bashing this kid I have a couple questions. Have any of you every been 23 years old or had a kid that age? Have any of you ever been speeding or driving after you had a couple of drinks? Let's all be honest here. Beasley does not make the best decisions in the world but can anyone say they actually ALWAYS do ?
  • Abuse
    Whatashame wrote...
    Cooker
    This is his thrid speeding ticket in the three months he has been in Phoenix. Back while a Timberwolf Beasley was pulled over on June 26, 2011 for speeding around 3 a.m. on Interstate 394 and Carlson Parkway. He was clocked at 84 mph in a 65 mph zone. Police also found 16.2 grams of marijuana in Beasley's vehicle. I would think even Sun's apolgists might be able to discern a pattern here. He is an immature punk.
  • Abuse
    Erik J. wrote...
    @Cooker
    First of all, not everyone is "bashing this kid". They are criticizing a pattern of behavior. Second of all, I did receive speeding ticket or two when I was his age, but not for being 26 MPH over the limit on what was obviously not a freeway. I've also been cited for expired tags and for not having proof of insurance. However, when I did get those citations, I learned from them, and rather quickly. Beasley does not appear to have done so. Finally, at no age (not even 16) would I have been foolish even to get behind the wheel after my license had been SUSPENDED.
  • Abuse
    Erik J. wrote...
    RichFromAz
    "If you guys don't like Beasley as a player fine but don't bash him as a person"? It was the person that was driving the car, not the player. My criticism, and most of the criticism I've read following this story, has very little to do with his playing skills and everything to do with his behavior OFF the court. Even when people bring up the Suns' hiring this guy, their comments on him are about his character, not his ball handling.. Beasley's behavior is putting a bad taste in fans' mouths.
  • Abuse
    CreepyBrian wrote...
    In case you're forgetting....
    Jason Richardson did something similar a few years back, and basically nothing happened to him from an organizational standpoint either. (And no, the J-Rich trade happened LONG after his incident, which if I remember was worse--like a 90 in a 45 or 35--and the trade was for totally different reasons). I've been against Beasley the player for a while, but this is just another ridiculous sideshow to the joke that his been this Suns season.
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