Apr 23, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley (21) is held back by guard Damian Lillard (0) during a rebound against the Indiana Pacers in the second half during game two of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Why The Milwaukee Bucks lost Malik Beasley, Jae Crowder, and Patrick Beverley in….
The Milwaukee Bucks’ recent performance has been quite frustrating. Things may become more tricky as three key players, including Patrick Beverley, enter free agency.
Last season, the Bucks led the Eastern Conference with 58 wins and 24 defeats. However, Milwaukee’s lineup, which included All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton, was unable to prevent the Miami Heat from eliminating them in the first round
The Bucks’ front staff responded by trading Holiday for Damian Lillard and signing Malik Beasley in free agency. The rationale behind these moves was to provide Antetokounmpo with enough shot creation without relying on him to carry the team’s offense.
Although that worked for the first half of the season, Milwaukee’s defense deteriorated. This prompted the organization to replace Adrian Griffin with Doc Rivers to address that aspect of their game. They also added Patrick Beverley to their defense after the All-Star break.
Unfortunately, none of those adjustments translated effectively on the court, and the Bucks were eliminated in the first round for the second straight year. As a result, the front staff will have to make tough decisions during the offseason to build a better roster.
After the Bucks’ disappointing season, the current lineup may cease to exist soon. This is what Bobby Marks noted in his analysis for ESPN about Milwaukee’s offseason plans:
“The Bucks could lose Beasley, Crowder and Beverley to free agency, because they are over the apron and cannot offer a starting salary of $4.0 million to each player. How Milwaukee replaces the 23.5 points per game and 110 starts that group made this season will come down to two options. The first is signing players to the one-year veterans minimum. The downside of that strategy would be having to go through the same process next offseason,” Marks wrote.
