After quiet preseason, Bucks wing is reportedly available for trade
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst is always one of the more active front office members in the entire NBA.
Whether it's a big move or a small one, he's always doing his due diligence across the league to put this roster in position to contend. With the preseason now over and the 2024-25 season kicking off in just a a few days, a new report suggests that Horst still might have a move up his sleeve.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer on Threads, the Bucks have informed rival teams of their early interest in trading soon-to-be third-year wing MarJon Beauchamp.
The Bucks are still active on the trade market
Beauchamp's first few years in the NBA have been rather inconsistent. There have been glimpses of potential as the 3-and-D wing this Milwaukee team has longed for, but he's never been able to put the pieces together consistently. That was the story for him in the Summer League this past season, and it carried over into the preseason.
In 13 minutes per game during four contests, Beauchamp averaged 4.3 points, 1.5 boards, 1.5 assists and a steal while shooting 38.9 percent from the floor and zero percent from downtown. He showed a bit of intrigue on defense, but his lack of growth on offense remains a massive weak point three years into his career.
With Beauchamp possessing a $2.7 million salary for this season, Milwaukee Bucks fans should not expect a big move to stem from this. Due to the second apron restrictions, the team cannot combine his salary with anyone else, so this will be a small trade if one does indeed come to fruition. If it does, it will likely be the Bucks dumping Beauchamp's salary to open up a roster spot.
In that event, there are several directions they can go. They could just simply operate with an open roster spot and wait to see who becomes available. They could also look to beef up their forward rotation with some experience, as they added both Justise Winslow and Terence Davis on Exhibit 10 contracts recently.
The most interesting route is keeping an eye on Lonnie Walker IV's situation in Boston. His deal is not guaranteed, and the Celtics could cut him before the season begins. This writer has been high on the young wing this entire offseason, and he could certainly inject some needed athleticism and outside shooting into this Milwaukee Bucks second unit.
Just like last season, Jon Horst might have a surprise move in store for Milwaukee.
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