The NBA doesn't actually have a gambling problem... yet

Good morning. The latest sports betting scandal has arrived. Let's discuss.

Malik Beasley became the third NBA player in the last two years to come under investigation for allegations related to gambling, joining Jontay Porter, who was banned from the NBA last April, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who continued to play after an NBA probe did not find a violation of rules.

Depending on what the league and federal authorities find regarding Beasley, the NBA either has a really big problem on its hands or not much of a problem at all. So much is riding on the result of this investigation.

Before we get into the reasons why this could go either way, let's get to the facts of the Beasley investigation, which was first reported by ESPN. The allegations stem from unusual betting activity on Beasley's stats during the 2023-24 season when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks, beginning around January 2024. The one example provided was a game on Jan. 31, 2024, when the odds for Beasley's 2.5 rebounds prop moved significantly due to a surge of action on the under -- he finished with six rebounds.

LOWLIGHTS: Beasley's worst moments are going viral amid allegations

And that's it. That's the extent of what we know. Maybe it's just a small piece of a larger pie of evidence yet to be revealed, but it's not a whole to work with on its own. If we learned anything from the Rozier investigation, it's that we can't assume a player's guilt just because they come up in an investigation.

Regarding Rozier, there's still a lot we don't know there too. Though the NBA cleared him of any wrongdoing and he hasn't been charged with a crime, the federal investigation into unusual betting patterns on a March 2023 game is still ongoing. That investigation is tied to the Porter scandal, where the former Raptors center was found to have manipulated his play to help co-conspirators with their bets. Porter pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge and awaits sentencing.

Those are two very different results, and exactly why so much rides on the result of the Beasley investigation. In this new world of legal gambling and improved integrity monitoring, these investigations are going to come up -- across all sports -- but like we saw with Shohei Ohtani, they don't guarantee the player did anything wrong. So, while we can all agree it's not a good look for leagues, an investigation doesn't become a code red situation until a player is actually found guilty of something.

To be clear, that threat always looms. But so far, that's only happened once in the NBA, and it was Porter, a fringe player who rarely saw the floor enough to impact games. Beasley, though, would be a different story. If he's found guilty of something similar, this not only becomes a disturbing trend, it changes everything because of the status of the player.

Beasley isn't a star, but the journeyman guard has been a key role player for almost every team he's played for, including the Pistons, who were reportedly prepared to give him a new three-year deal after he helped them pull off one of the league's great turnarounds last season to make the playoffs. If that kind of player is guilty of something related to gambling, it's a huge integrity issue the NBA won't be able to sweep under the rug.

For now, though, all we know is there was unusual betting activity on Beasley's stats, the same as Rozier. The result of this investigation into that activity will let us know how big a problem the NBA has on its hands.

The Mets are a mess

Just when it looked like the New York Mets might be turning things around by coming out of a 1-10 stretch with consecutive wins over the Braves last week, things just got a lot worse. The Mets were swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, allowing the second-worst team in the NL to outscore them 30-4 in the process.

To make the sweep more embarrassing, the last loss was the worst of all (12-1 score) and came immediately after the team held a players-only meeting. It's been a frustrating stretch to say the least.

The silver lining: New York got off to such a hot start to the season, they still own one of the best records in the majors and top-six World Series odds (+1100) at BetMGM. There's still time for the Mets to put this slump behind them.

However, they better start turning things around soon. With this sweep, the Philadelphia Phillies have moved into first place in the NL East.

USMNT reaches Gold Cup semis in dramatic fashion

The U.S. men's national soccer team beat Costa Rica in the Gold Cup quarterfinals Sunday after a thrilling penalty shootout closed on a kick by 20-year-old Damion Downs.

Matt Freese made three saves in the six-round shootout, including the huge one on Costa Rica's last attempt to set up this moment for Downs:

USMNT COACH ON THE MOVE? Mauricio Pochettino addresses Brentford rumors

The U.S. will play Guatemala in the Gold Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

Quick Hits: Mitch Marner tampering drama ... Angel Reese comes up big ... and more

• Mitch Marner is set to become the NHL's biggest free agent tomorrow, but if the Maple Leafs star signs with Vegas, the Leafs may consider filing for tampering. Mary Clarke has more on why here.
• In front of Candace Parker, who had her No. 3 retired by the Los Angeles Sparks, Angel Reese became the first player in WNBA history to record 15-plus rebounds in four straight games, grabbing 16 boards to go with 24 points and seven assists. She had the perfect quip for her record day.
• With NBA free agency set to begin this evening, Charles Curtis has you covered with the 15 most intriguing players available.
• F1: The Movie is out, and it's GOOD. In fact, Caroline Darney already has it ranked high among the best racing movies of all-time.

Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow.

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