Malik Beasley Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Larsson, Johnson, McConnell, Ivey, Sasser, Long Island Nets

September 3rd, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat second-round pick Pelle Larsson and two-way rookie Keshad Johnson were teammates at Arizona. The Wildcats head coach believes they’ll fit right in with the Heat culture, he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.

“I think one of the things that makes them impressive prospects is they’re both wired and willing to be great role players,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “You know, 100 percent of their focus is going to be contributing to the team’s overall success. These aren’t like shoot first, ask questions later type of guys. So they’re going to give you a well-rounded effort on both ends of the floor. On offense, they’re going to play their role and stay in their lane. Then defensively and in all the effort areas, they’re going to max that stuff out.”

Larsson looked like he could quickly contribute. During Summer League competition, he averaged 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He signed a three-year contract starting at the rookie minimum.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

T.J. McConnell‘s four-year extension with the Pacers includes a partial guarantee in the third year of the contract and a team option in the final season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). The four-year, $44.8MM extension breaks down like this — $10.2MM in 2025/26; $11MM in 2026/27; $11.8MM ($5MM partial guarantee) in 2027/28; and a $11.8MM team option in 2028/29.
Though Jaden Ivey and Marcus Sasser are not natural point guards, The Athletic’s James Edwards believes one of them will back up Cade Cunningham rather than the Pistons making another roster move. Adding a free agent point guard would take away some of their playing time and the Pistons already brought in Tim Hardaway Jr. via trade and Malik Beasley via free agency. That duo will likely soak up a lot of minutes at shooting guard.
The NBA G League’s Long Island Nets will play six home games at in Montreal, two each in January, February and March, NetsDaily.com relays. Most of the team’s games are held at Nassau Coliseum. It’s speculated that the club is looking to extend its brand internationally.

Pistons Notes: Fan Survey, Langdon, Hardaway Jr., Beasley

August 29th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons fans made it known in an annual survey conducted by James Edwards III of The Athletic that this is somewhat of a make-or-break year for the franchise.

Only 35.8% of the more than 2,000 fans who cast their votes believe the team is headed in the right direction, while 38.7% said they were unsure. The remaining 25.4% believe the Pistons aren’t on the right path. Edwards notes that in previous surveys he’s conducted with the fans, they tended to be more optimistic.

Regarding the question of which player needs to take the biggest leap during the upcoming season, 69% chose either Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey. Both players had uneven second seasons under previous head coach Monty Williams and will be eligible for rookie scale extensions during the 2025 offseason. It shows that the fans believe this is a pivotal season for both lottery picks, Edwards notes.

As for this summer, the best move wasn’t a player acquisition, according to a majority of fans. Instead, the firing of former GM Troy Weaver received 62.7% of the votes.

We have more on the Pistons:

Trajan Langdon‘s personnel moves this summer showed that the new president of basketball operations is taking a long-range approach toward building the franchise, according to Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois. Langdon added a number of veterans on one- and two-year deals to improve the team’s short-term prospects but didn’t take any roll-of-the-dice gambles that might have hindered the long-term vision. Langlois notes that the next two draft classes are deeper with more projected franchise-altering prospects than 2024’s class featured.
Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley are two of the offseason acquisitions who might be flipped at the trade deadline, depending upon how the first 50 games shake out, according to Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Hardaway, acquired in a salary dump from Dallas, and Beasley, who signed a one-year contract as a free agent, are proven gunners who could help a contender if their efficiency holds up.
Did you miss any of the Pistons’ offseason moves? You can find our Offseason Check-In right here.

Pistons Notes: Beasley, Open Roster Spot, Draft, In-Season Tournament

August 14th, 2024 at 6:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Family connections weren’t the most important factor in Malik Beasley‘s free agency decision, but the new Pistons guard said his mother was happy to hear he’s going to play in the city where she grew up, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

A starter with Milwaukee last season, Beasley accepted a one-year, $6MM offer to join the rebuilding effort in Detroit. He quickly embraced the community and spoke to Sankofa while conducting a youth basketball camp.

