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Former Piston Malik Beasley Reaches Deal With Federal Prosecutors
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- Former Piston Malik Beasley Reaches Deal With Federal Prosecutors
Malik Beasley, who last played in the NBA during the 2024-25 season with the Detroit Pistons, now has a date for the end of his federal sports betting case. Beasley is scheduled to change his plea at a Dec. 9 hearing in New York after agreeing to plead guilty, his attorney, Steve Haney, told Tom Schad of ESPN on Tuesday.
Haney said over the weekend that his client was in talks with prosecutors about a potential agreement, then confirmed Tuesday that a deal had been reached. He declined to specify what the agreement covers.
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What Happens at Malik Beasley's Plea Hearing
Beasley initially pleaded not guilty to four federal charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Reversing that plea in December would resolve the government's case against him without a trial. Haney has not said which counts the agreement covers.
He would not be the first defendant in the case to take that route. ESPN reported that co-defendant William Brown pleaded guilty earlier this month, and that Ernesto Plascencia and Robert Gorodetsky have also entered guilty pleas. Former NBA player Ed Davis and agent Paolo Zamorano have pleaded not guilty.
The Four Bucks Games at the Center of the Case
Federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York indicted Beasley on June 29 alongside five other defendants. The allegations center on four games Beasley played during the 2023-24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, not on anything from his season in Detroit.
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Prosecutors say Beasley agreed to underperform in specific statistical categories so associates could place bets with advance knowledge of what he intended to do. In a January 2024 game, according to the indictment, he finished three rebounds under his betting line. ESPN reported the indictment describes fraudulent wagers of more than $75,000 and net winnings of at least $121,000.
Beasley appeared in 79 games for Milwaukee that season. He averaged 11.3 points , 3.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.1 blocks per game.
What a Guilty Plea Means for His NBA Future
The court case and the league's response are separate questions. The NBA said it is aware of the report of a plea agreement and will monitor the proceedings. It has not announced any discipline against Beasley, who played nine NBA seasons and is not currently on a roster.
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Detroit had been interested as recently as this summer. The Pistons explored a reunion with Beasley in June , days before the indictment came down. He played all 82 games for Detroit in 2024-25 and averaged 16.3 points on 41.6% shooting from three.
The closest precedent is not a comfortable one for him. The NBA banned Jontay Porter for life in April 2024 for sharing confidential information with bettors and wagering on games. Whether Beasley faces anything close to that is a league decision, not one the court will make on Dec. 9.
