Timberwolves’ Malik Beasley suspended for 12 games after guilty plea

On Thursday, the NBA announced that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley for 12 games, stemming from his arrest and felony gun charge during the offseason.

The announcement read:

“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.”

“As an organization, we fully support today’s decision by the NBA,” said Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, in a statement issued soon after the suspension was announced. “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, Beasley agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that saw felony drug charges against him get dropped in exchange for the guilty plea. As a result, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in jail, which could be served either in the county workhouse or in home confinement, after the NBA season is over mid-May. The suspension will cost Beasley about $1.1 million.

On Thursday afternoon, Beasley made a statement about his suspension:

“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.”

Last September, the 24-year-old was arrested after he pointed a gun at individuals in a car that was parked in front of his house, while warning them to vacate the property. According to police reports, he continued to point the gun at the car as it drove away. In addition to this, 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 he 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. Additionally, the court issued him a lifetime ban on owning guns. 

The guard was traded to Minnesota last February, and signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Timberwolves in the offseason. Minnesota owns a league-worst record of 7-26, and has lost six games consecutively, as well as 10 of their previous 11 games.