“I want to make this year impactful, and coming from a championship team I want to bring that energy to here,” Beasley said. “And as I said before, my family’s from here, so giving back to the community is always helpful and makes me happy. I definitely miss the Detroit basketball, that energy. I want to bring that back. Growing up, every summer my mom used to bring me out here to get roughed up and learn from my cousins. I’ve been here a lot and have a lot of family, so I’m excited.”

Beasley was a priority for new head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon, who sought to add outside shooting and veteran leadership to the young roster he inherited. Beasley has appeared in 37 playoff games throughout his career, while most of his new teammates have never gotten close to the postseason. He told Sankofa that he’s already started the teaching process during offseason workouts.

“Just letting them know what it takes,” he said. “It’s going to take effort, getting over screens. If we’re doing a drill right now in the summertime and there’s nobody guarding us and we’re doing the drill to do the drill, stuff like that, I’ll tell them ‘Hey, you’re going to have Jrue Holiday on you, that’s not going to work. Hey, if I’m guarding you right now I would take that from you because you’re doing this.’ Just being there for those guys. They’re teaching me as well. It’s a whole big group and we look forward to getting to where we need to go.”

There’s more from Detroit:

Despite being the only remaining team with cap room, the Pistons won’t be in a rush to hand out a 15th standard contract, Keith Langlois of NBA.com states in a mailbag column. He expects the team to retain its flexibility in case an opportunity arises to acquire assets by facilitating a trade. Langlois also points out that Wendell Moore, who was acquired from Minnesota during the draft, only has a $2.54MM contract, so it would be relatively easy to open another roster spot if necessary.
In his first draft with the Pistons, Langdon proved he’s not afraid to take chances, Langlois adds in the same piece. He notes that neither Ron Holland or Bobi Klintman were considered “safe” picks, but Langdon was willing to gamble on their athletic gifts and competitive spirit.
The Pistons will be seeking their first-ever victory in the in-season tournament when plays begins in November, notes Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News. Last season’s four tournament contests came during the team’s record-setting 28-game losing streak. Detroit is in East Group B this year with Milwaukee, Miami, Indiana and Toronto.

Malik Beasley Signs With Pistons

July 11th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Tristan Tucker

July 11: Beasley’s contract is now official, according to NBA.com’s transactions log.

July 6: Free agent guard Malik Beasley is planning to sign a one-year deal worth $6MM with the Pistons, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Beasley spent last season with the Bucks.

Beasley, 27, has averaged 10.9 points per game for his career and is a skilled marksman, shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc in 496 total regular season games, He was incredibly durable last year, starting in 77 of his 79 games for the Bucks and making a carer-high 41.3% of his three-pointers.

The Pistons’ interest in Beasley was reported on Friday night by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. The fit between the two sides makes sense, as Detroit ranked 29th in made three-pointers and 26th in three-point percentage last year during a franchise-worst 14-68 season.

Beasley will join Tobias Harris (.368 career 3PT%) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (.360 career 3PT%) as some of Detroit’s key offseason additions who can make an impact from outside. Combine those moves with the fact the franchise is bringing in assistant Fred Vinson, known for his work with players from the three-point line, and it’s clear that spacing the floor around young guard Cade Cunningham was a top priority this offseason.

Beasley played for Milwaukee on a minimum contract last year and, after a successful individual year in which he participated in the NBA’s three-point contest, is signing a more significant deal.

Given the reported terms of Beasley’s agreement, Detroit could sign him using cap space or the room exception ($8MM). That decision figures to come down to what other moves the Pistons make in free agency and/or on the trade market.

Scotto’s Latest: Beasley, Hield, Nuggets, Martin, Pelicans, Mavs, Cavs

July 5th, 2024 at 10:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Coming off a season in which he made a career-high 41.3% of his three-point attempts, free agent swingman Malik Beasley was considered the Mavericks‘ Plan B for outside shooting help if they were unable to land Klay Thompson, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

With Dallas no longer in the mix for Beasley, the 27-year-old sharpshooter is receiving interest from the Pelicans, who like the idea of having him stretching the floor alongside Zion Williamson, league sources tell Scotto.

Meanwhile, the Pistons “flirted” with potentially offering Buddy Hield a one-year contract and have considered doing the same for Beasley, Scotto writes, but for now Detroit wants to keep its salary cap space open for trade purposes, since the team is well positioned to take on an unwanted contract or two and receive draft assets for its trouble.

