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Tim BontempsESPN
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley was suspended for 12 unpaid games after pleading guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence as a result of an incident in September, the NBA said on Thursday.
“As an organization, we fully support today’s NBA decision,” said Timberwolves basketball operations president Gersson Rosas, in a statement released shortly after the suspension was announced. “As we work together with Malik to advance his development as a player and as a person, we look forward to seeing his growth.”
Beasley’s suspension will begin on Saturday, when the Timberwolves are in Washington to play against the Wizards. He will be able to return to court on March 27, when Minnesota hosts the Houston Rockets.
The suspension will cost the guard $ 1.1 million.
Beasley agreed to a plea bargain with prosecutors earlier this month that saw drug charges against him dropped in exchange for a guilty plea. As a result, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in prison, which can be served at the county workhouse or at home, after the NBA season ended in mid-May.
“We are very pleased with this result that will allow Malik to continue working to become a better person and make better choices,” said Beasley’s lawyer, Steven Haney, in a statement obtained by ESPN’s Mark Schlabach after the agreement was reached in the earlier this month.
In a statement obtained by Schlabach last September, the Plymouth Police Department said the officers were called to Beasley’s residence because of a gun possession report. Respondents told police officers that they stopped the car in front of the house and a “suspect walked over to the vehicle, knocked on the vehicle window, pointed a gun at them and advised them to leave the property”.
“As the victims left, the suspect was observed holding the gun to his shoulder, pointing it at the vehicle,” said the police statement.
Police set up a perimeter to locate the individual and detected a strong marijuana odor, according to the statement. A vehicle tried to leave the property and was stopped by the police. Three people in the car were arrested and later released. A man, who identified himself as the owner of the house, was outside shouting at the police.
The officers obtained a search warrant for the property and located narcotics and several weapons, one of which was confirmed stolen, police said.
Beasley was traded to Minnesota last February and signed a four-year, $ 60 million contract with the Timberwolves in the off-season. He has been one of the few bright spots in a terrible season for Minnesota, averaging 20.5 points per game and 40% of 3-point shots.
The Timberwolves are the worst in the league 7-26 and have lost six consecutive games, in addition to 10 of the last 11 games. They have not won two consecutive games since the first two games of the season. The team fired coach Ryan Saunders after Sunday night’s loss to the New York Knicks, and hired Chris Finch – who worked for the Toronto Raptors as a technical assistant – as Saunders’ permanent replacement the following day.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks information was used in this report.