Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst on the significance of getting Pat Beverley

The Milwaukee Bucks have struggled with point-of-attack defense all season since the departure of All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, whose most prized skill was his ability to lock down opposing guards, wingmen, and some forwards. To address this issue, the Bucks' front office moved at the trade deadline to bring in veteran point guard Pat Beverley from the Philadelphia 76ers.

General Manager Jon Horst saw his addition to the Bucks' roster as a significant move, and spoke about it during a presser with the media after completing the trade for Beverley.

Added defensive versatility

As explosive as the Bucks’ offense is, what Milwaukee hung their hat on, especially in their title run back in 2021, was their stingy defense. Playing against the Bucks was akin to a test of endurance and patience, as their length and athleticism often suffocated opposing offenses. However, the departure of Holiday has exposed large seams in Milwaukee’s defense—something Beverley hopes to narrow down.

“We talked about, as we always do, trying to identify pillars going into this thing and ways that we will work to try to generate options and opportunities to improve. Without getting into all our pillars, in specific, the ones that (Beverley) addresses, we believe, are point-of-attack defense and defensive versatility,” Horst said.

“He’s proven to be able to guard multiple positions in his career. He is an impactful point-of-attack defender. He plays with a physicality and a toughness that we think will help us.”