Five sneaky teams that should go after Malik Beasley

Malik Beasley has had one of the strangest summers of any free agent. 

At one point, he was reportedly close to signing a three-year, $42M contract with the Detroit Pistons. Then everything collapsed after a federal gambling probe was announced, with Beasley under investigation, and teams froze.

Now that Beasley is no longer a target of the investigation, suddenly, one of the lea gue’s top shooters is sitting on the open market without a home.

Last season, Beasley ranked second in the entire NBA in made threes, hitting 41.6% from deep. He’s the definition of a three-and-D wing, the kind of player every contender claims to need. And yet he’s still unsigned.

Plenty of teams seem like a fit for Beasley. Here are five sneakier options.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs have been linked to Beasley already, and it makes perfect sense. Cleveland’s offense has consistently struggled with spacing, especially when Donovan Mitchell is forced into hero-ball situations. Beasley’s movement shooting would give them another weapon to open the floor, and at a minimum-type deal, the risk is almost nonexistent. For a team that wants to prove last yea r’s playoff run wasn’t a fluke, this could be a crucial signing.

Charlotte Hornets

This one is more about strategy than contention. The Hornets still have enough mid-level space to make a respectable offer. Signing Beasley now would let them showcase his shooting early in the season and then flip him at the deadline to a contender for future assets. Charlotte has done similar moves in the past, and with its roster still in rebuilding mode, this would be a smart way to squeeze value from a cheap contract.

Indiana Pacers

Indiana could really use a wing shooter like Beasley. It already plays at one of the fastest paces in the league, and adding another 40% shooter would be lethal. The Pacers have flexibility to offer him more than the minimum, and for a team trying to survive in the East’s upper tier with Tyrese Haliburton sidelin ed, small moves like this often matter more than splashy trades.

Brooklyn Nets

The Nets are in a weird spot — clearly rebuilding, but still trying to keep things watchable. Beasley could give them exactly that. He’d add credibility to the rotation, help Cam Thomas shoulder the perimeter load and provide a veteran shooting presence for a young roster. If he plays well, Brooklyn could either hold him as a stabilizing piece or move him for picks in February. Either way, it’s a win.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors need him as much as anyone. Stuck in offseason purgatory while the Jonathan Kuminga contract drama drags on, they’ve done nothing to address a roster that already looked thin. Once they get clarity, they’ll have their mid-level exception available, and Beasley would be a natural fit. Playing next to Steph Curry, Beasley’s gravity as a shooter would only multiply. If Golden State really wants to squeeze another title run out of this core, this is exactly the type of value move it can’t afford to miss.

Beasley’s value has never been lower, but his skill set is timeless. Teams want shooting, and he brings elite volume and accuracy at a bargain price. Whether it’s a contender like Golden State or a rebuilding squad like Charlotte or Brooklyn looking to create future trade value, Beasley is one of the smartest signings left on the market. Someone is going to get him for cheap — and when they do, it might end up being the steal of the summer.