When the Michael Beasley $50k fine report was posted on NBA.com last night, we wondered if this would prompt some papers to look into ESPN’s brief reports of Michael Beasley hiding out in the bathroom (Chris Broussard’s summary here) during the Chalmers-Arthur bust.

Sort of. The Sun-Sentinel dips into the murky pool a bit, but will certainly leave readers wanting more. (Which is much more than we can say for the Miami Herald.) From the Sun-Sentinel:

Beasley was allowed to remain at the seminar, even though initial reports had linked him to the incident.

Reader: What are these initial reports? How difficult would it have been to spell it out: ESPN reported that hotel security found an unidentified male locked in the bathroom repeatedly flushing the toilet, refusing to come out.

However, in the intervening period, Heat President Pat Riley said Beasley owned up to his presence at the hotel room in question.

When did Beasley come clean? After the NBA grilled Chalmers and Arthur and they snitched? Or after the security team ID’d Beasley from photos (that is speculation on our part)? Did Beasley deny it to the Heat, and then later crack when presented with evidence? Why do we think that …

A source familiar with the NBA investigation said the matter was reopened when word of Beasley’s involvement resurfaced in recent days.

Where did it surface? Message boards? Blogs? NBA chatter?

If you’ve followed this site since before the NBA draft, you know we’re bullish on Beasley. Thought the Bulls should have grabbed him No. 1 overall to fit a need. And this incident isn’t the end of the world – hell, Derrick Rose, the No. 1 pick, was nabbed doing over 100 mph in April (40 mph over the speed limit) – nor should it be. But it’s an interesting story, and if we’re a South Florida resident, we want to know any and everything about the new cornerstone of the franchise, the guy who is getting $4 million each of the next two seasons.

For starters: Chalmers and Arthur were fined 20k each and have to retake the Rookie Transition program. So why did Beasley get a fine of 50k, yet he doesn’t have to retake the program?

Beasley fined $50K (Sun-Sentinel)