The Timberwolves will be without guard Malik Beasley for 12 games without pay after he was suspended by the NBA for conduct stemming from charges in the offseason. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium was the first to report the suspension. Beasley, 24, is averaging 20.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season and shooting 40.6 percent from three-point range. He is second on the team in scoring and first in three-point shooting (116-of-286).
Statement from Timberwolves‘ Malik Beasley (@Mbeasy5): "I will take this time to reflect on my decisions. I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player.” https://t.co/zJrShlbCtn
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 25, 2021
“As an organization, we fully support today’s decision by the NBA,” Wolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said in a statement. “As we work together with Malik to advance his development as a player and a person, we look forward to seeing his growth.”
Earlier this month, a Minnesota judge sentenced Beasley to 120 days in jail to be served after the NBA season following his guilty plea to one felony count of threats of violence. Beasley’s attorney, Steven Haney, told ESPN that Beasley will be part of a work release program and could potentially serve the sentence through home confinement. Haney also told ESPN that the felony charge could be reduced to a misdemeanor at the end of his probation. Felony drug charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.
Beasley had been arrested late last September at his home in Plymouth, Minn. The Plymouth Police Department issued a statement to ESPN at the time that officers had been called to Beasley’s residence on a reported weapons offense. After securing a search warrant, officers found narcotics and numerous guns, one of which was confirmed as stolen.
Hennepin County jail records showed that Beasley initially faced felony controlled substance/narcotics and felony receiving/concealing stolen property charges.
A restricted free agent this offseason, Beasley agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract in November with the Timberwolves. The Wolves obtained Beasley from Denver in February 2020 in a four-team deal that also included the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets. Beasley’s play has made him a candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player this season.
The Wolves are an NBA-worst 7-26 this season and 0-2 under new coach Chris Finch, who replaced Ryan Saunders this week. Beasley’s suspension will begin Saturday when the Wolves play at Washington.