NBA free agent Malik Beasley is under investigation by the U.S. District Attorney鈥檚 office for gambling allegations related to league games, according to multiple reports.
鈥淲e are cooperating with the federal prosecutors鈥 investigation,鈥 stated NBA spokesman Mike Bass in a statement released to the AP and other outlets on Sunday. ESPN initially reported on the investigation.
鈥淭here have been no charges against Malik,鈥 said Beasley鈥檚 attorney, Steve Haney, to the AP. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just an investigation at this point. We hope people reserve judgment until he鈥檚 charged 鈥 or if he鈥檚 charged. It鈥檚 not uncommon for there to be a federal investigation.鈥
The investigation into Beasley follows 14 months after the NBA banned Toronto鈥檚 Jontay Porter, who was linked to a prop bet investigation and eventually pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Earlier this season, The Wall Street Journal reported that Terry Rozier, then of the Charlotte Hornets, was under investigation for unusual betting patterns in a March 2023 game. Rozier, now with the Miami Heat, has not been charged with any crime nor faced any NBA sanctions.
Beasley signed with the Pistons last year on a one-year contract worth $6 million, hoping to secure a lucrative deal as a free agent this summer. Sources indicate Detroit was 鈥渧ery interested鈥 in re-signing Beasley to a multi-year contract, but these talks might be in jeopardy due to the federal investigation.
Beasley set a franchise record with 319 3-pointers in a single season, helping Detroit reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and ending an NBA-record 15-game postseason losing streak in the first round against the New York Knicks.
Last season, Beasley averaged 16.3 points, and over his career, he has averaged 11.7 points with teams including Denver, Minnesota, Utah, the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee, and Detroit. He achieved a career-high average of 19.6 points per game during the 2020-21 season with the Timberwolves.
(with AP inputs)