The Milwaukee Bucks came of well short of the goal they had for themselves entering the 2023-24 NBA season: winning the NBA Championship. As a result, they face yet one more offseason filled with questions regarding their roster construction and which players will stay or go. Shortly after the Bucks were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers, veteran forward Jae Crowder insinuated that he will be one of the upcoming free agents that will not return.
Of course, there will be others as Milwaukee tries to form the best possible roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Last offseason, all of their free agent signings were done to compliment Giannis being the primary star on the team. However, a late-offseason trade for Lillard changed the dynamic of the roster.
Simply put, adding Lillard was the best move in terms of winning multiple titles in the long run. It was, however, a move that necessarily improved their title chances in 2023-24. Without Jrue Holiday, the Bucks lacked another shutdown defender. Though Lillard was a definite upgrade on offense, there are not many who can replace Holiday’s defense.
The Milwaukee Bucks Tried to Make Malik Beasley Their Defensive Stopper
A year ago, Bucks fans were ecstatic that the team convinced free agent shooting guard Malik Beasley to sign for a veteran minimum. Remember, at the time of the signing, the Lillard trade had not occurred. The thought was that Beasley would start in the backcourt and be a lethal three-point weapon for Giannis to kick out to on his drives to the hoop.
And that is exactly what Beasley was. The veteran guard averaged a respectable 11.3 points per game while shooting a career-best 41% from three. He earned an invitation to the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend as well.
Beasley’s 224 made three-point field goals rank second in franchise history behind Ray Allen’s 229 during the 2001-02 season.
As much as Beasley accomplished everything that Milwaukee wanted from him on offense, the added burden of being the team’s primary defensive stopper in the backcourt proved to be a role he simply could not fill. It is not that he didn’t try; he certainly did his best. However, replacing Holiday’s defense is a tall task for anyone.
Now that Milwaukee has a full offseason to plan for a roster that includes Lillard (who had 220 three-point shots made last season, the third-most in franchise history), it is apparent that their future plans do not include Beasley.
NBA Insider Says Malik Beasley Will Not Return to the Milwaukee Bucks Next Season
This is not to say that there would not be a spot for Beasley on the roster if he chose to return. Rather, it is to say that he would not have nearly as prominent a role on offense. Head coach Doc Rivers relegated Beasley to the bench, which would likely be where he would stay if he returned.
NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report recently reported, though, that the veteran guard will not return to Milwaukee for the 2024-25 season. “Malik Beasley has played his last game for the Milwaukee Bucks,” he said.
Now, the Bucks will need to find a shooter who can live up to that 41% clip that Beasley shot, as well as finding a versatile defender (or two) for their roster.
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