Malik Beasley reportedly indicted as part of sports-betting scheme involving point shaving, prop bets

Former Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley was reportedly indicted Monday on federal charges related to a sports-betting scheme, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Former NBA veteran Ed Davis was also reportedly indicted as part of the investigation, according to The Athletic.

Beasley, who did not appear in the NBA last season due to a gambling investigation, is reportedly working with the government on his "voluntary surrender," per Charania.

Beasley and Davis — who were teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2020-21 NBA season — are accused of working together to allegedly manipulate Beasley's performance in four games during the 2023-24 season, when Davis was out of the NBA and Beasley was with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Beasley reportedly owed millions of dollars in gambling debt, which led to Davis loaning Beasley money. In order to pay off that debt, Beasley and Davis reportedly decided to get involved in a betting scheme, working with three others to place tens of thousands on a game Beasley played against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season.

Beasley — who averaged 11.3 points per game that season — scored just three points in the game.

Beasley was also accused of rigging a game against the Charlotte Hornets that season, with a bettor putting money on Beasley hitting the over on his rebounds.

Beasley, along with Davis, former NBA agent Paolo Zamorano and two other men, reportedly face charges of sports bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, honest services fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, per the Athletic.

Malik Beasley placed under investigation during free agency

Beasley, 29, was set for a major payday following the 2024-25 NBA season. But his free agency was disrupted by a gambling investigation last June. Months later, Beasley's attorneys claimed the guard was no longer the subject of a federal investigation. With his situation up in the air, the NBA decided to take matters into its own hands and run its own investigation looking at Beasley's actions.

Due to the various allegations and investigations, Beasley went unsigned during the 2025-26 NBA season.

Prior to the allegations, Beasley was coming off one of his finest seasons as a pro. After being selected with the No. 19 overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 2016 NBA Draft, Beasley eventually developed into a strong off-the-bench option, earning Sixth Man of the Year votes after the 2018-19 season.

He was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2019-20 season and has bounced around to various teams since then.

Beasley spent the 2024-25 NBA season with the Pistons. He played in all 81 games with the team, starting 18 of them. Beasley averaged 16.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest with Detroit. He reportedly had a multiyear deal on the table from the Pistons at the time news of his gambling investigation broke.

Malik Beasley, Ed Davis not the only NBA players involved in gambling investigations

Beasley and Davis are far from the only basketball players to be hit with federal charges due to a gambling investigation. In November, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were arrested on alleged gambling charges involving two separate investigations.

Billups was immediately placed on leave and Rozier did not appear in a game with the Heat during the 2025-26 NBA season.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested as part of the Billups and Rozier investigations.

In 2024, Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA for violating the league's gambling policy.