NBA Notes: Knicks, guard options, Malik Beasley, Lakers

The Knicks have been tied to Malik Beasley in free agency, but he is far from the only veteran guard on their radar.

As James Edwards III of The Athletic detailed, New York has a list of potential minimum-contract candidates as they fill out the roster under new coach Mike Brown.

Edwards notes that Landry Shamet and Delon Wright, both familiar faces from Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks days, could be fallback options if Beasley is not signed. Wright in particular might fit more cleanly given the Knicks’ lack of depth behind Jalen Brunson and second-year man Tyler Kolek.

Other names floated include Alec Burks, Monte Morris, Seth Curry, Malcolm Brogdon, and yes, Ben Simmons. Kristian Winfield of the Daily News added that Shamet or Wright could be the best low-maintenance fits in high-leverage moments.

Edwards also writes that only one of the Knicks’ young trio — Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, or Ariel Hukporti — is likely to crack Brown’s rotation this season, given the nine proven veterans already slotted in.

• Beasley’s Cloud: Beasley’s name remains complicated. ESPN reported last week that the sharpshooter is no longer considered a “target” of a federal gambling investigation into prop bet activity. But as Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports clarified, Beasley is still a “subject” of the probe, which means his conduct is under review even if prosecutors don’t have evidence strong enough to treat him as a likely defendant. His lawyer Steve Haney told The Detroit News the situation has left Beasley in “a state of purgatory.” That uncertainty has made teams hesitant, even though technically nothing prevents him from signing today.

• Financial Woes: Beyond the investigation, Beasley’s name has surfaced in reports about unpaid debts to a barber, lender, marketing firm, and dentist, along with an eviction dispute. Haney insists those issues have been exaggerated and that his client is working to resolve them: “It is not fair to characterize him as being broke… Malik obviously did not have people in his management circle that were diligent. We are working with him to solve some of the problems.”

• The Lakers’ Move: One small piece of business elsewhere — Los Angeles signed center Kylor Kelley to a training camp deal, per a team release. The 27-year-old appeared in 11 games with the Pelicans and Mavericks last season, notching a double-double in his first NBA start for Dallas in February. Kelley’s contract fills the Lakers’ camp roster at 21 players.