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Breaking down where MarJon Beauchamp’s Vegas performance went wrong
After going through the Bucks’ standouts and steady contributors from Vegas, let’s analyse MarJon Beauchamp’s unfortunate Summer League struggles—and where he goes from here.
The Curious Case of MarJon
Entering a third Summer League and approaching his 24th birthday, Vegas felt very much do-or-die for MarJon Beauchamp. Unable to make consistent inroads into the Bucks rotation in his first two seasons, Beauchamp needed to show he was a class above the Vegas competition this year, which he simply did not do. There were absolutely some nice moments, but for the most part he struggled against mostly non-NBA talent as the week went on.
The Yakima local averaged twelve points, seven rebounds, and three assists throughout the week, which doesn’t sound too bad, right? However, he also led the team in turnovers and took the second-most shot attempts on the team with bad efficiency, shooting 30 percent from the floor. The defence was not great either, but we’ll get to that.
To be fair, some have argued that the third-year man was set up to fail on offence because he isn’t a natural on-ball creator but was being forced into that role because of the supposed lack of options elsewhere. So, did he want this role or was it the coaches’ idea? Tough to know. However, prior to Summer League, Beauchamp spoke to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm about his upcoming goals and role in Summer League, saying in part:
“I just want to do whatever’s going to help me get on the court next year. So, I’m sacrificing, and I feel like I just need to go out there and be me, of course, and just show that I can guard and make open shots and just be able to play.”
Another quote read:
“I think it’s just the effort, the competitiveness that’s going to carry me to do those little things,” Beauchamp said. “I’m gonna be handling the ball, of course, but that’s just what I do, that’s in my game. One day, I’ll be able to do that. I feel like I still gotta keep working on that, pick-and-rolls, reading the actions and knowing when to shoot and not to shoot.
Beauchamp stated that he feels like on-ball creation is in his game, but in the immediate future he wanted to show he can do what’s necessary to get minutes with the big team: be a lockdown defender and effective spot-up shooter. He was nowhere near the mark in either area, and leaned way too far into being a ball handler.
The former G-League Ignite wing attempted nearly six triples per game at just 32 percent efficiency, with most shots forced and contested after multiple ineffective dribbles. He was also routinely stripped driving to the hoop, which has been an ongoing weakness of his. These actions just don’t jive with his opinion that on-ball creation is a strength of his.
The term “pressing” came to mind watching the games, as if Beauchamp’s main goal was trying to score as many points as possible, which contradicts the idea of “knowing when to shoot and not to shoot.” For example, the fourth quarter of Milwaukee’s game against Cleveland included this string of consecutive possessions:
- rebounds, dribbles up, shoots three with 20 on the shot clock
- rebounds, throws errant pass up the floor
- dribbles up, attempts to initiate a pick and roll, loses the ball
- gives the ball up for a possession
- Bucks timeout
- gets steal, drives into three defenders on a fast break with 20 on the shot clock
- shoots off-the-dribble three with eighteen on the shot clock.
This passage is only mentioned to highlight the difference in what the stated goals were prior to the tournament and the on-court results, not to disparage a player trying to figure it out. Look, I can understand the coaching staff wanting him to operate with the ball, but this couldn’t have been what they had in mind.
The strategy to play Beauchamp as an on-ball guy was noticeably abandoned by the fourth game against Phoenix, which would seemingly put him in more of an NBA-adjacent role. Unfortunately, this resulted in a 1/4, three point performance in which he really struggled to get anywhere on the court.
Nehm’s article also hit on the lack of feel in Beauchamp’s game, which Bucks Summer League Head Coach Pete Dominguez stated was an improvement area since last season ended:
“Doc has been consistent with him,” Dominguez said. “Quick decisions. Don’t hold it. Shoot it, drive it, pass it. Quick decisions. That’s what we’ve been drilling with him all summer long. I think that’s what he’s getting ready to really showcase in Las Vegas.
“It will be just staying on him to make quick decisions. He’s got all the tools, right? He can score from three levels. He’s got size for the position. But him just playing fast and playing with a purpose is the biggest thing.”
Many NBA players simply have skills they struggle to develop. Maybe Beauchamp falls in this boat with respect to processing speed, but there wasn’t any observable difference here either. He really struggled to be decisive in pass, dribble, or shoot situations.
On defence, Beauchamp remained what he seemingly has always been: a theoretical defender with loads of untapped potential. His height and wingspan were of no functional use in Vegas because he kept reaching and lunging for the ball, repeatedly resulting in a foul or blow-by. He often got lost off the ball as well, turning his head as his man relocated for an open three.
In summary, the lack of a signature NBA skill is the main roadblock; you really want that for Beauchamp, given his hard work. But currently, there’s nothing for Doc Rivers to point to and say, “Although MarJon’s not great at X, we know we can rely on him for Y.”
Beauchamp told The Athletic he didn’t believe he should have been in Summer League this year, but that it was an opportunity to get reps and be “undeniable,” as he put it. Maybe his priorities were ill-placed, maybe they weren’t. Regardless, the swingman is entering his third NBA season without much production thus far, and Milwaukee’s front office must decide whether to pick up the fourth year of his rookie contract by October 31. If nothing changes in Beauchamp’s game—and given the new collective bargaining agreement’s crippling flexibility restrictions on second-apron teams—it seems very plausible that the option is declined and his tenure as a Buck could be over sooner than later.