Milwaukee has found their temporary solution at the forward position.
According to a report by Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical on Thursday, the Bucks have acquired Michael Beasley from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Tyler Ennis.
Houston has traded Michael Beasley to the Bucks for guard Tyler Ennis, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) September 22, 2016
Such a move became necessary after starting small forward Khris Middleton suffered a torn hamstring, putting his status for the 2016-17 season in doubt.
Beasley, the former No. 2 overall pick, was on his way towards cementing his legacy as one of the Association’s great flameouts of the last decade after a third failed stint with the Miami Heat in 2013-14. But he experienced a reawakening playing overseas in China, then returned to the NBA as a surprisingly effective role player for Houston, averaging 12.8 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game in just 18.2 minutes per game in 2015-16.
The drop-off defensively from Middleton to Beasley is significant, and Milwaukee’s floor spacing will get even worse replacing their best three-point shooter with a guy who has only hit at a 34.3 percent clip on 1.5 attempts per game from deep in his career. But Beasley’s gift for instant offense should help keep the Bucks above water on that end. His ability to play both forward positions could also open up some interesting undersized lineup combos on a team brimming with youth and length. A Milwaukee starting lineup of Giannis Antetokoumpo, Matthew Dellavedova, Beasley, Jabari Parker, and Greg Monroe is a very real possibility for the coming year.
