So much has been made about the starting shooting guard spot for the Milwaukee Bucks this coming season. Grayson Allen owned this role last term, but now that he’s been traded to the Phoenix Suns as part of the Damian Lillard blockbuster deal, the starting two-guard spot is now up for grabs.
At this point, it appears that free-agent recruit Malik Beasley is the frontrunner to land the highly-coveted role.
Malik Beasley Set to Start for Milwaukee Bucks?
Beasley made his Bucks debut on Sunday in their preseason opener against the Chicago Bulls. The 26-year-old, who joined the squad this summer as a free agent, logged 13 points in 5-of-10 shooting, to go along with three triples, four assists, and two steals. Beasley got the start in this one, and coach Adrian Griffin had nothing but high praise for the 6-foot-4 shooting guard:
“We talked about this prior to this game, kinda his role going into the season, that he’s gonna have to take the toughest assignment most nights,” Griffin said in his post-game press conference.
Griffin lauded Beasley’s impact on the defensive end, while also noting his ability to space the floor on offense alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Griffin’s comments seem to point to the notion that the starting spot is currently Beasley’s to lose.
Malik Beasley Reacts to Adrian Griffin’s Comments
Beasley caught wind of his coach’s comments after the game, and he responded by saying that he’s well aware of what the Bucks expect from him this coming season:
“I gotta fill in a role with Jrue’s defensive presence, so just making sure that I’m talking and defending,” Beasley said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Making shots, that’ll happen, that’ll come over time.”
Defense is obviously the top priority for Beasley as he looks to fill the void Jrue Holiday left upon his departure. Lillard isn’t exactly the best defender out there so whoever ends up playing alongside the seven-time All-Star in the backcourt will have to make up for Dame’s deficiencies on the defensive end. Beasley is looking forward to taking on that challenge head-on.
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