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Read Full BioFormer Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley is reportedly set to sign for Partizan Belgrade in Serbia, as an ongoing gambling investigation has derailed his NBA career.
Serbian news outlet Nova claims that Beasley has agreed to a 6-month deal for a salary of $2 million to play ball in Belgrade. Partizan competes in the ABA (Adriatic Basketball Association) and the EuroLeague.
Beasley had a standout season for the Pistons last year, averaging 16.3 points per game, finishing as runner-up for Sixth Man of the Year behind Payton Pritchard. However, news broke in June that the player was under investigation for abnormal betting activity in his prop markets.
Betting Scandal Derails Contract Talks
The Pistons had been set to offer Beasley a $42 million, three-year contract, but the team called off talks amid the investigation. While other players, including Terry Rozier, have been arrested, no charges have been filed against Beasley.
After the arrest of Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and Damon Jones, among others, Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, stressed his client was not involved in the scandal.
Haney stated, “I want to make this perfectly clear, any avoidance Malik Beasley has in connection with today’s developments in the federal gambling arrests has no relationship whatsoever to any alleged or accused cooperation or information provided to the Eastern District of New York. Malik has not and will not cooperate with any pending federal investigations.”
Suspicious Bets on Beasley Lost
Several games were flagged in the arrests of Rozier and others, but they did not include the game that led to Beasley’s investigation. That was a game when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks back in 2024 against Billups’ Portland Trail Blazers.
Sportsbooks noted an unusual amount of money going on Beasley to record fewer than 2.5 rebounds in the match. He recorded six, but despite the gamblers who wagered on the market losing their bets, this has not cleared his name.
Haney felt it should, and rued the loss of earnings for the player, commenting, “Malik is not charged, not indicted, and not a target of the investigation, but he’s unemployed because of it.”
Player Remains Positive Despite Challenges
Beasley has tried to remain positive despite being in limbo. He took to social media at the end of October to write, “I can’t sit here and cry about it. S*** it only made me stronger. So All love. My head is up, when the time comes I’ll be ready. I’ll be thankful and extremely happy.”
While he remained a free agent, Beasley has been active in signing commercial deals. He announced a partnership with Optimal Water last month and is launching a new clothing line in January.
With the deal in Serbia rumored to only be for six months, he may return to the NBA next season. He recently turned 29 years old and took to Instagram to post, “29 feels different, it feels like a bday of growth, of change, of something new and better. Not going to say too much, but everything happens for a reason and I believe God has an even bigger plan for me! I can’t wait to get back on that court and not only that just be the best version of myself.”
