Every ex-Utah Jazz player currently in the NBA Playoffs
By Dan Lower
Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder, Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks began the 2023-24 season strongly, but seemed to fall apart as time went on, with a coaching change that seemed to hurt them and led to more discord in he locker room.
Despite the strife, two former Jazzmen are involved in their success this season, or lack of it at times.
Jae Crowder, the former enforcer for Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in Utah from 2018-2020, might take a backseat to sixth-man extraordinaire Bobby Portis. Still, he has his moments and has Giannis and Dame's back. He gets 23 minutes a night in the Bucks' rotation and averages 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing off the bench for Milwaukee.
Malik Beasley started 77 of his 79 games this season and averaged 11.3 points and shot 41% from 3-point range. His role is key to keeping teams from paying too much attention to Giannis, Dame, and Kris Middleton.
With the Bucks up against a young Indiana Pacers team hungry for a series win, both Beasley and Crowder need to bring their best stuff to the matchup, and help the Bucks advance and fulfill their preseason hype, otherwise both could be looking for new homes in a rebuilding offseason.