After demanding a trade a few weeks ago, Eric Bledsoe is getting his wish. The Phoenix Suns are in the process of finalizing a trade that will send the disgruntled guard to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for back-up center Greg Monroe, a lottery-protected first round pick and a second-round pick, according to Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
The teams reached an agreement in principle on terms of a deal late Monday night and were spending early Tuesday finalizing medical evaluations on the players involved before formalizing a trade, league sources said.
Bledsoe still has two years and nearly $30 million remaining on his contract following this season, and was averaging 15.7 points and 3 assists in 3 appearances for Phoenix this season before the Suns sent him home without an injury.
That led Bledsoe to basically tweet his way out of Phoenix with a series of cryptic social media messages followed by a trade demand:
— Eric Bledsoe (@EBled2) October 20, 2017
I Dont wanna be here
— Eric Bledsoe (@EBled2) October 22, 2017
Their trade for Bledsoe gives the Bucks extra athleticism and firepower as they attempt to build a contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo and make a leap up to the contending echelon in a weakened Eastern Conference that looks surprisingly vulnerable at the top due to the struggles of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For the Suns, their trade of Bledsoe probably won’t affect their on-court fortunes much due to the fact that they had already sent him home, but Monroe could theoretically give them a more reliable post presence at the end of games even if his defense will probably just help them tank.
The extra draft picks will add to a treasure trove of assets and young players for the Suns too, as they continue to attempt to rebuild while the Western Conference is as competitive as it’s ever been.
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