Three years ago, MarJon Beauchamp was preparing to play his first NBA season after the Bucks drafted him with the No. 24 overall pick in 2022. Now, he'll enter training camp with the Portland Trail Blazers after they officially signed him on Tuesday, giving him a chance to compete for a roster spot.
Beauchamp, who will turn 25 in two weeks, finished the 2024-25 season on a two-way contract with the Knicks. He started the season with the Bucks, appeared in three games for the Clippers after a deadline trade, and then was waived by LA, freeing him to sign with New York. Beauchamp was also on the Knicks' summer league roster.
He spent the offseason as a free agent, signing with Portland right before the start of the season. It seemed like he might not sign with a team at all, but that changed when he participated in the Blazers' mini-camp a few weeks ago and made a positive impression.
Beauchamp will get the shot he was looking for to resurrect his NBA career, as well as Liam Robbins and Javonte Cooke, the two other players Portland signed to training camp deals on Tuesday.
Trail Blazers sign MarJon Beauchamp to training camp deal
Beauchamp's "best" season in the league was his first, when he averaged 5.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 52 contests (11 starts) in Milwaukee. He took a step back in his second season, averaging 4.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in 48 contests (one start).
The Bucks reached when they drafted Beauchamp, knowing he was a raw talent, but hoping that he'd find his footing after some time in Milwaukee. That never happened. He struggled on both ends of the floor and didn't look like an NBA rotation player. He still hasn't proven he is one, but he has clearly proven something to the Blazers. It wasn't a bad idea to take a training camp swing on a six-foot-seven wing.
The idea of what Beauchamp can be in this league is what drew the Bucks in. The difference is that Portland didn't use a first-round pick to get him.
There are several Blazers storylines to keep track of throughout training camp and preseason action, and now, Beauchamp is another. The Blazers need frontcourt depth, and the kind of player they're looking for could turn out to be the former first-round pick.