Here’s more from Scotto:

The Nuggets and Heat were among the teams to express interest in Hield before he agreed to join the Warriors, per Scotto. However, neither team could realistically match the $8.7MM starting salary Hield got from Golden State. Denver is shopping in free agency with its $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception in the hopes of adding a player who can help fill the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope-sized hole in the team’s rotation, Scotto notes.
When he declined his $7.1MM player option with Miami, Caleb Martin was hoping for a deal worth at least the full mid-level exception ($12.9MM) and possibly more than that, sources tell HoopsHype, but nothing has materialized so far. The Sixers are among the teams with interest in Martin, but his asking price would have to drop for that to be realistic, according to Scotto.
While the Pelicans continue to peruse the trade market for centers – with Wendell Carter of the Magic among the targets on their radar – veteran big man Daniel Theis has been linked to New Orleans as a possible cheaper option in free agency, Scotto writes.
The Mavericks, in the market for one more guard, have considered a possible reunion with Spencer Dinwiddie or Dennis Smith Jr., according to Scotto, who hears that Malachi Flynn is another playing Dallas is considering if Dinwiddie and Smith end up elsewhere.
Johnnie Bryant (Knicks), Jared Dudley (Mavericks), and Trevor Hendry (Nets) are among the coaches the Cavaliers are eyeing as possible assistants for Kenny Atkinson‘s staff, Scotto reports. Bryant was close with Donovan Mitchell from their days in Utah together, while Dudley and Hendry were with Atkinson in Brooklyn (Dudley as a player, Hendry as a staffer).

Haynes’ Latest: Harris, Beasley, KCP, Ingram, George

June 21st, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons, Spurs, and Pelicans are among the teams expected to have interest in Tobias Harris this offseason, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link), who confirms that the Jazz and Mavericks are in that group as well, as previously reported. While Harris, an unrestricted free agent, isn’t expected to return to Philadelphia, he’ll draw “ample interest” from other suitors, says Haynes.

Detroit, San Antonio, and Utah are all in position to open up cap room this summer, whereas New Orleans and Dallas project to at least flirt with the luxury tax line. If the Pelicans or Mavs pursue Harris, it would likely have to be via sign-and-trade, Haynes notes.

Here are a few more items of interest from Haynes:

Malik Beasley has almost certainly played his last game with the Bucks, according to Haynes (video link). Milwaukee doesn’t have the ability to offer Beasley more than 20% above his minimum salary, whereas the veteran swingman will likely be seeking a deal in the mid-level range after ranking among the NBA’s top three-point shooters in 2023/24 — he made 41.3% of 6.9 attempts per game.
If Kentavious Caldwell-Pope doesn’t agree to a new deal with the Nuggets during the exclusive negotiating period, he won’t pick up his $15.4MM player option for 2024/25 at the June 29 deadline, per Haynes (video link). That doesn’t mean Caldwell-Pope will definitely leave Denver, since he and the team could still come to terms after that, but he would at least test the market in that scenario. There would be a “plethora” of teams, and “not just contending teams,” who would have interest in the veteran wing, Haynes adds.
Haynes says he “definitely” thinks Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram will be traded this summer, though he’s still working to confirm the likeliest landing spots for the former All-Star (video link).
Five months after they extended Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers still don’t have a deal in place with their other star forward, but they’re “not panicking” as Paul George nears potential free agency, according to Haynes, who says signing the nine-time All-Star to a new contract continues to be L.A.’s number one offseason priority (video link). Haynes adds that he believes the Magic have shown some interest in George, which has been previously reported.

Rockets Rumors: No. 3 Pick, Mitchell, Tate, Green, Landale, Beasley

May 21st, 2024 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Prior to the draft lottery, a report indicated that the Rockets were interested in trading their 2024 first-rounder for future draft assets. That’s still a possibility, but after moving up from No. 9 to No. 3 on lottery day, Houston has a more valuable asset on its hands and will consider all potential paths with that pick, writes Kelly Iko of The Athletic.

