Damian Lillard is here and it is “Dame Time!”
The Milwaukee Bucks made the move of the offseason in acquiring 33 year old point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard will provide something the Bucks have never really had yet: truly dynamic scoring from the point guard position. Lillard averaged 32.2 points per game last season. Over his 11 year career Lillard has averaged over 25 points a game. He is an excellent free throw shooter (89.5% per game) and still passes the ball well (7.3 APG last season). He is “lights out” from three.
Lillard is going to be a great pairing with Giannis and Middleton. Fans should have every reason to be excited!
But it might be some other pieces that Milwaukee has added that could help propel this team to a deep playoff run.
Malik Beasley and MarJon Beauchamp could be key-players in generating both impactful scoring and impactful defensive moments. Losing the renowned defense of Jrue Holiday hurts. But as evidenced by the team’s 1st round playoff exit last season, Milwaukee simply needs more scoring from the guards. AJ Green should also see and increased role in that sense.
Related: GM Jon Horst discusses the inner-workings to acquire Dame Lillard
Who is Malik Beasley?
Beasley played last year for the Jazz and Lakers. A dependable scorer, Beasley has always shot at a high percentage (career .491% shooter). The 26 year old was drafted by Denver as the 19th overall pick out of Florida State. You’d have to think that at this point in his career, having been around the league and having seen so much, Beasley will also add a veteran presence to the Bucks veteran roster.
Given that teams will want to focus so much defensive attention on Damian Lillard and on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Beasley will get his open looks. If he can average anywhere close to 15 points a game on the season the Bucks offense will certainly be in high gear.
Beasley is 6’4”; Lillard is 6′ 2′ ‘. So this will not be a taller guard combo. But Beasley is a very quick player, especially on defense. Beasley also does not turn the ball over very much. Avoiding turnovers could turn out to be a key-element in the Adrian Griffin system.
Related: Are the Bucks “Over the Hill”?
Can Cameron Payne truly cover the back-up point guard position?
The short answer is “yes” because he already has had success in the NBA. The 29 year old has played the last four seasons for Phoenix. Many Bucks fans will remember Payne’s above-average performance in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Payne’s strengths are his passing ability and his ball handling. Again, like Beasley, Payne does not turn the ball over much. Payne usually plays about 20 minutes a game, averaging around 10 points a game. Rarely will he have multiple turnovers in a game.
Milwaukee Bucks Draftee MarJon Beauchamp continues to improve
Beauchamp played in 51 games over his rookie season. The 23 year old averaged a modest 5/2/1. This was all over 13 minutes per game.
But now, in his second season, if Beauchamp can average double all of that- 26 minutes a game and 10/4/2, that would certainly be impactful.
Don’t Sleep on AJ Green
The sharp shooter is back. Now signed to a more “regular” contract, AJ Green will be valuable to this team during that January to late February stretch where the team needs minutes and healthy scorers.
While he only played in 35 games last season, Green shot close to 42% from behind the arc. One would think he can continue to improve on that.
How Much did the Bucks Spend on Players in 2022-2023
The Milwaukee Bucks spent quite a bit of money in the 2022-2023 for nothing much to show from it all, save an early first round playoff upset exit.
But for these guards (Beasley is on a one year deal, as is Payne) the goal is to win now.
Keep an eye on this space and we preview the center position and the forward position for Milwaukee.
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