Newly-crowned Chinese Basketball Association MVP Michael Beasley is reportedly set to join struggling NBA team Houston Rockets this season after his CBA club Shandong Golden Stars were eliminated by the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the first round of the Chinese basketball league's playoffs.

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ESPN reported that the 27-year-old forward and the Rockets have already "agreed to a contract for the rest of the season at the league minimum, with Houston possessing a team option for next season".

Curiously, though, Houston will not be able to utilize Beasley in the postseason even if the team qualifies for the NBA playoffs this April as the deadline for signing players to become playoff eligible is already over. This means that apart from finishing the regular season with the Rockets, the former Kansas State standout will be able to suit up for them again next season.

While many NBA analysts are raising their eyebrows about the Rockets' move, it was reported that Beasley is determined to get back in the NBA, even passing up more lucrative opportunities to play with European powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv and other international clubs.

Aside from Beasley, Houston also signed another player just coming from the CBA, former Andrew Goudelock, to a two-year deal. Goudelock's Chinese squad, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, had just been eliminated by the Hamed Haddadi-led Sichuan Blue Whales in the semifinals of the CBA playoffs.

Meanwhile, Fansided noted that the Rockets may be mistaken in trying to sign Beasley at this stage of the season. Other than the fact that they will not be able to use him in the playoffs should they advance, the report said that the "last thing the franchise needs at this moment is more distractions".

It went on to say that "Beasley could potentially increase the amount of distractions surrounding the team and more" considering the numerous off-court issues he had been involved with in the past.

Houston is currently hanging on to the eighth spot in the West with a 30-31 record. 

Tags NBA news, NBA news 2016, Michael Beasley, houston rockets, Shandong Golden Stars