malik beasley
Getty
Los Angeles Lakers guard Malik Beasley.
Once it was reported by ESPN that federal authorities were investigating veteran NBA guard Malik Beasley for “gambling related to NBA games and prop bets,” it seemed like there was a good chance his career was over. However, things took a turn when ESPN reported recently that Beasley is no longer being targeted in the investigation.
He may not be totally out of the clear yet, but a team could be more willing to sign him now. One team that could make some sense is the Los Angeles Lakers. The team could use more shooting, and Beasley previously played with them in 2022-23.
However, he had a down year when he was in Los Angeles, and with the gambling probe lingering over his head, the Lakers may just prefer to roll with the players they have. According to NBA insider Jovan Buha, there’s almost no chance the Lakers will consider signing him.
“I would not say zero percent. There are very few things that I will confidently say zero percent. … I would say a low percent chance, because the Lakers have had the opportunity to do a salary dump earlier in the summer and they chose not to,” Buha said on his YouTube channel.
Beasley Is Coming off Strong Year
Even with there being questions about his NBA future, Beasley will likely get another chance. He’s coming off a very good year, where he averaged 16.3 points a game and hit 41.6% of his 3-point shots.
His performance led to him finishing second in the Sixth Man of the Year race. He’s a good offensive player who can be a very good shooter. Those players aren’t easy to come by. While the Lakers might not want to get back into the Beasley business, a reunion with the Detroit Pistons could make a lot of sense.
Luka Doncic Among MVP Favorites
The Lakers might not be the favorites to win the championship this season, but they do have one of the best players in the NBA in Luka Doncic. He hasn’t won an MVP yet, but this could finally be his year.
ESPN believes that Doncic has the second-best chance to win NBA MVP this season behind Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.
“Either voter fatigue wears off quickly, or voters were very impressed by Nikola Jokic’s head-to-head battle with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the second round of the 2025 playoffs,” Ramona Shelburne wrote. “The three-time MVP came in as a heavy favorite to win for a fourth time in our preseason survey, almost doubling the votes for SGA to repeat. Voters also seemed to be impressed by Luka Doncic’s offseason transformation as the svelte version of the Los Angeles Lakers point guard came in second in early voting. Team success always plays a factor in voting, which is probably why SGA has slipped to third here. In other words, he already elevated the Thunder to a championship level and was recognized as the MVP for doing it. But what if there’s even another level for him — and the youngest championship team in decades — to reach?”