It's been a pretty eventful offseason, both directly and indirectly, for veteran guard Eric Bledsoe. The 31-year-old, previously a member of the Phoenix Suns for about four seasons and the Milwaukee Bucks for three, was able to watch those exact two teams square off in a memorable NBA Finals. And while it's likely Bledsoe would have enjoyed taking part in that, he found himself on the frustratingly "meh" New Orleans Pelicans during the 2020-21 season, starting nearly every game for the 31-41 Zion Williamson-centric squad.
And then, on Monday, he was traded. He was sent over to the Memphis Grizzlies, an up-and-coming team with a handful of really exciting pieces... and a team that he likely won't stay on for long. According to Yahoo Sports NBA insider Chris Haynes, Bledsoe could be moving elsewhere pretty soon.
Whether or not that's through a straight-up player-for-player deal, in which a team can move a player they just acquired, or via a contract buyout is to be determined. If the latter is the route the Grizzlies eventually take, you can expect there to be a few suitors for the veteran's services, and two of them are reported to be the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks.
Don’t be surprised if Eric Bledsoe ends up with the Sixers if/when he’s bought out by the Grizzlies.
— Chris W. Crouse 🏙 (@NBACrouse) July 26, 2021
I’m told Philly would be among the teams to watch. pic.twitter.com/iAddYKTRnA
Both organizations are in win-now mode with a clear franchise superstar to build around and some other pieces who may not quite fit — and it's not hard to identify who those individuals are. Adding a bought-out Bledsoe seemingly wouldn't affect either team's big plans regarding Ben Simmons or Kristaps Porzingis, respectively, but it wouldn't be a small move, either.
Bledsoe has been a regular starter in the league in every season since 2013-14, and he's still proven to be a versatile and effective player in many ways. Though his numbers were down in 2020-21 (12.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.8 APG), he's a two-time All-Defensive talent that can create his own shot and help to run an offense. A capable three-point shooter but not a great one, Bledsoe is not the 20-point scorer he once was but can still have an impact.
As recently as three seasons ago, Bledsoe ranked in the top 20 in FiveThirtyEight's all-encompassing RAPTOR metric and in the top 15 in WAR, with All-Defensive first-team honors in 2018-19 and second-team honors in 2019-20. Perhaps a change of scenery from New Orleans — followed by a buyout in Memphis — could bring him back to his elite levels of production.
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