Detroit Pistons shooting guard Malik Beasley, who was highly ranked among available free agents before the period began, is reportedly facing significant issues. Just a day before legal tampering opened, news broke that Beasley was potentially in serious trouble.
Reports indicated that federal authorities were investigating Beasley regarding allegations of gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season, when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN reported that Beasley and the Pistons were discussing a potential three-year, $42 million contract. However, these discussions reportedly stopped once the investigation became public. The Pistons subsequently agreed to a similar deal with Duncan Robinson, another player known for outside shooting.
Adding to Beasley`s concerns, a recent lawsuit filed in April by his former marketing agency, Hazan Sports Management Group, has come to light. The suit seeks $2.5 million in damages and legal fees, claiming Beasley experienced “financial issues” and failed to repay a $650,000 advance provided this year.
An attorney for Hazan Sports stated in the lawsuit that the management group chose to “take a chance and make a substantial investment” in a player despite being aware of his “known issues (including and especially financial issues).” Hazan Sports began representing Beasley in November 2023, but terminated the agreement less than two years later.
Hazan Sports was reportedly unable to recoup the $650,000 marketing advance after the deal was ended, instead receiving “little more than drips and drabs of sporadic payments and vague promises to repay the balance over time.”
Last month, Hazan Sports requested an extension in the lawsuit proceedings, hoping for a settlement. Beasley was expected to secure a lucrative contract this offseason after averaging 16.3 points per game and making 319 three-pointers in 2024-25, which ranked second in the NBA.
In a statement to ESPN earlier this week, Beasley`s attorney, Steve Haney, emphasized that his client has not been charged with any crime. “An investigation is not a charge,” Haney said. “Malik is afforded the same right of the presumption of innocence as anyone else under the U.S. Constitution. As of now he has not been charged with anything.”
Regarding what may have initiated the gambling investigation, ESPN reported that at least one prominent sportsbook detected unusual betting activity on Beasley`s props starting in early 2024. For example, in a game between the Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers on January 31, 2024, the odds for Beasley recording under 2.5 rebounds shifted significantly before the game, moving from around +120 to -250 after substantial wagers were placed on the Under. Despite this, Beasley finished the game with six rebounds.
However, the Hazan lawsuit is only one aspect of the financial difficulties Beasley appears to be facing.
According to court documents obtained by The Detroit News, South River Capital, LLC, a firm specializing in loans to athletes, won a nearly $5.8 million settlement against Beasley in Maryland three years ago.
In August 2024, Beasley reportedly entered into an agreement with a Florida company providing bridge loans to athletes, using his current and future NBA contracts as collateral, The Detroit News also noted.
The outlet documented other legal issues involving Beasley and various businesses, including a Milwaukee barber who won a $26,827 judgment against him and a Minnesota dentist who secured a $34,390 default judgment that same month.
Beasley is also reportedly involved in disputes with his landlord. In March, he was sued in Detroit for failing to pay $14,150 in rent for a high-rise apartment. Although that lawsuit was dismissed, his landlord subsequently sued him again for $7,355 in unpaid rent. A hearing regarding this matter is scheduled for July 15.
Beasley played for the Pistons on a one-year, $6 million contract last season, after earning $2.7 million in his single year with Milwaukee. Despite these issues, Spotrac indicates that Beasley has accumulated career earnings totaling $59,948,525 over his nine seasons in the league.
Jasper Hawthorne