1 Bucks player in danger of losing starting job in 2023-24 NBA training camp
09/18/2023 01:54 PM
With important questions looming this off-season about the future of the team’s core, the Milwaukee Bucks wasted no time putting pen to paper once NBA free agency started. Free agency began a week ago, and since then, Milwaukee has made six moves: re-signing four players and adding two free agents.
Khris Middleton (three years, $102 million), Brook Lopez (two years, $48 million), Jae Crowder (one year, undisclosed), and A.J. Green (multi-year, undisclosed) all signed contracts to stay in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Robin Lopez comes over from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Malik Beasley joins from the Los Angeles Lakers. Both signed for Milwaukee on one-year deals for just over $2 million each.
With training camp approaching, the Bucks will be looking to solidify their starting lineup and will continue to tinker with their final roster as they look to construct a championship contender. While much of the focus is on which additions the team will make, of equal importance is which players could face an unpleasant demotion. Here is one Bucks starter in danger of losing his spot in the lineup.
Grayson Allen
The Bucks have prioritized surrounding Giannis with shooters over the last few years, a strategy that was successful during the regular season but did not always translate to playoff success. The selection of Andre Jackson Jr. in the NBA Draft this year could be a sign of a strategic shift for the franchise. Jackson is an athletic wing who can defend multiple positions but is not much of a threat from behind the arc. His defensive skill set could be the key to shutting down players like Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum who burned the Bucks in the past.
Grayson Allen has been on the trade block all summer for Milwaukee as the team looks to add another backcourt creator as well as a three-and-d wing. Allen started 70 games for the Bucks last year, averaging 10.4 points per contest while hitting 40% of his three-point attempts. His defensive rating of 114 was the worst among Milwaukee players who started multiple games for the team in 22-23. Allen’s weaknesses on the defensive end will be more apparent with the departure of backup point guard Jevon Carter — also known as “Bulldog” for his intensity off the ball.
The team already has plenty of role players who are high-volume three-point shooters in Pat Connaughton, A.J. Green, and new signing Malik Beasley, so moving on from Allen, the weakest link defensively, would strengthen the backcourt. The Bucks have been linked with a number of veteran guards/wings, including Norman Powell (Los Angeles Clippers), Delon Wright (Washington Wizards), and Dennis Schröder (Toronto Raptors). With the team’s new philosophy prioritizing athleticism and defensive acumen over shooting, all three of those players would be upgrades over Grayson Allen.
Even if the Bucks do not bring in a direct replacement, they can easily replace Allen with the explosive scoring of Beasley or the defensive and rebounding presence of Connaughton. With new coach Adrian Griffin, the Milwaukee Bucks will look to take Mike Budenholzer’s recipe for success and switch up a few ingredients. The core of the team stays the same but changes to key role players and their skill sets could help Milwaukee overcome its playoff hump and return to the NBA Finals. These adjustments will make the one-dimensional Grayson Allen redundant, and he will be in danger of losing his starting spot in training camp. Or even traded away altogether.
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