Free agent guard Malik Beasley has been indicted by federal prosecutors in New York on sports gambling charges, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Former NBA big man Ed Davis was also indicted.
Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, said in a statement to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press that his client is facing sports betting, money laundering, and wire fraud charges and that they “look forward to defending all charges.”
The federal case centers on allegations from prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York that Beasley and Davis became close while playing together on the 2020/21 Timberwolves and later worked together to manipulate Beasley’s performances in four NBA games for betting purposes during Beasley’s time with the Bucks in the 2023/24 season.
According to prosecutors, Beasley was dealing with gambling losses totaling millions of dollars and joined the betting scheme with Davis and three other people, including former NBA agent Paolo Zamorano, in an effort to pay down that debt.
In one alleged text message sent about a month before the first game at issue, Davis told Beasley, “Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting,” and added, “Everything else they got the edge.”
The games identified by prosecutors include Bucks/Cavaliers on January 26, 2024, Bucks/Hornets on February 27, Bucks/Clippers on March 10, and Bucks/Nets on March 21. In the January 26 game, Beasley took just two field goal attempts and scored three points, and investigators say the group wagered thousands of dollars on that contest.
The betting also allegedly targeted Beasley’s rebounding numbers. The group took the “over” on his rebounds at 3.5 in the Clippers game and celebrated when he grabbed his fourth rebound in the closing seconds. But the plan did not hold up in the Nets game, where the group bet the “under” on his rebounds and Beasley finished with six boards.
Beasley, a prolific three-point shooter, finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2024/25 and had been on track for a lucrative multiyear contract with the Pistons in free agency. Those talks ended after reports surfaced that federal investigators and the NBA were looking into him over a possible link to illegal betting activity. The 29-year-old later signed with Cangrejeros de Santurce, a Puerto Rican team owned by Bad Bunny, while he waits for clarity on his NBA future.
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said the league is reviewing the indictment and will continue to investigate the matter. Bass also noted that Beasley last played in the NBA during the 2024/25 season and Davis last played in the league during the 2021/22 season. He said the league will cooperate with authorities and that “the integrity of our game remains our top priority.”
Beasley and Davis are now the fourth and fifth former NBA players indicted by federal prosecutors in the ongoing illegal sports gambling probe, joining Terry Rozier, Jontay Porter, and Damon Jones. Porter was permanently banned from the NBA after a league investigation found that he had disclosed confidential information to bettors, while the other cases remain ongoing.
In Other News...
Yzerman Just Raised The Stakes Around Detroits Core Identity
Steve Yzerman spent part of his latest media availability outlining a familiar offseason balancing act, the kind that comes with trying to push a team forward without losing sight of what still makes it tick. For Detroit, that meant talking about Patrick Kane as a pending unrestricted free agent and signaling a desire to keep him around, a nod to the offense and veteran presence he brought while the Red Wings continue sorting out their next step.
The bigger layer is the one hanging over the rosters identity. Yzerman also addressed Dylan Larkins situation, and while the captains status has become part of the conversation, nothing was framed as final or guaranteed. For a team trying to define itself around its core, that leaves Detroit in a delicate spot, weighing leadership, scoring, and continuity all at once while the rest of the market keeps moving around it. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Be Near A Roster Decision Fans Saw Coming
With the NHL buyout window set to open June 30, Detroit is already weighing whether it makes sense to shake up the roster for the sake of flexibility. The Red Wings are looking at one of their recent contract decisions with a colder eye now, because a move like this would not be about escaping a cap crisis so much as creating a little more room to maneuver as they sort out the next wave of players.
The appeal is straightforward: a buyout would clear a spot for younger talent and give the front office more options as it balances the present against what comes next. It would also push the financial pain further down the road, which is why this is the kind of decision teams only make when they believe the short-term roster gain is worth the longer cap trail. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Yzerman Just Turned Up The Pressure In Dylan Larkin Saga
Steve Yzermans latest comments only added more weight to a situation that already had the attention of every Red Wings fan. The Detroit general manager said Dylan Larkin still has five years left on his contract, a reminder that this is not a simple matter of timing or convenience. It is the kind of awkward star-player crossroads that can force a front office to balance loyalty, leverage and the long view all at once.
Yzerman also made clear he is not promising to hand over control of the outcome, which is where the tension now sits. Larkins camp, through agent Pat Brisson, has stayed engaged in the discussion and is working toward a resolution, but there is no neat finish line yet. For a team that has built so much of its identity around Larkin, the next move matters far beyond one contract situation. [Read more 🡒]