Key Points:
- Malik Beasley is under federal investigation for gambling on NBA games and prop bets
- Sportsbooks noticed unusual betting on his stats starting in January 2024
- His contract talks with Detroit Pistons have been put on hold
Malik Beasley is in big trouble with federal investigators. ESPN reports he’s being looked at for gambling. The investigation focuses on NBA games and prop bets.
The nine-year NBA veteran faces serious claims. These relate to the 2023-2024 season specifically. He played 79 games for Milwaukee Bucks that year.
Sportsbooks Spotted Strange Betting Patterns
ESPN got the story from a secret source. At least one major sportsbook saw weird betting activity. The strange bets focused on Beasley’s personal stats.
The unusual betting started in January 2024. Someone was betting heavily on his numbers. This caught the attention of gambling companies quickly.
Lawyer Says Client Hasn’t Been Charged Yet
Steve Haney is Beasley’s lawyer and spoke to ESPN. “An investigation is not a charge,” he said clearly. He reminded everyone about innocent until proven guilty.
“Malik has the same right as anyone else,” Haney added. “The U.S. Constitution says he’s innocent until proven guilty. He hasn’t been charged with anything yet.”
Beasley had decent numbers during his Bucks season. He scored 11.3 points per game on average. He also grabbed 3.7 rebounds each game.
This past year he played for Detroit Pistons instead. His scoring went up to more than 16 points. The team liked his performance a lot.
Contract Talks Now on Hold
ESPN reports that Detroit wanted to keep Beasley. The team was talking about giving him an extension. Those talks were going well before this news.
But now everything has stopped completely. The gambling investigation changed everything for him. His future with Detroit is now very unclear.
