Cavaliers Remain Interested In Malik Beasley Amid NBA Rumors

The Cleveland Cavaliers are still interested in signing Malik Beasley, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday on NBA Today. Beasley remains a free agent as he continues to await the resolution of the federal and NBA investigations over gambling allegations.

Beasley’s attorney, Steve Haney, told Charania in August that Beasley was no longer the target of the federal probe.

“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney said. “An allegation with no charge, indictment, or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”

Cavaliers Could Sign Malik Beasley With Garland, Strus Out

Although Beasley is no longer the target of the federal gambling probe, he’s still a “subject” of the inquiry. This means the former first-rounder is not yet in the clear.

However, the Cavaliers are entering the 2025-26 season without both Darius Garland and Max Strus and could use Beasley to enhance their rotation, as the Florida State product is set to enter his 10th season.

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— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) August 26, 2025

Strus, who is Cleveland’s most reliable floor spacer, is expected to miss three to four months following foot surgery. His approximate recovery timeline means he will be out for at least the first month of the campaign.

Garland, meanwhile, is expected to miss early games due to offseason surgery.

Beasley Prefers To Re-Sign With Pistons

Before news of the federal investigation into Beasley, he was in talks with the Detroit Pistons on a three-year, $42 million contract. The Pistons hold Beasley’s Non-Bird rights, meaning they could still offer him a multi-year deal with an annual salary worth up to $7.2 million.

In September, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press reported that a potential reunion remains on the table. There appears to be at least some mutual interest between Beasley and his former team.

“It’s definitely a place I want to be,” Beasley said following Detroit’s playoff elimination last season against the New York Knicks. “To be here, my mom’s hometown, I grew up here a lot in the summertime. To be able to perform in front of this city is huge and I’m glad I got a chance to do that.”

Beasley, who finished second in voting for the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, appeared in all 82 games (18 starts) in 2024-25, his first campaign with the Pistons.

He averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 27.8 minutes per contest while shooting 43% from the floor and a career-best 41.6% from beyond the arc.

Per Basketball Reference, Beasley also made 319 3-pointers, the most in a season in Pistons franchise history and the second most in the NBA behind Timberwolves star guard Anthony Edwards.