Malik Beasley, one of the top free agents about to hit the open market in the NBA, has found himself in hot water with the federal government.
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Beasley is under investigation by the U.S. District Attorney’s office over allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets. It's important to note that no charges have been filed and that Beasley is merely the subject of an investigation.
What happens next is unclear, but it's a scandal rocking the NBA and one that couldn't come at a worse time for Beasley.
Not that it's ever ideal to be under federal investigation, but NBA free agency is about to get underway and Beasley was viewed as a top target on the market. He was in talks with the Detroit Pistons on a three-year, $42 million contract prior to the allegations coming to light, a deal that is now far more complicated than anyone could have anticpated.
Here's every detail that has come to light so far since news of the investigation broke.
Everything to know about the Malik Beasley gambling allegations
Beasley's attorney, Steve Haney, released a statement not long after the initial news report about the investigation, making it clear that this is not a charge against his client.
"An investigation is not a charge," Haney said. "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."
NBA spokesman Mike Bass said that the league is "cooperating with the federal prosecutors" but didn't offer much more of a statement.
According to Shams, a potential genesis for the investigation stems from a game back in January 2024 between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers. Beasley, who was playing for the Bucks at the time, had the odds on how many rebounds he'd have in the game move "significantly" ahead of tip-off.
What this might mean is someone placed a considerable wager on the under, which was where a gambling industry source told ESPN there was movement. For what it's worth, Beasley finished with over 2.5 rebounds, so the bets made with "unusual" movement lost.
This isn't the first time the NBA has been forced to deal with a gambling issue. Terry Rozier was under federal investigation due to similar allegations to Beasley, and last year Jontay Porter was banned by the league after it was determined he bet on games.
It's worth noting that Rozier wasn't charged and hasn't faced any punishment from the NBA.
ESPN reports that Beasley's contract negotiations with the Pistons have "paused", and it's unclear what the next steps will be given the severity of the allegations being brought forth.
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