Malik Beasley has been removed as a target in the federal gambling investigation by the Eastern District of New York, as reported by his attorneys, Steve Haney and Mike Schachter, to ESPN on Friday, potentially reopening the free agency options for one of the NBA’s leading shooters.
Haney and Schachter informed ESPN that they had thorough discussions and meetings with the Eastern District of New York and received confirmation that Beasley is not considered a target following allegations of gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season.
«Months into this investigation, Malik remains uncharged and is not under scrutiny in this matter,» Haney told ESPN. «An allegation without any charge, indictment or conviction should never have the damaging effects that this has caused for Malik. This situation has truly been contrary to the presumption of innocence.»
A representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York declined to provide comments on the situation Friday.
Detroit Pistons were poised to finalize a three-year, $42 million agreement to re-sign the 28-year-old guard, but that offer fell through once the franchise became aware of the federal inquiry, and sources indicated that other interested teams also halted discussions with Beasley.
Numerous teams have kept in touch with Beasley’s agents over the last few weeks regarding his status, sources shared.
Beasley, who placed second in the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year rankings, recorded an average of 16.3 points while playing all 82 games last season, marking his first season with Detroit over a nine-year NBA career. Beasley made 319 three-pointers, the highest in a season in Pistons franchise history and the second most in the NBA that year, trailing only Minnesota Timberwolves All-NBA star Anthony Edwards by one. Beasley also ranked second in total points and total three-pointers made off the bench, achieving 248 catch-and-shoot threes, the most by any player in a single season since player tracking began in 2013-14, according to GeniusIQ.
Beasley entered into a one-year contract with the Pistons during the 2024 offseason. Due to Detroit signing Caris LeVert using the full midlevel exception, the maximum amount Beasley can re-sign for with the Pistons is $7.2 million, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. With Beasley absent, Detroit signed LeVert, Duncan Robinson, and Javonte Green to enhance its wing and guard lineup.
Teams with the ability to sign Beasley to a contract exceeding $7.2 million include the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Washington Wizards. The Brooklyn Nets also have cap space exceeding $20 million.
In the 2023-24 season, during which the allegations arose, Beasley averaged 11.3 points in 79 games for the Milwaukee Bucks and achieved a career-high 77 starts.
At least one major U.S. sportsbook detected unusually high betting activity on Beasley’s statistics starting around January 2024, a gambling industry insider informed ESPN’s David Purdum. This source highlighted a game between the Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers on January 31, 2024. The odds on Beasley achieving fewer than 2.5 rebounds shifted significantly at sportsbooks leading up to the game, moving from around +120 to approximately -250 due to a spike in action on the under. Beasley ended up with six rebounds, and the bets considered unusual lost.
Last year, former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was banned by the NBA following a league investigation that found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and placed wagers on games. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was under federal investigation for activities related to unusual betting patterns surrounding him during a March 2023 game while he was with the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier has not been charged with any crime and has not faced any penalties from the NBA, with his attorney, Jim Trusty, stating to Purdum that his client is not the target of the inquiry.
The National Basketball Players Association reiterated on Friday that no evidence exists of a broader gambling issue within the league apart from Porter.
«NBA players perform at the highest level with complete integrity and are concerned that prop bets have emerged as an increasingly troubling source of player harassment, both online and in person,» a spokesperson for the NBPA stated. «If stricter regulations can help alleviate that abuse, then we support examining them more closely.»
In 2020, when Beasley was with the Timberwolves, he pled guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence and was sentenced to 120 days in jail, served after the 2020-21 season. He also faced a 12-game suspension from the NBA in 2021 as a consequence of his guilty plea.
