One of the biggest stories of the offseason for the Detroit Pistons was the gambling scandal of Malik Beasley, which sidelined his free agency sweepstakes before they even began. Beasley was announced to be under federal investigation for potential gambling-related activities during his time with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2024 season, and now it remains to be seen whether the former Sixth Man of the Year candidate will take the court next season.
Recently, Beasley took to his Snapchat account to get 100% real on his mindset as he hopes to bring an end to the probe and sign with a team, be it the Pistons or someone else.
“People were saying some crazy things in the media… people judging me… I'll tell you one thing, I got a chip on my shoulder. I'm ready to destroy anybody in front of me, I'm ready to prove again that I belong in this league,” said Beasley.
There can be little doubt that from a basketball standpoint, Beasley certainly belongs in this league. Beasley had the best season of his career in 2024-25, helping the Pistons perform well above expectations and becoming one of the league leaders in three pointers made.
A tough break for the Pistons
Beasley was expected by many to return to the Pistons on a lucrative contract this summer; however, those plans were put on pause when the federal gambling probe was announced just days before free agency was set to begin.
The Pistons quickly switched courses, adding some bench shooting in the form of Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson, who in theory should be able to mostly replicate the production that Beasley provided last year.
The fact that Beasley had a rough playoff showing against the New York Knicks should also make the prospect of losing him a little bit easier of a pill for Pistons fans to swallow.
However, Beasley himself certainly seems intent on returning to the league and hitting the ground running where he does so. Whether he's able to almost entirely depends on the outcome of the gambling investigation.
