The Detroit Pistons were forced to pivot from their plan of attack for the 2025 free agency period after news broke regarding the gambling investigation that veteran shooting guard Malik Beasley was part of.
Fans are well aware that Trajan Langdon and the Pistons' front office received word about the news the day before free agency was set to open. Naturally, this shifted their plans as reports indicated that Detroit was in discussions regarding a three-year, $42 million contract with Beasley before the news leaked out.
With his immediate future anything but certain, Beasley remains unsigned and could stay that way until this issue is resolved. No team in its right mind would sign him to a contract right now without knowing what, if any, penalty he will receive from the league should these allegations be proven true.
Ex-Pistons Sharpshooter Facing Eviction amid Legal Investigation
Believe it or not, locking down a contract isn't even Beasley's primary concern at the moment. Finding a roof to put over his head is now a concern as ESPN's David Purdum reports the former Pistons sharpshooter has been evicted from his home.
Court documents obtained by ESPN show that Beasley has been sued on two separare occasions and has run up debts of just under $29,000. That number added to the $650,000 he's being sued for by Hazan Sports Management, along with the reported debts to a celebrity barber, a dentist and a company that provides bridge loans to professional athletes put the former Florida State standout in a precarious position.
Beasley's attorney in the gambling investigation, as far as we know he has not hired representation concerning this eviction issue, maintains his client's innocence as no charges have been filed against the former Pistons guard at this time. However, the investigation into this is troubling for the guard and the NBA as a whole. Specific games from his time with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2023-24 season are being looked at as wagers placed on Beasley's respective player props have come into question.
More than any other commissioner, Adam Silver championed the idea of sports gambling being legalized in the United States. Now, he finds himself with another gambling investigation involving one of the league's players under his watch. Should anything come of this investigation into Beasley, it wouldn't be surprising to see Silver attempt to make an example out of him with whatever punishment could be handed down.
That is a conversation for the future, though. The most important thing Beasley should be concerned with right now is figuring out the eviction situation. Then, he can get back to doing whatever he can to clear his name from these allegations.