The NBA is suspending Timberwolves swingman Malik Beasley for 12 games, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The suspension arrives a little over two weeks following Beasley’s recent sentencing stemming from charges related to an incident last September.
Before ruling on a suspension, the league wanted to look at sentencing documents related to Beasley’s hearing, per Chris Hine of the Star Tribune (via Twitter).
The 6’4″ shooting guard out of FSU pled guilty to making threats of violence with reckless disregard to risk, after he was accused of pointing a rifle at a pregnant woman, her husband and their teenage daughter in a vehicle outside his home. Beasley was dealt a 120-day sentence in the Hennepin County Workhouse with work release and a home confinement option. He is set to begin serving out the sentence when the 2020/21 season ends.
Despite the legal case, the Timberwolves opted to retain Beasley, who was a restricted free agent, in the 2020 offseason. He was re-signed to a four-year, $60MM deal.
Beasley released a statement, per Charania (Twitter link), to address the new suspension.
“I will take this time to reflect on my decisions,” he said. “I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player.”
Team president Gersson Rosas issued a statement of his own in response to the league’s decision, according to Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic (via Twitter): “As an organization, we fully support today’s decision by the NBA. As we work together with Malik to advance his development as a player and a person, we look forward to seeing his growth.”
The 24-year-old Beasley has been enjoying a career season for a struggling 7-26 Minnesota squad. Across 33 games for the Timberwolves (including 32 starts), he is averaging 20.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 0.8 SPG. Beasley’s shooting stats are similarly solid, as he sports a slash line of .455/.406/.847.
With Beasley out of commission, new head coach Chris Finch could look to use greener options to take over as the starting two guard. Second-year guard Jarrett Culver, the No. 6 pick out of Texas Tech in 2019, could get the nod to replace Beasley. Reserve shooting guard Josh Okogie could also see an increased minutes load with Beasley out.
Losing one of their best players over such an extended stretch could also help the Wolves further cement their status as the worst team in the league, giving them solid odds to land a blue-chipper in what is expected to be a loaded 2021 draft class — assuming they can hang onto their top-three protected pick.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Why the delay between sentencing and league punishment? Feels arbitrary. Is there a rule?
How is two weeks too much to deliberate on what level of punishment they should hand out?
He deserves it, he’s lucky it wasn’t worse. Too bad for TWolves though. Another top player goes down. That top three pick must be looking better and better now. With half a season left basically. Might be time to just look to next yr. Play the young guys and look to next yr. Move the vets you don’t need by TD. Top 3 pick gets the 4 you need.
What vets? They only have two vets: Rubio and Ed Davis. They don’t need to make any moves to continue losing. Gotta keep those two guys around so the team doesn’t go insane. I think they were already looking to next year before this year began.
They need young players and picks. What are they playing for this yr. They should play all their young players and just get ahead for next yr. If you don’t get top 4 pick it goes to Warriors. So why end up with 5-8. You play young players you get top 3 and give them experience. Another great piece next draft helps immensely.
GM wasted a 2nd round pick on Davis when he about to be released. Won’t get anything for him.
Rubio might be tradeable if a contender has a pg go down….that would be a blessing.
Play Culver and see what they have in him. See if he’s part of the long term or needs to be traded.
As bad as their record is and they’ve been this season… they do actually have the makings of a solid young core. With Beasley playing the way he has been this year plus Towns, Russell and Edwards… I wouldn’t be surprised if they play better in the second half and if they might even wind up being a borderline playoff team as early as next season. Especially considering, as you’ve said, that they’re probably going to have a top 3 Pick again in this year’s draft. They may be in for a little bit longer struggling… but things are definitely looking up based on how young and talented their top 4 players have looked thus far.
It’s actually a 60 percent chance they won’t have a top 3 pick.
NBA will make sure MN doesn’t get the top 3…They will screw them…
Just like the officials hardly EVER call a even game , much less for the Wolves. Officiating in the league is a joke. Hardens and James of the world get all the calls , all the time.
You mad!
welp looks like edwards gonna have to play more mins or they gotta use future nba bust, culver as their 3 or something or even start both reid and KAT. either way, their still sinking down to the basement
Damn. This got to a new chapter in NBA history. Tanking without even trying. Cade Cunningham has got to be praying every night, ‘please don’t pick me. please don’t’. No wonder Andrew Wiggins is turning into a player after he left there.
Another guy with a chance of a better life that potentially ruined it!
I’ll give you an easy fix. Get that top 4 pick. Sign Noel to play the 4 next to KAT. He brings the D and reb. You will be able to draft Kuminga or Cunningham at the 3. That’s a young and talented team. Noel doesn’t want to play C. He’s a 10 n 10 guy easy with KAT. More important he gives you rim protection and weak side help D. You don’t need him to score
Russell PG, Edwards SG, KAT C, Noel PF, Cunningham SF.
Oh no, playoff hopes ruined….
I give the NBA a lot of credit they don’t have too many knuckleheads anymore so they didn’t have to go overboard with the suspension they could’ve gone even longer and I don’t think people would care hopefully he gets the message along with the other players JIC someone was also being a knucklehead
Dude points a rifle at a pregnant woman and teenage girl and only gets 12 games??? Suspend this idiot for the season. Who cares about Malik Beasley anyway?
yeah to be honest dont know how 12 days is a huge penalty
Season? How about permanently? This POS points a rifle at a pregnant woman and still gets the chance to earn a great living in the NBA. Then people wonder why the NBA ratings continue to tank.
I apologize I truly didn’t bother to read what he did ya he should be in prison not anywhere near the nba this puts a big Ray Rice black eye on the NBA
Good news! Dude shoots it too much… KAT shall be able to catch a few more looks going forward!!!
The NBA can tolerate or punish (in terms of suspensions) any behavior pretty much as it sees fit, and the NBAPA/CBA will allow. They are not bound or limited by the criminal law.
But, in terms of criminality, the pleaded to offense is not one that would, almost ever, result in prison time, as a first offense. In truth, it’s not even a crime worth prosecuting, and almost certainly wouldn’t have been if he didn’t offer to plea. Which he likely did to put it behind him.