Former NBA guard Malik Beasley is negotiating a plea deal with federal prosecutors in his betting and bribery case, his attorney Steve Haney told ESPN on Saturday, October 24. Haney said a final decision about changing Beasley's earlier not-guilty plea is expected early next week, and a recent notice posted on the court docket indicated that Beasley intends to plead guilty, according to ESPN.

Source: Field Level Media via 93.5 The Lloyd

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York alleges that Beasley deliberately manipulated his statistics in at least four games to benefit gamblers while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023–24 season. The June indictment charges him with bribery in sporting contests, wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Beasley initially pleaded not guilty to all counts. These are allegations; he is presumed innocent unless a plea or a verdict establishes guilt.

Source: Particle News summary of the federal case

Prosecutors allege Beasley lost millions of dollars gambling during his career and agreed to adjust his performance so alleged co-conspirators could wager on his statistics, with reporting on the indictment citing wagering records and text messages, including one profitable wager of about $25,000 that returned roughly $77,000. Former NBA player Ed Davis is also charged in the case and has pleaded not guilty, while several other co-defendants have pleaded guilty or are cooperating, according to case reporting.

Beasley, 29, was a first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by Denver and earned nearly $60 million across nine seasons, averaging 11.7 points in 578 games for the Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Bucks and Detroit Pistons. Reporting on the case says the indictment derailed a reported three-year, $42 million contract with Detroit. A plea, if completed, would resolve Beasley's immediate criminal exposure and could lead to sentencing or cooperation terms.