Malik Beasley, Knicks
Getty
Malik Beasley of the Detroit Pistons reacts in the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks have expressed interest in free agent Malik Beasley, but their pursuit of the sharpshooter is complicated not only by financial limitations but also by the fact that he still awaits clearance from the NBA, Jake Fischer of “The Stein Line” reports.
Beasley was cleared last week in a federal gambling investigation, removing a significant cloud over his future. But according to Fischer, the league office is expected to conduct its own review before any deal can advance.
“It’s believed that none of the conversations, to this point, have advanced to the deal-making stage, with the league office itself also expected to conduct its own investigation of Beasley,” Fischer reported.
That lingering uncertainty has put negotiations on hold even as multiple teams circle the 28-year-old guard.
Knicks Among Four Interested Teams
The Knicks are one of four teams with confirmed interest, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons. Beasley’s market, however, is expected to extend beyond the veteran minimum, making New York’s pursuit an uphill climb.
“Sources say Beasley will ultimately be seeking a deal north of the veteran minimum and would figure to command that — if the 28-year-old can indeed play on with no off-court obstacles — after he shot a robust 41.6% from deep last season on high volume,” Fischer wrote.
SNY’s Ian Begley was the first to report on the Knicks’ check-in with Beasley.
Pistons Have More Spending Power
The Knicks, Cavaliers and Timberwolves all face the same restriction: they can only offer minimum-salary contracts. That leaves them at a disadvantage compared to Detroit, which retains Beasley’s non-Bird rights and can offer up to $7.2 million despite already adding Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson, according to Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
The Pistons previously had a three-year, $42 million agreement lined up with Beasley before the investigation put everything on hold in June. Now, with federal clearance secured, Detroit remains in the best financial position to bring him back — provided the NBA signs off.
From Investigation to Opportunity
Malik Beasley, Knicks
Getty Malik Beasley was red-hot from the outside last season.
Beasley became one of the league’s most notable unsigned free agents once ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Beasley is no longer the subject of the federal gambling probe. The 6-foot-4 guard was coming off his best NBA season, averaging 16.3 points in 82 games for Detroit.
He set a Pistons franchise record with 319 three-pointers while shooting 41.6% from deep, finishing as the runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year. That production has kept him in high demand — if teams can be assured of his eligibility.
Knicks’ History With Beasley
New York’s interest in Beasley is longstanding. The front office explored acquiring him in 2020 before he re-signed with Minnesota, and again in 2023 when the Knicks tried to trade Evan Fournier for Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Knicks executive Gersson Rosas, who once gave Beasley a four-year, $60 million deal in 2020 when he was still the president of basketball operations in Minnesota, provides a direct organizational link.
Market Hinges on NBA Decision
For now, though, all movement is on pause. Until the NBA formally clears Beasley, no team — whether cash-strapped like New York or financially flexible like Detroit — can finalize anything.
That leaves the Knicks in limbo: interested, connected, and in need of scoring depth, but facing both a financial gap and an eligibility question.
If and when Beasley gets the green light from the league office, the Pistons’ spending power could quickly re-establish them as frontrunners. The Knicks, like Cleveland and Minnesota, may be left to hope the sharpshooter values fit over finances — or else pivot once more in search of outside shooting.