In what could turn into an incredibly embarrassing and awkward situation for the NBA, the “U.S. District Attorney’s office is investigating Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets,” reports ESPN’s Shams Charania. This gambling allegedly took place during the 2023-24 season, when Beasley was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Beasley, 28, was one of the bigger names on the free agent market this summer after averaging 16.3 points a game while shooting 41.6% on 3-pointers for the Pistons last season. Charania reports that the Pistons and Beasley were discussing a new three-year, $42 million contract, but that is now on hold. No team will touch him in free agency, either, until this is resolved.
Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, released this statement to ESPN:
“An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.”
NBA league spokesperson Mike Bass told NBC Sports, “We are cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation.”
While the NBA had to deal with former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter betting on games and tipping off a gambling circuit to fix prop bets on him — he has since been banned for life from the league — Porter was not really in a position to impact the outcome of games. Beasley was. He played in 79 games for the Bucks during the season in question, almost 30 minutes a night, and averaged 11.3 points a night as a floor spacer next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last season he played in all 82 games for the Pistons.
The Pistons had been linked to multiple free agents this summer (they have or can create some cap space), which makes some more sense now if they knew what was coming with Beasley.
