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A few months ago, it was reported by ESPN that former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley was under investigation for a gambling scandal. The report rocked the NBA, and along with it, Beasley's free agency plans. Due to the investigation, Beasley's negotiations were halted, and his NBA career was in jeopardy.
Now, though, Beasley's lawyers have made an announcement regarding the gambling investigation. According to them, the guard is no longer the target of the gambling investigation.
“Haney and Schachter told ESPN that they had extensive conversations and meetings with the Eastern District of New York and received a determination on Beasley not being considered the target after allegations regarding gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season,” Shams Charania reports.
With that news, Beasley will soon be able to sign a new contract with an NBA team. That might come sooner than expected, as Charania reports that several teams maintained their interest in the guard throughout the last few weeks.
“Several teams have maintained contact with Beasley's representation during the last few weeks about his status, sources said,” Charania said.
Beasley is coming off one of his best seasons in the NBA. In his first year with the Detroit Pistons, the guard averaged 16.3 points per game. He solidified his reputation as one of the best shooters in the league, shooting 41.6% from deep. His 319 three-pointers made were a Pistons franchise record and were the second-highest in the NBA last season behind Anthony Edwards.
Beasley came under fire last June after ESPN reported that the guard was under federal investigation. According to the report, the guard was being investigated for potentially betting on games during the 2023-24 NBA season. The investigation was triggered after an unusual change in prop bets for the then-Milwaukee Bucks guard.
This, unfortunately, isn't the first time in the last year that an NBA player was investigated due to gambling. Earlier this year, Terry Rozier was investigated as part of a federal investigation into a sports gambling ring. Last year, former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty to wire fraud after being involved in a gambling scandal.
Beasley was rumored to be in talks for a lucrative contract extension with Detroit. However, after the Pistons signed Duncan Robinson, Beasley might end up finding a new home in the NBA.
