Milwaukee Bucks: 3 biggest observations from 2021 NBA preseason
By Dalton Sell
Takeaways from 2021 NBA preseason: Grayson Allen looks like a natural fit with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks made a splash this offseason by trading for Grayson Allen, and fans were anxious to see him finally in action during the preseason. With Donte DiVincenzo still working his way back from a season-ending injury last year, Allen was presumably destined to be Milwaukee’s newest starting shooting guard. Indeed, Allen started every preseason game that he appeared in with his new team, having played with the team’s other usual starters.
There were hardly any concerns about how Allen would fit playing under coach Mike Budenholzer because he was brought in from the Memphis Grizzlies, where he played for a former Budenholzer assistant in Taylor Jenkins. During his Media Day availability, Allen talked about how his experience playing for Jenkins and in that system helped make his transition to the Bucks all the easier as the team started practicing. On paper, everything appeared seamless, and Allen cemented that notion as he played great basketball during the preseason.
In four preseason matchups, Allen averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists while playing 22.4 minutes per contest. While his overall production was solid, what stood out the most from Allen’s preseason stint was his electric 3-point shooting. He shot 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) on triples in those four games, spacing the floor just as the Bucks had hoped when they pulled the trigger on the deal. Allen had been a decent 3-point shooter over the first three seasons of his NBA career, but playing in this system should help increase his production in his regard. Thinking about the surplus of open looks Allen will get nightly as a starter is a welcoming thought, and he showed signs that he can make good on those attempts in the preseason.
Allen should fit like a glove with the Bucks this coming season, which bodes well for his future with a contract extension potentially looming on the horizon.