The Milwaukee Bucks fell far miniature of the goal they set for themselves at the start of the 2023-24 NBA season: winning the NBA Championship. As a result, they face another offseason filled with questions about roster construction and which players will stay and which will leave. Shortly after the Bucks were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers, veteran forward Jae Crowder suggested he would be one of the upcoming free agents who would not return.
Of course, there will be others as Milwaukee will try to build the best lineup possible around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Last season, all the free agent signings were a compliment to Giannis, who is the main star of the team. However, trading Lillard tardy in the offseason changed the dynamics of the roster.
In miniature, adding Lillard was the best move to win multiple titles in the long run. However, it was a move that necessarily improved their title chances in the 2023–2024 season. Without Jrue Holiday, the Bucks were missing another defensive back. While Lillard has been a definite addition to the offense, there are few players who can replace Holiday’s defense.
The Milwaukee Bucks tried to make Malik Beasley their defensive shortstop
A year ago, Bucks fans were thrilled that the team convinced free-agent shooting guard Malik Beasley to sign a veteran-minimum contract. Please note that at the time of the signing, the Lillard trade had not yet occurred. The thought was that Beasley would start in the backcourt and be a lethal three-point weapon for Giannis to kick after driving to the basket.
And that’s what Beasley was like. The experienced guard averaged 11.3 points per game while shooting a career-best 41% from three. He also earned an invitation to the Three-Point Contest during NBA All-Star Weekend.
Beasley’s 224 three-pointers rank second in franchise history behind Ray Allen’s 229 in 2001-02.
While Beasley accomplished everything Milwaukee expected of him on offense, the added burden of being the team’s primary backcourt center proved to be a role he simply couldn’t fill. It’s not that he didn’t try; he certainly gave it his all. However, replacing Holiday’s defense is a tough task for anyone.
Now that Milwaukee has the entire offseason to plan a lineup that includes Lillard (who made 220 three-point shots last season, third most in franchise history), it’s obvious that their future plans don’t include Beasley.
NBA insider says Malik Beasley will not return to the Milwaukee Bucks next season
That doesn’t mean that if Beasley decided to return, there wouldn’t be a spot for Beasley on the roster. It could rather be said that he would not play such a significant role in the attack. Head coach Doc Rivers relegated Beasley to the bench, where he will likely remain if he returns.
NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report recently reported, however, that the veteran guard will not return to Milwaukee for the 2024-25 season. “Malik Beasley played his last game for the Milwaukee Bucks,” he said.
Now the Bucks will need to find a shooter who can match Beasley’s 41% shooting, as well as find a versatile defender (or two) to add to their lineup.
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