Now that Malik Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation, the Indiana Pacers should look to bring him on board ahead of the upcoming season. The Detroit Pistons used most of their available money, leaving them with only $7.2 million to offer Beasley, but the Pacers can beat that number.
Indiana and a few other teams around the league still have their non-taxpayer MLE available to use, giving them a way to offer Beasley more money than the Pistons can. And for the Pacers, who will be without Tyrese Haliburton, Beasley could be a fun way to reshape their offense next year.
They should look to sign him as soon as possible.
Why should the Pacers sign Malik Beasley?
Haliburton won’t be suiting up for the Pacers next season. Their playoff hero won’t be leading the charge. But the Pacers could still put together a solid roster around the rest of their guys.
Pascal Siakam was incredible in the postseason, Andrew Nembhard seems primed to step up into a larger role, as does Bennedict Mathurin, and they still have great depth up and down the roster.
Adding Beasly to that mix would help the Pacers double down on three-point shooting, and when Haliburton does come back for the 2026-27 season, it would give them even more elite depth.
Last year, Beasley emerged as one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA. His 766 three-point attempts ranked third in the league, behind only Anthony Edwards and Stephen Curry, and his 319 three-point makes ranked second behind only Edwards (at 320).
For the past two seasons, Indiana has staked their identity on the offensive end. Beasley’s three-point shooting would undoubtedly be a welcome addition to that identity.
Having his shooting coming off the bench would be great for the Pacers, especially if they can land him with the non-taxpayer MLE, which is less money than Beasley was slated to receive before the gambling drama.
Siakam is going to have to take on a much heavier load this season, but he is not a great perimeter scorer. Nembhard and Mathurin will, too, though the latter of the two isn’t an elite three-point shooter, either.
Beasley’s catch-and-shoot abilities would open up the floor for the rest of Indiana’s lineup, giving them a lot more options during a season where they will certainly need them.
If they are willing to offer the NTMLE, the Pacers should absolutely look to sign Beasley in free agency.