NBA Guard Malik Beasley Under Federal Gambling Investigation, Pistons Contract Talks Halted
Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is currently the subject of a federal gambling investigation by the U.S. district attorney’s office, facing allegations of gambling on NBA games and prop bets. This serious development has led to a pause in his ongoing contract negotiations with the Pistons, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The allegations specifically pertain to the 2023-24 NBA season, during which Beasley played for the Milwaukee Bucks. An industry source informed ESPN that at least one prominent U.S. sportsbook detected unusually heavy betting interest on Beasley’s statistics, beginning around January 2024. A notable instance cited was a game between the Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers on January 31, 2024. Prior to this game, the odds on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds shifted dramatically, shortening from approximately +120 to -250 due to a surge of bets on the ‘under’. Despite the unusual betting patterns, Beasley finished that game with six rebounds, resulting in losses for those deemed unusual bets.
Malik Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, addressed the situation, stating to ESPN, “An investigation is not a charge. Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.” Both the Detroit Pistons and the NBA have acknowledged the investigation. An NBA spokesman, Mike Bass, confirmed that the league is “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation,” while the Pistons have deferred further comment to the league.
The investigation comes at a critical time for the 28-year-old sharpshooter, who was reportedly in advanced discussions with the Pistons for a three-year, $42 million contract to remain with the team. These talks are now on hold. Beasley had a strong 2024-25 season with the Pistons, averaging 16.3 points per game across all 82 games. He also set a new Pistons franchise record for most three-pointers made in a single season with 319, just one shy of Anthony Edwards’ league-high 320, and shot a career-high 41.6% from beyond the arc. In the preceding 2023-24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, he averaged 11.3 points in 79 games, making a career-high 77 starts.
This is not Beasley’s first encounter with legal issues. In 2020, while playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence stemming from a September 2020 incident where he brandished a firearm. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail, which he served after the 2020-21 season, completing 78 days. The NBA also suspended him for 12 games in 2021 as a result of the guilty plea, as detailed by Wikipedia and CBS Sports.
The NBA has recently faced several high-profile gambling-related incidents. Earlier this year, former Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter was banned for life by the league after an investigation found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was also reportedly under federal investigation as part of a broader probe into a sports gambling ring. These cases underscore the league’s ongoing efforts to maintain integrity amidst the expanding landscape of legal sports betting.
As the federal investigation into Malik Beasley unfolds, his future with the Detroit Pistons and in the NBA remains uncertain, highlighting the serious implications of gambling allegations for professional athletes.
