July 11: Beasley’s contract is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log .
July 6: Free agent guard Malik Beasley
is planning to sign a one-year deal worth $6MM with the Pistons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link
). Beasley spent last season with the Bucks.
Beasley, 27, has averaged 10.9 points per game for his career and is a skilled marksman, shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc in 496 total regular season games, He was incredibly durable last year, starting in 77 of his 79 games for the Bucks and making a carer-high 41.3% of his three-pointers.
The Pistons’ interest in Beasley was reported on Friday night by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. The fit between the two sides makes sense, as Detroit ranked 29th in made three-pointers and 26th in three-point percentage last year during a franchise-worst 14-68 season.
Beasley will join Tobias Harris (.368 career 3PT%) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (.360 career 3PT%) as some of Detroit’s key offseason additions who can make an impact from outside. Combine those moves with the fact the franchise is bringing in assistant Fred Vinson, known for his work with players from the three-point line, and it’s clear that spacing the floor around young guard Cade Cunningham was a top priority this offseason.
Beasley played for Milwaukee on a minimum contract last year and, after a successful individual year in which he participated in the NBA’s three-point contest, is signing a more significant deal.
Given the reported terms of Beasley’s agreement, Detroit could sign him using cap space or the room exception ($8MM). That decision figures to come down to what other moves the Pistons make in free agency and/or on the trade market.