Malik Beasley is finally cleared of any gambling investigation. After finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season, he was considered one of the premier free agents this summer. Yet, just before free agency hit, Beasley was hit by a federal gambling investigation. Now that that’s over, will he be back with the Detroit Pistons, or will he find another team?
Detroit Pistons Ready to Get Their Big Offseason Signing
Beasley was hit with a federal investigation on June 29th, just days before free agency. That halted any offers because teams were concerned about his future. The NBA cooperated with federal prosecutors, and now, he is no longer under investigation. His attorneys said:
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation. 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.”
The challenge for Beasley is finding a team that can offer him a decent contract. Last season, he played for $6 million and vastly outplayed that salary. Let’s take a look at what the Pistons can offer and whether there are other teams out there.
Pistons and Beasley Are a Perfect Match
Before free agency, Malik seemed like a lock to come back to Detroit on a multi-year contract. Both sides were interested in such a scenario, but the investigation changed everything.
For the Pistons, the problem right now is that they cannot offer the same contract they could have nearly two months ago. The most they can offer is $7.2 million. They also have roster decisions that they have to make. They recently signed Javonte Green to a one-year, partially guaranteed contract. Do they want to keep him, or will they waive him before he plays a single minute for them? The good news is Green is only guaranteed less than a million for next season, a number they can afford to sacrifice to get their guy.
Detroit lost plenty of depth this offseason, with players like Tim Hardaway Jr . and Dennis Schröder no longer with the team. Yet, they added Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson . But they need a versatile wing, someone like Beasley who can score. They had plenty of cap space entering the offseason, but they made a series of moves and can no longer afford a huge deal to give Beasley.
Are there Other Teams Out There?
There will always be interest for a player who averaged 16.3 points on 41.6% shooting from three. His reputation might have been hurt a little due to the gambling investigation, but Beasley is still a solid, versatile veteran wing. Yes, last offseason, he had to settle for a one-year deal with the Pistons after starting almost all of the games the previous season with the Milwaukee Bucks. But we can say he built up his value.
One thing is certain: Beasley would love a long-term contract. After jumping around teams for the past several seasons, he would like some stability. Now, the only two contending teams that have a roster spot are the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks . Out of the two, only the Warriors can offer more money, depending on what they do with Jonathan Kuminga . Yet, at this point, it seems like the Detroit Pistons will get Malik Beasley back .
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