Eric Bledsoe trade and 7 other regrettable Bucks moves Jon Horst botched

2. Eric Bledsoe trade

It is easy to forget how good Bledsoe was in Phoenix. The Suns finished at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, but the 6’1 guard averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. Fans were upset he was not an All-Star, but things quickly fell apart. Bledsoe made a public trade demand and was sent to Milwaukee after playing just three games in the 2017-18 season.

Giannis was becoming a superstar, which left the Bucks hunting for talent to put around him. They gave up Greg Monroe, a 2020 first-round pick, and one second-rounder. The first turned into Desmond Bane, but it did not happen for three years.

Bledsoe's regular season numbers in the Cream City were strong, but his production and efficiency dipped mightily in the playoffs. He averaged 16.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 210 regular season games with the Bucks, but just 13.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in the playoffs. For a team looking to win a championship, that is a massive issue.

Milwaukee traded Bledsoe as part of the package to get Jrue Holiday in 2020. It helped them win the title in 2021. It was not like Eric Bledsoe was a disaster, but his contract and what they gave up hamstrung the franchise, especially when he did not produce in the playoffs.