Malik Beasley is no longer a target of a gambling probe being conducted by the Eastern District of New York, according to his attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter.
The future of NBA star Beasley has remained uncertain after it was announced in June that the Detroit Pistons guard faced a federal gambling investigation that was focussed on NBA games and prop bets.
Beasley’s alleged involvement revolved around his time at the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season, after a major sports betting site noticed suspicious betting activity around the player that began in January 2024.
He has since become a free agent and NBA teams have understandably backed off while his future has remained uncertain.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN.
“An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik.
“This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
Pistons Withdrew $42 Million Contract
The immediate fallout of Beasley being named in the investigation saw all his free agent negotiations and offers crashing to a halt.
The 28-year-old had just completed a successful one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons worth $6 million.
It had been a stellar season, with Beasley averaging 16.3 points per game and sinking 319 three-pointers, the second-best return by any player for the campaign and a seasonal record for the franchise.
It was believed the Pistons were on the verge of completing a three-year $42 million extension to retain his services, but that contract was withdrawn and all other talks with interested teams put on hold after the investigation named him as a target.
Asked whether his client may still be charged with any crime, his attorney Haney told The Detroit News: “I have no idea, that is the frustrating thing.
“You live in a state of purgatory with a cloud hanging over your head for what? Forever?
“And you’re out of the league and can never play basketball again?”
Beasley could also still face action from the NBA which is conducting its own investigation that won’t need to depend on any federal rulings.
Off-Court Drama For Beasley
It has been a troublesome few months for Beasley away from the basketball court.
The NBA star is being sued by a sports agency who allege he is in breach of contract.
Hazan Sports say he owes them a $650,000 advance which should have been repaid when he terminated his contract on February 27.
At the start of August, he was evicted from his Detroit apartment in The Stott, a historic downtown high-rise, for failing to pay rent of around $21,500.
Haney said that he is attempting to help his client resolve some of these outstanding financial issues.
“A lot of his problems came from, I think, a lack of management and not having somebody diligently coordinating a lot of his financial matters,” Haney said.
“And though I’m not his business manager, I am trying to help coordinate whatever I can to get him back in better standing.”
He is also hopeful that his client will be a part of the Pistons’ future.
“He’s a great guy. He was a great Piston. He was great for the city.
“Hopefully, people can remember what a great teammate he was.
“And maybe there is a pathway for him to return to Detroit.”
Jim Munro is a betting industry and gambling expert who has been a national newspaper journalist for over 30 years, predominantly at The Sunday Times and The Sun, where he wrote a weekly soccer betting column. Jim also worked on the launch of Virgin Bet with Gamesys and was subsequently head of editorial at LiveScore, the sports media and betting group.
