Fans of the Detroit Pistons were delighted to hear that the team had reached out to the sharpshooting free agent, but there is more competition and more motivation for a bidding war that they may want to avoid.
Mike Scotto reported that the Pistons had reached out to Beasley since it was initially reported that he was no longer a “target” (more on that in a minute) of a federal gambling investigation.
He also added Beasley’s former team the Minnesota Timberwolves to a growing list of teams that have expressed interest in Beasley that already including the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Pistons may have an advantage over the teams that can offer Beasley more money, but if he wants to chase a title, Minnesota, New York or Cleveland would likely offer a more immediate opportunity to do so.
Cleveland may now have extra motivation to chase Beasley, and the whole thing is complicated by Beasley being the “subject” of an investigation as well as some troubling red flags that emerged earlier in the summer.
The Cavaliers, Malik Beasley and the ongoing investigation
Scotto also mentioned that Max Strus of the Cavaliers will miss 3-4 months after foot surgery, which may motivate Cleveland to go harder after Beasley, though they don’t have much to offer him in a contract.
The Pistons might still have the best offer, as none of the teams above can offer more than a veteran’s minimum.
If there was still mutual desire for a reunion between the Pistons and Beasley, I have to wonder why it hasn’t already happened. It could be that the federal gambling investigation isn’t over for Beasley yet.
I wrote about how some confusing reporting and terminology may have misled fans into believing Beasley had been completely cleared, which is not the case. He’s not a “target” but that doesn’t mean he’s not involved.
Is any team in the league (including the Pistons) going to take that risk before this thing has been officially resolved? I am sure both sides are in contact and trying to work it out, but it’s complicated.
Most fans that I’ve come across have expressed a desire to have Beasley back, and I am one of them, but I can understand the reluctance after all of this drama, as the Pistons may not want the distraction, especially when there could still be more to come.
I’m not going to get into the personal information about Beasley that has been reported, but you couldn’t blame the Pistons for wanting to avoid some of the mess he is reportedly in.
The whole thing is a mess, and it’s hard to guess how it will shake out, as the Pistons could certainly still use his services on the court, but have competition for them and plenty to consider before signing another deal.