Team and league sources tell Iko that a handful of clubs have already expressed interest in the Rockets’ No. 3 overall selection, either in a trade-up scenario or by trading into the first round altogether. Houston is open to the idea of moving back and acquiring extra assets, Iko notes, though at the draft combine, the club was doing its homework on potential top-five picks. Team officials spoke to prospects like Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Reed Sheppard, and Matas Buzelis, according to Iko, who hears from a source that Buzelis’ interview, in particular, was “excellent.”

Including that No. 3 pick in a trade package for an impact player is another avenue the Rockets figure to explore, and league sources tell Iko that Houston is among the teams with interest in Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, having monitored his situation for the last several months. Mitchell wouldn’t be available if he ends up signing an extension to remain in Cleveland, but if he’s on the trade block, the All-NBA guard would be a more “suitable” target for the Rockets than players like Brandon Ingram or Mikal Bridges, opines Iko.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

Confirming a report from The Houston Chronicle, Iko says the Rockets have interest in the future Suns draft picks controlled by the Nets. Houston, which controls a handful of Brooklyn’s draft assets, is expected to reengage the Nets in trade talks prior to next month’s draft, team sources tell Iko.
According to Iko, “all signs point toward” the Rockets exercising their team options on Jae’Sean Tate ($7.07MM) and Jeff Green ($9.6MM) for 2024/25. That’s somewhat surprising, given that Tate’s role declined significantly last season and Green would be extremely unlikely to match his option salary as a free agent. But those expiring contracts for Tate and Green would perhaps have some value as salary-matching pieces in a trade. For what it’s worth, Houston could pick up Green’s option and then waive him by July 11 to avoid being on the hook for his ’24/25 salary.
Iko also suggests that the Rockets may retain Jock Landale, whose $8MM salary for 2024/25 is non-guaranteed until June 29. Landale played better in the second half of his first season in Houston, especially after Alperen Sengun went down, but he’s another player who wouldn’t be a bargain on his current deal and might have more value as a trade chip. He has non-guaranteed $8MM salaries for ’25/26 and ’26/27 too, so his contract could be treated as an expiring deal. If they hang onto Tate, Green, and Landale on their current contracts, the Rockets would still have plenty of breathing room below the projected luxury tax line, with access to the full mid-level exception.
Houston’s front office recognizes that outside shooting and floor spacing are areas of need this summer and has some interest in Bucks sharpshooter Malik Beasley, according to Iko, who hears from sources that Beasley is also generating early interest from the Magic and the Warriors.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Green, Olympics

April 20th, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks are listing Giannis Antetokounmpo as doubtful on the team’s official injury report due to a left calf strain, making it unlikely that he’ll be available for Sunday’s series opener with Indiana.

Antetokounmpo was held out of practice this week as he recovers from the injury he suffered in an April 9 game. He participated in a walkthrough on Friday, but didn’t do anything more physical, coach Doc Rivers told Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel.

Antetokounmpo was given a two- to four-week prognosis after the injury occurred, and Owczarski notes that Game 2 of the series will mark exactly 14 days. Game 3 will be 17 days away and Game 4 will be 19, while a potential Game 7 would take place May 4, giving Antetokounmpo three-and-a-half weeks to recover.

Milwaukee was 4-5 without Antetokounmpo this season, including a pair of losses last weekend that dropped the team into the No. 3 seed.

There’s more on the Bucks:

