Should OKC Thunder Take Gamble on Malik Beasley in Free Agency?

Oklahoma City has been relatively quiet after its championship run, but now might be the time to make one big move this offseason.

Two months ago, the Thunder secured their first NBA title, beating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 to cap off the best postseason run in franchise history.

With the Thunder set to bring back their entire championship core, they are already set to enter next season as a heavy title favorite, and there might be a way for them to get even better before opening night in October.

On Friday, ESPNs Shams Charania reported that Malik Beasley is no longer the target of a federal gambling investigation.

Beasley, a free agent this summer has effectively had any negotiations on hold as teams have been uninterested in pursuing him with potential punishment looming.

However, with Beasley now being cleared, he should be able to begin looking for his next home.

After a successful season with the Detroit Pistons, Beasley likely would have been one of the top free agents this summer, but this investigation has likely forced him into taking a much smaller payday.

The case for Malik Beasley in OKC After the news of Beasleys clearing broke on Friday, the next logical question was about which teams might be interested.

Spotracs Keith Smith noted the teams that could offer Beasley more than the Pistons going into next season, including the Thunder.

With an $8.5 million mid-level exception still available, the Thunder could be in the running to add Beasley if they choose to pursue him.

While Oklahoma City cant offer the most for Beasley, the opportunity to win a championship could sway him toward the Thunder.

From the Thunders perspective, they already have 15 players on standard contracts for next season, meaning they would have to part ways with someone to make this deal happen.

Even if the Thunder are willing to send out someone such as Ousmane Dieng, there are still some questions about Beasleys fit.

Last season, Beasley was second in the league in total 3-pointers with 319, knocking down a career-best 41.6% of his 9.3 outside shots per game.

In the playoffs, Beasley made only 33.9% of his threes, still taking nearly 10 a night across six games in the first round.

If the Thunder believe Beasley can hold up defensively and be a bit more consistent in the postseason, it might be worth the risk.

With Beasley playing every game last season, the Pistons were 11th in defensive rating, which could point to his defense being only a minor concern, especially if he were to join the Thunders elite defense.

While there are plenty of concerns about Beasleys defense, his offense could give the Thunder an added boost, particularly in the postseason.

In the championship run, the Thunder shot only 33.8% from deep, and with Beasley having a lighter load in Oklahoma City, he could certainly enhance that efficiency playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Add in his 16.3 points per game last season, and he could be a perfect fit in the starting lineup when the Thunder are facing injuries or want to rest guys.

Considering the weapon Isaiah Joe has been in the regular season for Oklahoma City, Beasley could be yet another great fit to enhance the Thunders spacing..

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