Free-agent guard Malik Beasley has not been fully cleared in an ongoing federal investigation into illegal gambling, according to Front Office Sports reporter Alex Schiffer.
Although an earlier ESPN report suggested the 27-year-old was no longer a focus of the probe, a source familiar with the case told Schiffer that Beasley remains a “subject.” Under Department of Justice guidelines, a subject is someone whose conduct falls within the scope of a grand jury investigation and could still face criminal charges. The DOJ reserves the term “target” for individuals against whom prosecutors believe they have substantial evidence.
“I have no idea,” attorney Steve Haney said when asked by The Detroit News whether his client will be charged. “You live in a state of purgatory with a cloud hanging over your head for what? Forever? And you’re out of the league and can never play basketball again?”
Beasley played all 82 games for the Detroit Pistons last season, averaging 16.3 points while shooting 43.0 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from three-point range. He finished the year as a leading candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award but is currently unsigned.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks have been linked to Beasley in recent days, yet both teams remain cautious as the legal situation unfolds. NBA training camps open in roughly one month.
Source: Hoops Wire
