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The Detroit Pistons have prepared themselves for the re-signing of forward Malik Beasley after his gambling investigation. Still, it won't be under the same terms they initially had in mind. Ahead of free agency, the Pistons reportedly had an extension worth $42 million on the table. Other potential suitors for Beasley had their respective offers prepared, and it all disappeared amid a federal investigation.
The story broke on June 29, days before the start of free agency. ESPN reported Beasley was an investigation, resulting in NBA spokesman Mike Bass confirming Malik's involvement.
“We are cooperating with the federal prosecutors' investigation,” Bass stated, which put Beasley's long-term extension, reportedly worth $42 million, off the table, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
“Sources said that Beasley and the Detroit Pistons were set to complete a three-year, $42 million contract to bring the 28-year-old guard back, but that proposal evaporated after the franchise became aware of the federal investigation and other interested teams paused conversations with Beasley as well,” Charania reported.
Beasley's attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter confirmed their client was indeed being looked into. However, he was never charged and was not the target of the ongoing investigation.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN. “An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
Still, Beasley's $42 million extension was no longer offered.
Pistons free agent Malik Beasley vows to ‘destroy' in 2025-26
Without a long-term extension, Pistons forward Malik Beasley will enter 2025-26 with an edge to prove himself following the gambling scandal. Through the gambling probe, many wrote Beasley off, labeling him guilty before the fact that he was never charged, nor was he the focus of the investigation. Coming off of 2024's Jontay Porter's investigation, which resulted in him being found guilty and banned from the NBA.
Through it all, Beasley didn't hold back when he clapped back at his harsh critic on his Snapchat.
“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,” Beasley said.
There's no word on whether the Pistons will use their final roster spot to re-sign Beasley.
