Bucks Admit Recent Draft Pick is a Bust After Latest News

One of the biggest failures of the Milwaukee Bucks during the Giannis Antetokounmpo era has been finding talent through the draft and free agency.

General manager Jon Horst has made some bold moves, first trading for Jrue Holiday, which helped them win the 2021 championship, and then acquiring Damian Lillard in the 2023 offseason. However, he wasn't able to find the same level of success through the draft.

Now, they just admitted defeat in yet another recent first-round pick. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Milwaukee Bucks are declining the fourth-year option on MarJon Beauchamp, making him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

NBA News: Bucks Allowing MarJon Beauchamp to Walk After Contract Decision

Beauchamp was the 24th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. On paper, he was a potential three-and-D wing with good size. However, there were serious questions about him as a prospect.

First, he was one of the older players in the first round, as he was going to turn 22 before the start of the season. Secondly, he was a limited offensive player who hadn't shown much on the G League Ignite the year prior. Both his shooting and defensive potential were more on the paper than in reality.

His tenure in Milwaukee went as expected. Despite the Bucks desperately needing his skillset, Beauchamp failed to become a consistent part of the rotation. After being seldom used in his first two seasons, he has been out of the rotation completely to start the 2024-25 season.

One of the most important aspects of roster construction is finding value on the margins. The Bucks have consistently failed to find young contributors on team-friendly contracts over the last couple of years. As a result, they are an aging, expensive team with no real trade chips.

Whiffing on yet another draft pick leaves the Bucks in a difficult position. They started the season poorly and desperately need to make a move, but they don't have any young player of note that could be attractive to the rest of the league. That will complicate things for the Bucks as their championship window slowly closes with each passing day.

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