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The Milwaukee Bucks have gotten off to a disappointing start to the 2024-25 season. With about a quarter of the season in the rearview, the Bucks are sitting at 11-9 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They've certainly rebounded from the very beginning of the year, but they still have a ways to go. There are some young players on the Bucks' roster, though, that could help them this season.
Coming into the year, the Bucks were considered a championship contender. With a Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard pairing, the Bucks had one of the top duos in the league. But they struggled out of the gates. Yes, All-Star wing Khris Middleton is out due to injury, but this group has enough talent to be better than their record shows.
One aspect in which the Bucks could jump-start their season and perhaps climb in the East standings is if they look at some of the young players on their roster. Two players in particular who could stand to benefit from additional minutes are MarJon Beauchamp and AJ Johnson.
If the Bucks continue on their current upward trajectory, it's probably not likely that these young players find a spot in the rotation. But they have the ability to help this team in the immediate future.
MarJon Beauchamp has fallen out of Bucks' rotation
One player who fits the bill in terms of what the Bucks need from their second unit is MarJon Beauchamp. The Bucks have been searching for consistency off the bench in terms of athleticism and energy. Beauchamp certainly fits that bill. He's one of the most athletic players on the team.
During his rookie season in 2022-23, Beauchamp showed a lot of promise as an athletic 3&D prospect who carved out a spot in the rotation. That offseason, the Bucks dismissed Mike Budenholzer as head coach and brought in Adrian Griffin. Beauchamp shot well from three-point range and was proving to be a capable defender under Griffin. But following Griffin's firing, Beauchamp had fallen out of the rotation under Doc Rivers.
This year, the Bucks declined Beauchamp's contract option for next season, making him an unrestricted free agent this offseason. It's not likely a player whom the front office doesn't necessarily see a future in will all of a sudden jump back into the rotation. Which is a little puzzling, considering his skill set can help the team.
If anything, Beauchamp can be a more athletic and more efficient player than Pat Connaughton.
AJ Johnson could help Bucks' this season
When the Bucks selected AJ Johnson with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, he looked like a more long-term project who would spend much of this season in the G League. But then again, the Bucks looked like more of a contender coming into the season.
With the team still searching for stability and consistency off the bench, perhaps giving Johnson a shot wouldn't be such a bad idea. He's been assigned to the G League with the Wisconsin Heard, where he showed his potential as a stat-stuffer who can contribute across the board.
In five games in the G League, Johnson has averaged 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.2 steals with splits of 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 80 percent shooting from the free-throw line. He's still raw, but at this point, he could be a better option over the current backup point guard, Delon Wright. Wright has not been as consistent as he needs to be with the second unit.
It's tough to see Doc Rivers breaking his current rotation and inserting Beauchamp or Johnson. But both players possess skill sets that could help the Bucks in the immediate future.
