The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to be in the market for a new starting point guard. Let’s take a look at why Patrick Beverley is the ideal candidate.
There is a perception around the league that the Milwaukee Bucks will have a new starting point guard at the beginning of next season. Chris Sheridan of Basketball News stated on Oct. 10 that it is well known within league circles that the team will attempt to trade current starting point guard Eric Bledsoe this offseason.
But what type of point guard should the Bucks acquire this offseason? They need a point guard who can space the floor as Milwaukee is running an offensive system centered around Giannis Antetokounmpo being the primary ball-handler and playmaker.
Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo being the primary ball-handler had unintended consequences as most of his teammates are forced to be floor spacers. For example, Eric Bledsoe has taken over 30 percent of his field-goal attempts from behind the arc in each of the past two seasons.
Sadly, Bledsoe has struggled with 3-point shooting before converting 33.7 percent of those shots on 2.9 attempts per game in his first eight seasons. Bledsoe hasn’t improved his 3-point shooting over the past two seasons as he has converted 27.9 percent of those field goals on 4.3 shots per game (including postseason).
Bledsoe’s subpar shooting resulted in defenders giving him space as 94.6 percent of those attempts were open field goals. Bledsoe only made 29.4 percent of those open attempts. Bledsoe’s shooting struggles have made it easier for opposing teams to defend Antetokounmpo as his defender could become a help defender.
Bledsoe’s below-average shooting contributed to Antetokounmpo taking 10.4 contested shots per game over the past two years (including postseason), converting them at a 61.0 percent clip.
Therefore, Milwaukee should acquire a point guard to space the floor to add another dimension to the team. For example, the team should acquire Patrick Beverley as he has a shooting percentage of 38.1 percent from behind the arc over the past seven seasons on 4.4 shots per game.
93.4 percent of those attempts were open field goals. He made 38.9 percent of those attempts. Beverley’s shooting would force opponents to decide whether to double team Antetokounmpo or stay close to his assignment.
If Beverley’s defender chooses to double team Antetokounmpo, he can pass the basketball to Beverley for the wide-open three. On the other hand, if the defender decides to stay close to Beverley, Antetokounmpo will have more room to maneuver around and get a quality shot attempt.
More importantly, Beverley’s future with the LA Clippers is uncertain as the organization is reportedly looking to shake up the roster after a disappointing postseason run. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith stated in mid-October that Kawhi Leonard wants the team to acquire a playmaking point guard.
Consequently, Milwaukee and LA would be ideal trade partners as the Bucks have a playmaking point guard in Bledsoe.
Bledsoe had his best season as a playmaker during the 2016-17 campaign when he averaged a career-high 63.1 passes per game. Those passes helped him get 6.3 assists per game, which generated 16.1 points a game for the Phoenix Suns. Bledsoe’s passing production is 45 percent better than Beverley. Beverley created a career-high 11.1 points per game off of 4.2 assists during the 2016-17 season.
According to TradeNBA.com, Milwaukee can make a Beverley trade work by only offering Bledsoe to the Clippers in a direct swap. There is only a $3.6 million difference in salary between both players. Beverley is scheduled to earn $13.3 million during the 2020-21 season while Bledsoe is going to make $16.9 million next season.
Lastly, Beverley would be a cheaper upgrade for Milwaukee than Chris Paul. Beverley is owed $27.7 million over the next two seasons, $57.8 million less than Paul. In conclusion, Beverley checks multiple boxes of what Milwaukee should be looking for in a point guard, making him an ideal candidate to replace Bledsoe.