Lance Stephenson was suspended for one game by the BIG3 after throwing a punch during Miami 305's season-opening game against the LA Riot. Michael Beasley also drew a one-game suspension, and both players were ejected from Saturday's opener in Los Angeles.
Miami 305 Lost Control
The league moved on Sunday, one day after the fights broke out in the opener. Stephenson was involved after a hard foul led to the punch at Jordan Crawford, while Beasley was part of a scuffle with Dwight Howard.
Miami 305 was left with only two players and lost by forfeit. That is the part that turns the suspensions into more than discipline on paper: the reigning BIG3 champion now has to deal with the fallout immediately, before Week 2 even arrives.
Detroit Amps Await
The second-game penalty lands before Miami 305 faces the Detroit Amps in Week 2 in Detroit. For a team that entered the opener as the reigning champion, the first weekend ended with an ejection, a forfeit, and a roster hole that cannot be ignored.
The opener also carried extra weight because the game featured several former NBA players, including Howard, Jamal Crawford, and Mario Chalmers. Howard and Beasley were teammates on the 2015-16 Houston Rockets team, which reached the playoffs before losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round, and Howard was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
Whether the BIG3 issues any additional discipline beyond the one-game suspensions is still not answered, but Miami 305 already knows the immediate cost. Stephenson's punch did not just end his night; it helped push the reigning champion into a forfeit and into Week 2 short-handed.
