Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players most likely to be traded in 2018-19

3. Eric Bledsoe

Last season the atmosphere in the Phoenix Suns’ organization was incredibly toxic, and one of the repercussions was point guard Eric Bledsoe declaring to the world that he was unhappy.

The Suns subsequently sent him home, and it was clear to the rest of the league that Bledsoe was available. The Bucks took advantage and bought low on the guard, sending Greg Monroe and a pair of protected picks to the Suns for Bledsoe.

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Some nights that looked like a brilliant move, as Bledsoe was dominant scoring and distributing the ball. Others it looked like the Suns knew something the Bucks didn’t, as Bledsoe went through the motions with an uninspired outing.

The contrast was most stark during the postseason. Relatively unheralded and unproven backup point guard Terry Rozier, forced into duty by the injury to Kyrie Irving, knocked Bledsoe on his butt (figuratively speaking), outplaying him throughout the series. Bledsoe’s repeated defensive lapses and thoughtless turnovers couldn’t be wiped away by his scoring output.

The Bucks invested too much not to try Bledsoe out this year after a full offseason with the team and under a more accomplished coach. Bledsoe has the physical tools to be a plus two-way player, and the rest of the Bucks’ backcourt has the size to play alongside him.

His fit works on paper, but if it doesn’t on the court — and especially against the Eastern Conference’s other lead guards — then the Bucks will need to flip him for help at another position. That could be another wing, or even help at center; it will largely depend on who is buying.