Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is under federal investigation on allegations of gambling tied to NBA games and prop bets, clouding his future in the league. The outcome of the investigation could cost him tens of millions of dollars
Shams Charania of ESPN reported Sunday that Beasley is being investigated by federal authorities for suspicious betting that occurred during the 2023-24 NBA season, when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. The federal inquiry has reportedly put on hold a three-year, $42 million contract that Beasley and Detroit were in “serious talks” about this offseason.
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Malik Beasley stats: 16.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 43% FG, 3.9 3PM per game, 41.6% 3PT, .100 Win Shares per 48 Minutes
Beasley, age 28, is coming off one of the best seasons in his nine-year career. In 82 games played with Detroit, he recorded his second-highest scoring average (16.3 PPG) and made a career-best 3.9 three-pointers per game.
The 6-foot-4 guard was critical to Detroit’s year-to-year improvement, helping the team win 44 games and make the NBA playoffs for the first time in six years. In the first-round series against the New York Knicks, he averaged 14 points per game and 3.3 three-pointers made per contest.
Malik Beasley career earnings (Spotrac): $59.948 million
According to ESPN’s David Purdum, at least one prominent U.S. sportsbook found “unusually heavy betting interest” on Beasley’s statistics beginning around January 2024.
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One specific game occurred on Jan. 31, 2024, between the Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers. Ahead of that matchup, the odds for Beasley to record fewer than 2.5 rebounds shortened from +120 to –250 due to a surge of bets placed on the under. Beasley finished the game with six rebounds.
“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.”
Malik Beasley’s attorney Steve Haney on the federal investigation (via ESPN)
The NBA banned Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter last year after a league investigation determined that he provided sports bettors with confidential information on games.
As Beasley’s agent stated, the federal investigation doesn’t mean there is a charge, nor does it suggest an NBA suspension is imminent. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier became the subject of a federal investigation in January for unusual betting surrounding a March 2023 game when he played for the Charlotte Hornets. Rozier played the rest of the season for Miami and hasn’t received any discipline from the NBA.
NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. ... More about Matt Johnson