The Detroit Pistons are reportedly interested in a reunion with sharpshooter Malik Beasley, but he may not even be eligible to play next season according to a recent report.
Raise your hand if you just want an end to this nonsense one way or another.
Everything Beasley does right now causes speculation, from his cryptic Instagram posts to recent photos of him, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren in Italy.
Fans can speculate all they want, and it does appear that both the Pistons and Beasley would like to team up for another season, but that may not even be possible.
Malik Beasley, NBA investigation, Adam Silver and the Detroit Pistons
When Beasley was downgraded from a “target” to a “subject” of a federal gambling investigation, many thought this would open the door for Beasley’s return to Detroit, or at least the NBA, but that may not be the case.
itsThe NBA is conducting their own investigation, according to insider Jake Fischer, one that is not yet complete.
When commissioner Adam Silver (who is having a terrible offseason with the Clippers mess, the Beasley mess and his own “watch highlights” mess) was asked whether Beasley would even be eligible to play next season, his answer was that “the investigation is still ongoing,” which many interpreted as “we’ll see” at best.
I’ve been asked a lot by fans why the Pistons don’t just sign Beasley to a minimum deal now, as it would be low risk/high reward move, but it is not that simple. Beasley may not be eligible to play even if he is under contract, so at this point, he’d be nothing more than a wasted roster spot.
That could certainly change and it may happen soon, but this is also an investigation that could leak into training camp and the regular season, at which point it would just be a distraction having Beasley on the roster.
That’s not to say the Pistons shouldn’t bring Beasley back, but they can’t do so until he is cleared by federal investigators, as well as the league, and that could take some time.
The Pistons can’t sacrifice their roster and financial flexibility on the hopes Beasley is able to play, so until this whole thing is concluded, I would expect Beasley to remain in NBA limbo.
With preseason less than a month away, there is precious little time and thus far the league doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to clear and reinstate Beasley.