Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have opened an investigation into Detroit Pistons guard and impending free agent Malik Beasley for allegedly betting on NBA games and player-performance prop wagers during the 2023-24 season, when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. One U.S. sportsbook reportedly detected unusual betting patterns on Beasley’s statistics beginning in January 2024, prompting the probe. The NBA said it is cooperating, while Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, stressed that “an investigation is not a charge.” No criminal counts have been filed.
The timing threatens Beasley’s free-agency prospects. Detroit had been closing in on a three-year, $42 million agreement to keep the 28-year-old sharpshooter, but negotiations have been put on hold, according to people familiar with the talks. Beasley is coming off a one-year, $6 million deal with the Pistons in which he appeared in all 82 games, averaged 16.3 points and sank 319 three-pointers—second-most in the league while shooting 41.6 % from beyond the arc.
Separately, Beasley is facing mounting financial claims. Hazan Sports Management Group sued him in April for $2.25 million, alleging he failed to repay a $650,000 advance. Court filings reviewed by The Detroit News show additional judgments, including a $5.8 million award to lender South River Capital, a $26,827 debt to a Milwaukee barber and a $34,390 claim from a Minnesota dentist. Combined liabilities now top $8 million, and records indicate the guard has pledged current and future NBA contracts as collateral for loans.
If investigators establish that Beasley wagered on NBA contests, the league could impose penalties up to and including a lifetime ban, echoing the precedent set in 2024 with former Raptors forward Jontay Porter. For now, Beasley remains eligible to sign with any team when free agency opens, but clubs are expected to await clarity from the federal inquiry before committing significant cap space.
Malik Beasley should be riding high right now, after a season where he became just the fifth player in NBA history to make at least 300 shots from 3-point range in a single season.
