The Malik Beasley drama has dominated the Detroit Pistons’ offseason, and the sharpshooter continues to add fuel to the speculation with cryptic messages on Instagram.
This thing has taken a ton of twists since it was first reported that Beasley was the “target” of a federal gambling investigation. He was then downgraded to a “subject” (but still not cleared), increasing chatter that a return to Detroit was imminent.
Fans have been on the clues like true crime podcast hosts, looking for signs of Beasley’s return to Detroit, including a recent report that he had moved back into his downtown apartment, which some saw as a sign that he’s putting down roots in Detroit. I even joked that neighbors heard Bob Seger and Big Sean songs coming from his apartment, and some fans actually thought I was serious, which shows just how invested some are in this situation.
It’s also just that there isn’t anything else going on to talk about, so every move Beasley makes gets blown out of proportion, including a recent post on Instagram that had this to say:
“step into my world. where we dont listen to the outside noise 💯 where we don’t quit.. where we live to the fullest.. not given af about anything that’s not important to us.. 🖤 year 10 is approaching.. probably the most interesting one of them all.. and the goal remains the same .. be better than last year 😈
my decision is near 👀”
It was the last four words Pistons fans focused on, as Beasley claimed he was near making a decision, so is he coming back to Detroit or not?
Detroit Pistons: Malik Beasley would just be gravy at this point
I wrote yesterday that this unfortunate situation with Beasley actually worked out well for the Pistons, as they were able to improve their roster and may get Beasley back at a discount anyway.
The Pistons can only offer Beasley $7.2 million, which is more than the veteran’s minimum deal the contenders who are reportedly chasing him can offer, so if the Pistons want Beasley back, they have an advantage over teams like Cleveland, Minnesota and New York.
But there is a list of teams who have exceptions bigger than $7.2 million and one team (the Nets) who has the cap space to offer him more, so there could be a mystery team interested in Beasley’s services that can outbid the Pistons.
Given his recent issues, Beasley may be inclined to just take the most money and you couldn’t blame him after he lost a reported $42 million deal from the Pistons.
This saga isn’t over yet, but if you believe Beasley, it will be soon.