Malik Beasley, the Detroit Pistons sharpshooter whose three-point prowess defined a record-setting season, now finds himself ensnared in a federal gambling probe that threatens both his free agency windfall and the NBA’s credibility.
The investigation, led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, is focused on suspicious prop bets placed on Beasley’s in-game statistics, including a series of wagers flagged in January 2024 when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. According to ESPN, those bets triggered automated alerts at major sportsbooks, spurring a deeper federal inquiry into potential violations of league rules and federal law.
Anomalous betting raises alarms
Regulatory filings reviewed by The Athletic indicate that betting volume on Beasley’s rebound totals spiked in early 2024, prompting sportsbook compliance teams to notify the NBA and federal authorities. While no charges have been filed, investigators are examining whether Beasley or his associates used inside information or directly influenced statistical outcomes.
“There have been no charges against Malik.” “It’s just an investigation at this point. We hope people reserve judgment until he’s charged — or if he’s charged. It’s not uncommon for there to be a federal investigation,” Steve Haney, Beasley’s attorney, told Associated Press.
A record season on hold
Beasley’s career resurgence last year seemed destined to deliver generational wealth. He led the Pistons with a franchise-best 319 three-pointers and averaged 16.3 points per game while appearing in all 82 contests. The Pistons had entered negotiations for a three-year, $42 million contract.
Those discussions are now frozen indefinitely, overshadowed by a case that has stirred comparisons to the NBA’s most notorious gambling scandal in decades.
Echoes of Jontay Porter
Beasley’s situation draws immediate parallels to Jontay Porter, the Toronto Raptors reserve who received a lifetime ban from the NBA in April after admitting he bet on his own games and leaked health information to gamblers. Porter’s expulsion underscored the league’s uncompromising approach to any appearance of corruption.
“This is the last frontier in professional sports integrity. As legalized betting expands, the pressure and the temptations grow proportionally,” said Marc Edelman, a sports law professor at Baruch College, in a prior interview with Law360.
For Beasley, the stakes are similarly severe. Even absent criminal charges, the NBA has broad discretion to impose discipline.
The legal posture
Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, issued a statement emphasizing the difference between an investigation and a charge. “Malik Beasley, like any American citizen, is entitled to the presumption of innocence,” Haney said.
Federal officials declined to comment, citing an active investigation.
A career punctuated by turbulence
Beasley, 28, was drafted 19th overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2016. He has since played for six franchises, including the Timberwolves, Jazz, Lakers, Bucks, and Pistons. In 2021, he served 78 days in a Minnesota workhouse after pleading guilty to a felony threat-of-violence charge stemming from an incident in which he brandished a firearm.
Despite that episode, Beasley rebuilt his reputation on the court. This investigation now threatens to unravel those gains and cast a long shadow over his professional future.
What comes next
It remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue formal charges. The process could take months as investigators analyze betting records, phone communications, and financial transactions linked to the prop wagers. In the interim, teams are likely to approach any negotiations with caution.
“No organization wants to commit tens of millions of dollars to a player under federal scrutiny. The risk is simply too high,” said an NBA executive who requested anonymity in The Athletic’s report.
For Beasley, the fallout is already tangible. What was meant to be the summer he cemented his status as an elite free-agent shooter has become a reckoning over integrity, trust, and the corrosive influence of gambling.
