Milwaukee Bucks: 5 goals for the 2018 offseason
4. Test trade market for Eric Bledsoe
When the Milwaukee Bucks beat out the competition to trade for disgruntled point guard Eric Bledsoe, it appeared to be a great fit for a rising team. Bledsoe had put up strong numbers on a helpless Phoenix team for years, and on a good team, his combination of length, athleticism and offensive gifts were supposed to propel him into the All-Star conversation.
Instead, Bledsoe bounced up and down between mediocre and great, rarely providing the Bucks with anything resembling consistency. While at times he blew up for huge scoring nights, at other times he slumped into ineffectiveness.
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This inconsistency culminated in the postseason, where a strong end to the regular season evaporated as Bledsoe was punked by Terry Rozier for seven games. From defensive lapses to missed shots, the veteran Bledsoe was wholly outplayed by his young opponent in Kelly green.
As Milwaukee looks to the future, can it afford to keep Bledsoe as part of the core? With one season remaining on his contract, the time is now to decide his place with the team. If the Bucks are not willing to open up the vault to pay him next summer, then trading him now is the chance to recoup value.
Such a trade could net another big man, an area where the team struggled last season. It could yield a different kind of point guard in a trade. Or perhaps Bledsoe could be moved in a three-team rotation that saw veteran talent come to Milwaukee. Draft assets are also valuable, but this Milwaukee team needs to start winning now.
Bledsoe is a good player, and better than he showed in the playoffs. With an offseason under a legitimate coach in Mike Budenholzer, he could shake off some bad habits and become a more consistent contributor. However, if the Bucks don’t act now, they could be left holding the bill a year from now.