Milwaukee Bucks: How can Eric Bledsoe make the most of contract year?

After acclimating himself well enough with the Milwaukee Bucks for the majority of last season, veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe is staring at an uncertain future as he prepares for unrestricted free agency next summer.

If his arrival and overall introduction to the Milwaukee Bucks last year was rooted in the short-term, Eric Bledsoe’s second season in the Cream City will be critical in determining his long-term future.

Having only been in Milwaukee for close to 10 months, it was clear what the appeal was behind the decision to bring in Bledsoe at the time of the acquisition. In one fell swoop, the Kentucky alum addressed a position of need at the point guard spot as well as serving as a talent upgrade to the Bucks’ thin crop consisting of Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova.

On the other hand, Bledsoe’s entrance didn’t come without some pressing questions such as how he and Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo would coexist, given the overlap in where their strongsuits and limitations lie (i.e. having the ball in their hands, range shooting concerns).

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Bledsoe responded in turn by finding his footing in his new surroundings, putting up his most efficient season by advanced numbers and forming a very productive trio between himself, Antetokounmpo and the well rounded Khris Middleton.

Despite that, Bledsoe’s presence did little to catalyze or lift the Bucks higher in the Eastern Conference and the league as a whole as the issues surrounding the team were far more ingrained beyond the roster construction.

Now the Bucks have obviously rectified a large portion of that this offseason, with the hiring of new head coach Mike Budenholzer serving as the headlining move of the summer.

Not only that, but they made the tough decision, in the eyes of some Bucks fans, to move on from oft-injured forward Jabari Parker, who traveled down I-94 to sign a two-year, $40 million deal with his hometown Chicago Bulls.

As much as the Bucks are hoping this offseason corrects the course they were following under the previous coaching regime, next summer promises to be a colossal one, in terms of the free agent decisions they have to make. Bledsoe, of course, will be hitting the free agent market as an unrestricted free agent, along with Middleton and Brogdon.

With that, the stakes revolving around this upcoming campaign are high for the 28-year-old on multiple fronts. The question stemming from that is what can Bledsoe possibly achieve to sort out the uncertainty hanging over his stay in Milwaukee, and the direction of his professional future.

The obvious go-to answer is avoiding the injury bug. Considering his significant injury history, which includes multiple surgeries to repair the meniscus in his left knee, Bledsoe can’t afford any lengthy absences or major red flags popping up throughout next season that will surely torpedo any value he could command on the open market.

Beyond that, however, it’s quite obvious that the Birmingham native has to continue to make his fit within the nucleus the Bucks have assembled a feasible one. The factor that Coach Bud brings into this mix may be a noteworthy one as it relates to Bledsoe individually.

For as much as the logic behind how Budenholzer and his staff can unlock Antetokounmpo’s all encompassing capabilities, the very same principles applies to Bledsoe, only on a much smaller scale. And while Bledsoe’s defensive mentality and engagement haven’t been up to the level of his early NBA career, we saw at times last season how imposing and impactful Bledsoe can be as a defender when he’s locked in.

At this point, it’s apparent that the assessment many Bucks fans have of Bledsoe has irrevocably changed following his horrendous playoff series against the Boston Celtics, and more specifically Terry Rozier, last season.

For some, Bledsoe’s short circuiting may be too hard to overlook and it’s hard to determine how much of his performance may color his standing around the league, especially under the context of the spotlight as well as Bledsoe’s long awaited return to the postseason.

From that standpoint, it’s on Bledsoe to move on from his massive playoff stumbles and respond by crafting an effective season on both ends of the floor. If he struggles to do so, tougher questions will surely surface.