Pistons and Beasley were reportedly on verge of signing a new $42 million deal
The one certainty going into this off-season for the Detroit Pistons was that the team and pending free agent wing Malik Beasley were both committed to signing long-term in Detroit. So much for that.
Beasley is being investigated for NBA-related gambling and prop bets, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
BREAKING: The U.S. District Attorney’s office is investigating Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley on allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets, sources told ESPN. Serious development surrounding one of the top NBA free agents. pic.twitter.com/U0W1QONYva
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2025
Making matters even worse, Charania reports the two sides were on the verge of a new $42 million deal to bring Beasley back to the Pistons. Those talks are now on hold, Charania writes.
The federal investigation dates back to the 2023-24 season when Beasley was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks , ESPN reports .
A U.S. sportsbook reportedly detected an abnormal amount of betting tied to Beasley’s gameday performances starting in January 2024, a gambling industry source told ESPN.
The one instance ESPN highlights in its story is actually tied to a surge in bets that did not pay off.
A gambling industry source pointed to a game between the Bucks and the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 31, 2024. The odds on Beasley recording fewer than 2.5 rebounds moved significantly at sportsbooks before the game, shortening from around +120 to around -250 due to a surge of action on the under. Beasley finished with six rebounds, and the bets that were deemed unusual lost.
“An investigation is not a charge,” Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told ESPN, per Charania. “Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.”
Beasley is coming off a season where he finished second in the NBA in 3-pointers made and averaged 16.3 points. Basley was a key catalyst to Detroit’s turnaround, which saw the franchise triple its win total from the season prior and make the playoffs. The nine-year veteran achieved career highs across most categories, including games, minutes, points, free throws, assists, field goals, and 3-pointers.
Last season, Jontay Porter, a former member of the Motor City Cruise in the G League who also appeared occasionally in the NBA, was banned by the NBA after it was determined Porter bet on NBA games he was involved in.
Terry Rozier of the Miami Heat is also under federal investigation for his involvement in unusual betting patterns from 2023 while he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets. At this time, Rozier has not been charged or faced league sanctions.
It didn’t prevent Rozier from continuing to suit up for the Heat, but Beasley’s situation is a bit more precarious. He is entering unrestricted free agency and it is unclear what team and under what conditions Beasley would sign for the upcoming season as the legal process continues to play out.