The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks are reportedly two of the teams that have “checked in” on signing Malik Beasley in free agency. Both can only offer him a minimum contract. He reportedly had a deal for three years and $42 million with the Detroit Pistons, but that fell through due to being the target of a federal gambling investigation. That investigation has since been dropped.
We don’t entirely know what Beasley’s motivations will be when he chooses a new team, but we can assume that
positioning himself to make the most money now and on his next contract will be a top priority for someone who reportedly owes $8 million in unpaid loans and bills. That includes being behind over $21,000 in rent for a property Dan Gilbert’s company owns in Detroit.
Even though it’s late in the summer, there are still 17 teams that could offer Beasley more than a minimum contract of $3.3 million, but they might not want to do so given their current cap situation. Those teams and a reason why they likely aren’t going to be interested in Beasley are listed below:
- Boston Celtics – $5.68 million of taxpayer mid-level exception, but seem to be looking to shed money given Jayson Tatum’s injury
- Brooklyn Nets – $14.3 million in cap space, but they aren’t looking to win games next season
- Charlotte Hornets – $14.1 million mid-level exception, but aren’t expected to be a playoff team
- Chicago Bulls – $14.1 million mid-level exception, but are awaiting a resolution for Josh Giddey’s restricted free agency
- Denver Nuggets – $8.2 million in mid-level exception, but are bumping up on the luxury tax threshold
- Golden State Warriors – $14.1 million mid-level exception, but are dealing with Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency
- Indiana Pacers – $14.1 million mid-level exception, but have been shedding salary this summer
- Miami Heat – $9.9 million mid-level exception, but they need more than Beasley
- Minnesota Timberwolves –$5.86 taxpayer mid-level exception, but are just $4 million under the second apron
- New Orleans Pelicans – $6 million mid-level exception, but aren’t expected to make the playoffs
- Oklahoma City Thunder – $10 million mid-level exception, but are just $2 million away from the luxury tax
- Philadelphia 76ers – $10 million mid-level exception, but are just $2 million away from the luxury tax
- Phoenix Suns – $8 million mid-level exception, but have been shedding money this offseason
- Sacramento Kings – $11 million mid-level exception, but are $3 million away from the luxury tax
- Toronto Raptors – $5.68 million taxpayer mid-level exception, but are $3 million away from the first apron
- Utah Jazz – $8.8 million room mid-level exception, but aren’t trying to win next season
- Washington Wizards – $14.1 million mid-level exception, but aren’t trying to win next season
Given Beasley’s position, you’d think that if he were offered around or above the taxpayer mid-level exception from one of these 17 teams, he’d take it. Even if the team doesn’t have success, he would put himself in line for a bigger contract next summer and could still be bought out around the trade deadline and finish the year with a contender.
But let’s assume for the sake of this exercise that none of the 17 teams above want to offer him more than the minimum contract, and it really does come down to either the Cavs or Knicks on a minimum deal. Who would he pick then?
You’d have to think that he’d choose the team that’d give him the clearest path towards playing time, which would set him up for a better contract the following year. That wouldn’t favor Cleveland.
The Cavs currently have a lot of shooting guards. Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Sam Merrill are all best positioned to play the two. Beasley can play the three as well, even though he’s 6’4”, but you’d ideally only be playing two from the group of Strus, Merrill, De’Andre Hunter, and Beasley at one time. Beasley would still get playing time. However, it would be a somewhat messy rotation that Kenny Atkinson would have to deal with when the team is fully healthy.
Meanwhile, the Knicks have much less depth at that spot. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart are your starters at the two and the three. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet are currently backups for those positions. Neither would demand minutes over Beasley if you slotted him into that group. That’s a much easier guard/wing rotation to fit Beasley into.
The Cavs would benefit greatly from being able to add Beasley. He would be one of the first guys off a strong bench.
Still, he’d be sharing his minutes with a lot of other worthy players who have a similar size and skill set. That, combined with the 17 other teams that could offer more money and the cleaner fit with the Knicks, makes it unlikely that Beasley ends up in Cleveland.
