The NBA has started its own probe into free agent guard Malik Beasley after claims of improper gambling behavior, league officials confirmed this week. This comes months after Beasley was linked to a federal inquiry led by prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York.
NBA Review Keeps Malik Beasley’s Free Agency in Limbo
Beasley, 28, has a connection to questionable betting trends during his time with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023–24 season. Federal investigators have made it clear that he is no longer under scrutiny in that case. However, the NBA is conducting its own review to check if any league rules were broken. Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned the investigation after a board of governors meeting in New York, saying that it is still in progress, as reported by The New York Times.
The Justice Department kicked off its probe earlier this year, zeroing in on unusual bets linked to NBA games and player performance wagers. Beasley’s lawyer, Steve Haney, has highlighted that his client is working with the league and that in August, prosecutors confirmed he was not facing any charges. Even so, the cloud of these claims has impacted Beasley’s career path.
The Detroit Pistons, who had Beasley on their team last season, planned to give him a three-year deal worth $42 million when free agency began. They took back this offer once the gambling investigation became known, leaving Beasley without a team as other clubs decided to wait and see what happened. Detroit ended up filling its guard positions with other players, but the team still has one open spot and can bring him back for less money using non-Bird rights.
Beasley’s Career Highs Clash With League Scrutiny
Despite the uncertainties, Beasley remains one of the NBA’s top shooters. He scored an average of 16.3 points in 2024–25, playing all 82 games for Detroit and coming in second for Sixth Man of the Year. He also became the fifth player in NBA history to make over 300 three-pointers in one season, breaking a team record in the process.
The ongoing investigation puts Beasley in a tough spot: he has been cleared by federal authorities, but the league continues to examine him. Haney has argued before that just having these allegations out there has hurt Beasley, even though no charges were ever brought against him.The NBA has not decided when it will finish its investigation. For now, Beasley’s status as a free agent remains up in the air. Teams are being careful about making any commitments while they wait to see what the league discovers.