BEVERLY HILLS, February 26, (THEWILL) – Malik Beasley, Minnesota’s Timberwolves guard has been suspended for 12 games by the National Basketball Association (NBA) after being sentenced earlier to 120 days in jail in February. The suspension will be served following the end of the current season.
The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to a felony count of threats of violence following an arrest in September.
In a statement in response to the suspension, Beasley said: “I will take this time to reflect on my decisions. I apologise 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.”
An official statement from the Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas read: “As an organization, we fully support today’s decision by the NBA. As we work together with Malik to advance his development as a player and a person, we look forward to seeing his growth.”
Police officers were called to Beasley’s residence for an alleged weapons offence in September. Those who alerted the authorities alleged that a “suspect walked up to their vehicle, tapped on the vehicle window, pointed a gun at them and advised them to get off of the property.”
They also claimed that the suspect held his gun up to his shoulder while the people in the car drove away as was demanded of them.
At the scene, police officers who responded to the call said they smelled marijuana. They obtained a search warrant for the house and allegedly found narcotics and a number of weapons, one of which was a stolen firearm. They charged Beasley with felony controlled substance/narcotics and felony receiving/concealing stolen property.
However, prosecutors dropped the drug charge as part of his plea deal.
The Timberwolves will hope this does not impair Beasley’s recent form on court. The 24-year-old is having a career year, averaging 20.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three. He is signed on a four-year, $60 million contract with Minnesota.
Alongside players like Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Edwards and Jarrett Culver, Beasley has emerged as a young building block for the Timberwolves. It might take a whole for it to translate to wins on the court, with the Timberwolves just 7-26, but the potential is there for Beasley to be a part of a brighter future to come for the franchise.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
