Every year around this time, teams look to improve. Whether they are in a position of rebuilding and trying to offload big-money contracts or, in the Milwaukee Bucks’ case, trying to add a piece or two to try and contend for a championship, it is a busy time.
Over the next three days, the rumor mill will go haywire with writers looking at potential fits for the team in question. One name to look out for that hasn’t gained as much traction in trade talks but is one to keep an eye on is Milwaukee Bucks’ rookie MarJon Beauchamp.
Should the Milwaukee Bucks entertain MarJon Beauchamp in trade talks?
Beauchamp last played against the Pelicans on January 29. Beauchamp only received one minute of playing time and hasn’t played over 10 minutes since January 12. Beauchamp’s lack of playing time isn’t surprising, as this is a veteran-led team, and he wasn’t supposed to contribute much in his first season.
Beauchamp has also played a decent amount for a rookie. He has played in 34 games and averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists. Beauchamp’s shooting has been inconsistent (39 percent from the field and 32 percent from three.) Beauchamp has shown a willingness to play solid defense and has leaned on veterans such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Wesley Matthews to help him navigate the NBA waters.
Also, consider this: Beauchamp played on the NBA G-League Ignite last season, and while there are good players on the G-League Ignite, he didn’t have to face off against other players who were also going to the NBA. The players in the G-League Ignite get by on talent alone and don’t have to focus on honing their craft as much.
Look at Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets, who is a great basketball player that got drafted number two overall based on talent alone. Has he developed into a well-rounded NBA player? No.
The same could be said for Beauchamp. While he has the makeup to become a bench player for the Bucks, he has a long way to go before starting to see consistent minutes.
So far, the names that have been linked in trade discussions have been Grayson Allen and a rumored three-player deal that would send George Hill, Jordan Nwora, and Serge Ibaka to Phoenix for Jae Crowder.
Beauchamp hasn’t been discussed in any trade rumors, and I don’t expect the Bucks to entertain any trade offers for him for a few reasons.
One of which is because he’s still a young player and has plenty of time to grow in this league. Beauchamp has shown flashes of being the type of 3-and-D guy the Bucks need on their team.
Rookies don’t normally get traded during the NBA Trade Deadline because teams put a lot of stock into rookie players hoping they develop into solid players, and Milwaukee has done that with Beauchamp by sending him to the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate).
Those other guys involved in the trade discussions are guys who are veterans (Allen, Ibaka, and Hill) or a younger player whose inconsistency made him expendable (Nwora).
Beauchamp doesn’t fit into any of those boxes, and I expect him to develop his game more as he hopefully is a part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ bench rotation next season.