Should the Pistons Change Their Mind About Malik Beasley?

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Malik Beasley is expected to be on the Detroit Pistons' radar still as they enter the 2025-2026 NBA season.
However, Beasley’s future remains in question, with the regular-season opener looming.
Back in the summer, Beasley was reportedly under investigation due to gambling-related activity. At the time, the Pistons were at the negotiating table with the veteran sharpshooter, working on a potential multi-year contract after his standout season.

Eventually, it was revealed that Beasley was no longer the focal point of the investigation. Once the NBA launched its own investigation, Beasley was back under a microscope.
Recently, the veteran sharpshooter stated confidence in the idea that he’ll be cleared and back in the league soon. After speaking with his lawyer, Beasley was advised to “hold off on talking points” until he’s certainly clear.
Malik Beasley update after his latest video from Snapchat
— Pistons Talk (@Pistons__Talk) October 12, 2025
“My lawyer said it’s best I hold off on my talking points until I’m 100% cleared” pic.twitter.com/glc8rslQSo
“Unfortunatley, my lawyer said it’s best I hold off on my talking points until I’m 1000000% clear,” Beasley said on social media late last week. “I have to edit the video and do a re-drop tonight. However, it’s in the best interest for me. Thank you for being patient with me. I’ll go live today when the video is released."
Should the Pistons Still Have Eyes on Beasley?
With an open roster spot, the Pistons can make an offer to Beasley, but they can’t get him the same deal they were initially expected to offer. If Beasley were open to another short-term contract with the Pistons, it could be a win-win scenario for both sides.
There’s no denying that the Beasley-Detroit pairing was stellar. The Pistons benefited from having one of the best bench players in the game. If it wasn’t for Payton Pritchard in Boston, Beasley would be recognized as the Sixth Man of the Year in 2024-2025.

On a personal level, Beasley had his best full season with the Pistons. While he averaged over 19 points in two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he achieved those averages in 14 and 37 games in each of those seasons. With the Pistons, Beasley produced 16.3 points per game in 82 matchups. It was the only time he averaged over 13 points while playing in more than 40 games.
Considering Beasley was on pace to earn around $40 million with his new contract before the investigation shook up his offseason, another one-year trial might be his best bet again. Multiple teams were reportedly interested, including the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Beasley could have options, which helps his market.
As the situation seems to be trending in the right direction, the Pistons should still strongly consider pairing with the sharpshooter for a second season.
Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia
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