Bucks Blindsided! Who Fills the Void Left by Departing Star Guard?

The Milwaukee Bucks failed miserably to achieve their own pre-season objective of winning the NBA Championship before the 2023–24 season began. They will therefore have to deal with yet another offseason full of uncertainty about the makeup of their roster and which players will return or not. Veteran forward Jae Crowder hinted that he will be among the next free agents who will not return shortly after the Bucks were ousted from the NBA Playoffs by the Indiana Pacers.

There will undoubtedly be more as Milwaukee looks to assemble the strongest team possible around Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. All of their free agency signings from the previous offseason were made to support Giannis, who is the team’s main player. But the roster’s dynamic was altered when Lillard was acquired in a late-offseason trade.
To put it plainly, acquiring Lillard was the right decision in the long run to win more titles. But it was a move that inevitably increased their prospects of winning the championship in 2023–2024. The Bucks were without another shutdown defender in the absence of Jrue Holiday. Few players can match Holiday’s defense, even though Lillard was a clear offensive boost.

Malik Beasley was an attempt to become the defensive stopper for the Milwaukee Bucks.

When the Bucks signed free agency shooting guard Malik Beasley for a veteran minimum one year ago, supporters were pleased. Recall that the Lillard trade had not yet taken place at the time of the signing. It was anticipated that Beasley would start in the backcourt and provide Giannis with a deadly three-point option to kick out to on drives to the basket.

And Beasley was precisely that. The seasoned guard shot a career-best 41% from three while averaging a respectable 11.3 points per game. He also received an invitation to the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest.

Beasley’s 224 three-pointers made during the 2001–02 season are second in franchise history, behind Ray Allen’s 229 attempts.

Even though Beasley produced all the offensive production Milwaukee was looking for, he was unable to step up to the additional responsibility of being the team’s main defensive stopper in the backcourt. He tried his best, so it’s not like he didn’t try. Replacing Holiday’s defense, though, is no easy feat.

It is clear that Milwaukee does not have Beasley in their future plans now that they have a full offseason to prepare for a squad that features Lillard (who made 220 three-pointers last season, third most in franchise history).

Malik Beasley won’t play for the Milwaukee Bucks again next season, according to an NBA insider. 

This is not to suggest that, should he decide to return, Beasley would not have a place on the roster. That is to say, his offensive role would not be nearly as significant. Beasley was benched by head coach Doc Rivers, and if he came back, that’s probably where he would stay.

However, it was recently claimed by NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that the seasoned guard will not be playing for Milwaukee in 2024–25. He declared, “Malik Beasley has played his final game for the Milwaukee Bucks.”

The Bucks will now need to locate a shooter capable of matching Beasley’s 41% shooting percentage in addition to locating a versatile defender (or two) for their roster.