The NBA has suspended Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley for 12 games, stemming from his arrest and gun charge during the offseason, the league announced on Thursday.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley has been suspended 12 games without pay for pleading guilty to a felony charge of threatening to commit a crime of violence for the purpose of terrorizing another person, in violation of the law of the State of Minnesota, the NBA announced today. The incident occurred on Sept. 26, 2020.
Beasley will begin serving his suspension on Saturday, Feb. 27 when the Timberwolves visit the Washington Wizards.
Beasley resolved the issue in court in early February, which resulted in him being sentenced to 120 days in jail, three years of probation with no use of alcohol or drugs and mandatory completion of an anger management program. The sixth-year guard will be part of a work release program, which would allow him to complete his 120-day sentence at home. His felony charge could also potentially be reduced to a misdemeanor at the end of his probation.
Beasley made a statement Thursday afternoon regarding the suspension by the league:
"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."
The 24-year-old guard was arrested in September after pointing a gun at individuals in a car that was parked in front of his house, while warning them to vacate the property. Beasley continued to point the gun at the car as it drove away, per police reports, and when officers arrived on the scene they smelled marijuana and issued a search warrant for his property. While searching his house large amounts of marijuana and a stolen gun were found.
Beasley entered a plea deal, which resulted in the prosecutors dropping the felony drug charges, and instead the Wolves' guard pled guilty to one felony count of threats of violence. He was also facing a felony charge of receiving or concealing stolen property, but he was not convicted of that. The court also issued him a lifetime ban on owning guns.
