As most expected, Malik Beasley has officially left the Milwaukee Bucks after one season together, inking a one-year deal with the Detroit Pistons.
Beasley's departure creates question marks at the shooting guard position, as he was a starter and eventually a second-unit cog for this team. With Beasley gone, the Bucks need to find players to eat minutes at the shooting guard position next season, and thankfully, their roster is plump full of them. With all of that said, let us look at three current Milwaukee Bucks who could earn more minutes now.
AJ Green
Of all of the players on this list, AJ Green resembles what Beasley brought the closest. Statistically, they were the two best 3-point shooters on the team this season among players to attempt more than one 3-pointer; Beasley shot 41.3 percent, and Green shot 40.8 percent. If the Milwaukee Bucks want to replace Beasley's sweet outside shooting, throwing Green out there would be a wise move.
Looking closer at Green's 3-point production, it's easy to see why many Bucks fans are believers in what he can bring to the table. Per NBA.com/stats, he shot 42.1 percent on his catch-and-shoot tries and an impressive 45.8 percent on his "wide open" triples in 2023-24. With numbers like that, he'd fit in next to Milwaukee's stars, giving them all an elite kick-out threat always waiting for an open shot.
Although perimeter shooting is his bread and butter, Green also showed signs of defensive potential under the hood last season. The 6-foot-4, 200-lb guard oftentimes held his own against other wings this past season, doing his part to pester them. He won't be on any All-Defensive rankings, but if he can be serviceable on that end, it would increase his chances of being a rotational player mightily.
AJ Green could be due for a breakout 2024-25 season if he continues developing his game and is given the opportunity to shine.
MarJon Beauchamp
Speaking of possible breakout seasons, some fans thought that MarJon Beauchamp was due for a coming-out party in 2023-24. That didn't quite happen, as he played in fewer games and saw fewer minutes than he did in his rookie season. Now, the soon-to-be third-year player will enter a potential make-or-break season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Beauchamp has all of the tools to help the Milwaukee Bucks. He's an uber-athletic 6-foot-6 wing who can jump out of the gym for dunks or rebounds while hounding wings with his lengthy frame. It was a small sample size, but he also showed off an improved jumper last season, especially from downtown. He could be the switchable, versatile 3-and-D wing this team has needed for years now.
As a potential Beasley replacement, Beauchamp isn't a seamless transition, as their games are far from similar. However, with the Bucks clearly understanding that they need more youth, defense and athleticism this off-season, as showcased with their draft picks and other moves, there is a chance they aim to utilize Beauchamp more, as he checks off those boxes.
If Beauchamp can hone in on his skills and stay healthy, he could undeniably see a bump in minutes during his third season. As a former first-round pick, the team clearly has faith in him. This will likely be the season where the front office finds out whether or not they were right in taking Beauchamp with a prized first-rounder in 2022. On paper, he has what it takes to prove them right.
Andre Jackson Jr.
Andre Jackson Jr.'s rookie season was simply frustrating. The second-round pick showed undeniable glimpses of potential whenever he played but never got his name called off the bench consistently. Now, as they look to fill Beasley's shoes, the team may realize his true potential, and he could be due for a bigger role in year two as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Like Beauchamp, Andre Jackson Jr. has a lot of things that could make life for the Bucks easier, like his electric athleticism, height, length, defensive intensity and motor. When he did play, he was a bit of a Swiss Army Knife for Milwaukee this past season, showing that he could make an impact by doing a dose of everything. The Bucks need more of that, especially on the defensive end.
Jackson won't bring the marksmanship like Beasley - though he shot a very respectable 37 percent on his triples as a rookie- but he can do so much more all-around on the basketball court. If the Bucks truly want to embrace a youth-driven movement to utilize a more versatile style of basketball, getting Andre Jackson Jr. more involved in their plans will be essential.
He's the likeliest member of the Milwaukee Bucks to have a breakout year in 2024-25.
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