LA Clippers: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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LA Clippers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LA Clippers (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Eric Bledsoe

The year before acquiring Paul, the LA Clippers traded for the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft and got Eric Bledsoe. There were not many expectations regarding Bledsoe, especially in his rookie season, considering he was taken 18th overall.

In his rookie season, he put up quite mediocre numbers – 6.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game and the shooting splits were just horrendous. His true shooting percentage was 49.9 percent, which was around 4.2 percent below league average. However, it was not particularly his offensive skill set that was useful, instead, it was his athleticism and his defensive ability ­- there is a reason his nickname is mini-Lebron.

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However, unlike most players, his second season got considerably worse. He had a drop in every statistical category and even got himself off the team and got sent to the G-League, but that was because of the acquisition of Paul. Though next year, he gradually improved his game and especially worked on his shooting ability.

Nevertheless, he is a young player that would develop into a better player, so what do the Clippers do? Yes, they trade him. In 2013, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in a three-team trade that landed the Clippers J.J. Redick.

After being traded, Bledsoe went on to have a solid career, posting many, many career-highs, which included All-Defensive first-team. Right now, he is a key piece on a title contender in Milwaukee.