Milwaukee Bucks Have Easy Decision With MarJon Beauchamp’s Team Option

In the swirling vortex of tough decisions that the NBA routinely throws at teams, the Milwaukee Bucks seem to have found a golden ticket – a slam-dunk (pun entirely intended) decision involving MarJon Beauchamp’s team option for the 2024-25 season.

Beauchamp is ready to roll into his sophomore season after Milwaukee snagged him with the 24th overall pick back in 2022. His rookie escapade was a bit like a rollercoaster – 52 games under his belt, averaging 5.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per outing, all sprinkled with a 49.2 percent effective field goal rate. Admittedly, these stats might not immediately make your jaw drop, but there were enough sparks flying to keep us intrigued.

Perhaps, Beauchamp’s biggest strength is his mindset. The guy’s got an iron resolve, an unquenchable thirst to grind both on the court and in the weight room. The dude’s packed on some impressive muscle in just a single year – a transformation that bodes well for his defensive hustle, an arena he’s eager to dominate.

Unlike many young players, Beauchamp understands his role on the Bucks. He’s got his eyes set on becoming a lockdown defender. A real wing-stopper that the team can whip out to put the clamps on opponents’ top dogs. He’s got a knack for navigating those off-ball screens and now, with the extra beef he’s packing, he’s about to play the part even more convincingly. It will be worth watching to see how his lateral quickness is affected, if at all, given his new physique.

While he hangs his hat on defense during the early part of his career, it’s worth finding out whether he can become a capable offensive player. It’s unlikely he’ll ever become anything close to a 20 points per game scorer, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be effective on that end of the court.

Beauchamp only made 33.1 percent of his three-point attempts last year, but that’s where the key to his offensive game lies. If he can become a spot-up floor-spacer for the Bucks, he fills a valuable role as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is still on the roster.

There’s also the potential for him to grow his off-ball game under new head coach Adrian Griffin. Griffin wants more off-ball movement, including cutters who actively search for open spaces on the floor when the defense turns their attention to the Bucks’ stars. Beauchamp possesses the athleticism to cut to the hoop and finish in traffic. Again, his added muscle will help in this department.

The countdown is on to decision day – the Bucks have till October 31st, just a week after the NBA season starts, to pull the trigger on Beauchamp’s team option for 2024-25. The paycheck might get a slight uptick, from $2.6 million to $2.7 million. However, it’s the percentage of the salary cap we should pay most attention to. After making 2.01 percent of the cap in his rookie campaign, that number actually drops to 1.92 percent this season before tiptoeing up to 1.93 percent next year.

Bottom line? This 22-year-old prospect could be the Bucks’ hidden gem – a potential future role player on a bargain basement deal. With Milwaukee dealing with some financial curveballs as they’re operating in the second apron this season, every cent counts.

As the offseason breeze blows, the Bucks haven’t yet stamped the “confirmed” on this option, but let’s face it – this is like a slam-dunk for them. Amid a sea of challenging choices, this one shines like a beacon of basketball simplicity.