MILWAUKEE — The Bucks have acquired forward Michael Beasley from the Houston Rockets for backup point guard Tyler Ennis in a deal that beefs up Milwaukee’s frontcourt depth.
The 6-foot-9 Beasley, who was born in Prince George’s County, averaged 12.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20 games last season for Houston. He was playing in China before signing with the Rockets, where won his league’s Foreign MVP Award while playing for the Shandong Golden Stars.
“We’re excited to add a player with Michael’s skill set to our team,” general manager John Hammond said. “He’s someone that we’ve kept our eye on the last few seasons and we’re looking forward to watching him compete throughout training camp and the season.”
The deal could signal that the Bucks intend to keep 6-foot-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo as a primary ball-handler, a position in which he thrived last season.
Michael Carter-Williams and Matthew Dellavedova can also play point guard.
Beasley, though, hasn’t been much of a 3-point shooter in recent years. The Bucks won’t have guard Khris Middleton for about six months because of a torn left hamstring.
Beasley, 27, was the second overall pick by Miami in the 2008 NBA Draft out of Kansas State. He played seven seasons in the NBA, and spent some time in China before going to the Rockets.
He has averaged 13.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in his NBA career, which includes stints at Minnesota and Phoenix.
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