Damian Lillard had planned to practice Tuesday as he works his way back from an aggravated Achilles tendon and an irritated adductor muscle, Owczarski adds, but Lillard said the medical staff’s decision to hold him out helped him to be a full participant Friday. Lillard underwent imaging to check the extent of the damage to both areas before returning to the court. “After that it was just like we got a week to get right, to get ready and that was kind of the focus,” he said. “I didn’t want to go out there with my pride or doing anything unnecessary. That was kind of the plan.”
A.J. Green isn’t on the injured list after spraining his left ankle in an April 10 game. Rivers tells Owczarski that Green was able to do “most things” at Friday’s practice, but Malik Beasley and Khris Middleton will see extended minutes if Green isn’t able to play. “We have to keep shooting on the floor,” Rivers said. “But A.J. has not only been good offensively, I think he’s been very good defensively. I think he’s been one of our guard rebounders as well. I mean, obviously we would love him to play. He looked good today.”
Lillard said he was contacted by Team USA about another Olympics appearance, but he wasn’t willing to make a commitment, Owczarski states in the same piece. Lillard wanted to concentrate on what he hopes will be a long playoff run with the Bucks, and he was reluctant to be away from his family for most of the summer. “I never committed to it and I was also never like, ‘I don’t want to go,'” Lillard said. “So, the roster I think they got a full roster now, so I’m not offended by it at all.”
In a separate story, Lillard tells Owczarski that rumors that he’s dissatisfied in his first year with the Bucks are inaccurate. “I saw somebody say ‘Dame is not happy in Milwaukee’ or something like that,” Lillard said. “I know the truth. I love the situation that I’m in. I also know what I have going on outside of basketball going on that kind of drains me at times. People are going to make comments. People are going to say things. And if it doesn’t go the way they said it was going to go, nobody is ever (going to) come to them and say ‘All right, you said this. Now what do you have to say about it?’ They are never held accountable for what they say publicly.”

And-Ones: Brown, 3-Point Contest, Glass Floor, Bjelica

February 5th, 2024 at 10:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The All-Star dunk contest has lost its star power in recent years. That could change this month. The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is strongly considering accepting an invitation to participate, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (Twitter link). Charania said Brown has been “mulling over the possibility for several weeks.”

We have more from around the basketball world:

A star-laden cast is lining up for the All-Star weekend’s 3-point contest. Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson and Lauri Markkanen have agreed to participate, Charania tweets. The same goes for Tyrese Maxey, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT tweets. Donovan Mitchell has also added his name to the list, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
The entire All-Star Saturday night lineup will be played on a full video LED court that will be installed at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The skills competition, 3-point contest, slam dunk competition and shooting matchup between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will take place on the glass floor on Feb. 17. The All-Star Game on Feb. 18 will remain on a wooden court.
Former NBA player Nemanja Bjelica was allegedly threatened to be stabbed with scissors, Eurohoops.net relays. Nikola Petkovic, a former soccer player, confronted Bjelica in a children’s playroom in Belgrade, according to multiple Serbian outlets, and threatened Bjelica and his famly. Petkovic was arrested and detained for 48 hours. Bjelica, a member of the Warriors’ 2022 championship team, hasn’t played this season.

Central Notes: Beasley, Siakam, Nance, Pistons

January 21st, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Speaking to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), Bucks shooting guard Malik Beasley explained the thinking behind his decision to sign Milwaukee over the summer when he reached unrestricted free agency.

“Definitely wanted to win a championship, that was one of my goals,” Beasley said. “I felt that I’m at a point in my career where I just want to win and do whatever I can for the team. With the Bucks I felt like the dynamic of Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and being able to space the floor for them, I felt like that was huge. I looked into all that, making sure I would be able to get some reps, making sure I’d be able to get some playing time.”

“I do feel like I’m one of the best shooters in the league,” Beasley added. “I’m not try to be cocky or anything, I’m just confident.”

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Pascal Siakam‘s new Pacers teammates were encouraged by his strong debut for the club, a 21-point showing in a 118-115 loss to the Trail Blazers, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “We were just learning how to go on the fly, just going off our basketball brains,” All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “It’s like playing pickup a little bit out there. That’s the exciting part for us I think is we get back here is, we played alright, but there’s so much more room for us.”
Cavaliers 10-day signee Pete Nance is reveling in his opportunity to play for his favorite team, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “It’s surreal,” Nance told Fedor. “The goal was to get a call-up from the G League at some point, but to have it be the Cavs, it’s just a really cool thing for me. I’m super excited. I grew up a lifelong Cavs fan. Something I’ve thought about my whole life. I’ve been working for this my whole life. It’s a dream come true.” Pete’s father Larry Nance played for the Cavs from 1988-94, while his brother Larry Nance Jr. was with the team from 2018-21.
The struggling Pistons face an intriguing trade deadline. In a new reader mailbag, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) unpacks Detroit’s options, suggesting that the team will essentially view the trade deadline as an opportunity to get a head-start on the offseason by adding players who will be with the team beyond this season.