Malik Beasley hasn’t backed down from gambling allegations and instead doubled down on the idea that he will be back in the league, and if so, the league had better bet ready because Beasley will be playing angry.
We were recently given a second-hand report that Beasley predicted he’d be back in the league next season after being fully cleared of gambling allegations that were unearthed early in the offseason.
The Pistons had to go in another direction, which was a shame, as they had three-year deal ready for Beasley to sign and both team and player were excited about it.
For their part, the Pistons have kept two open roster spots, which leaves the door open for Beasley’s return, though they have not mentioned him since addressing the allegations early this summer.
Detroit also has the financial flexibility to bring him back, and if they do, they’ll be getting a guy with a big chip on his shoulder.
Malik Beasley sends warning to the NBA
Beasley hasn’t stayed hidden this summer as you might expect, as he has taken to social media several times to talk about his situation as well as his offseason routine.
Most recently, he was on Snapchat and responded to some of the things he’s been seeing in the media this summer.
He also added this warning to the league:
“I’ll tell you one thing I have a chip on my shoulder I’m ready to destroy anyone in front of me, I’m ready to prove again I belong in this league.”
That sounds like a guy who is sick of seeing his name dragged through the mud, but Beasley has a long way to go before he’ll get a chance to take out his frustration on a defender.
He’s still eyeball deep in a federal gambling investigation that has not yet led to charges being filed but could take some time to complete whether Beasley is ultimately cleared or not.
Unlike Terry Rozier, another player under investigation, Beasley was not already under contract, so no team will go near him until this is resolved, while Rozier gets to continue playing during his investigation.
Given the recent arrest of Gilbert Arenas, the NBA will eventually have to address the elephant in the room when it comes to gambling, especially since they have openly embraced it, just ask the Pistons, who now play on the FanDuel Sports Network.
It’s a longer conversation for another day, but for now, Pistons fans can maintain some hope that they will see Beasley shimmying in Detroit again sometime next season.