Bledsoe is happy with trade to Bucks
SAN ANTONIO - As the Milwaukee Bucks wrapped up practice Thursday at AT&T Center, Eric Bledsoe sat along the sideline, never attempting to hide his excitement.
It didn't matter that he had gotten to San Antonio around midnight following a long day of travel from Phoenix to Milwaukee where he underwent physical exams with team officials.
It also didn't matter that he was held out of practice while the team awaited confirmation that Greg Monroe had passed his physical with the Phoenix Suns, thus consummating Tuesday's trade.
Decked out in Bucks gear, Bledsoe constantly found himself with reasons to smile as he settled in with his new team.
“It’s cool; it’s a great feeling and vibe," Bledsoe said of joining the Bucks. "Everything about it is amazing.”
Bledsoe's arrival in San Antonio marked a turning of the page from one of the more interesting NBA storylines this season.
Following a public falling out with
Suns, Bledsoe has essentially been a man without a team for almost three weeks.
He was sent home and barred from the Suns' facilities as of Oct. 23, only regaining access earlier this week, though he wasn't able to work out with his teammates during that time.
“It’s been cool, actually," Bledsoe said. "It hasn’t been that bad as far as not playing for the past few weeks. I’ve gotten the chance to watch a lot of basketball, hang out with the family and work on my game and get in better shape.”
Bledsoe wasn't able to demonstrate his level of fitness or work with his new teammates on Thursday, but he did get a good look at the team and system that he's joined. Thursday's practice made quite the impression on the eight-year veteran.
“Shoot, they practice hard," Bledsoe said. "Hard, intense, they get after each other. They look to make each other better, that’s how I look at it.”
Since joining the NBA as the 18th overall pick in the 2010 draft, Bledsoe has established himself as a strong two-way player. The 6-foot-1 guard has averaged 13.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 33.4% on three-pointers.
His well-regarded defensive ability is of particular interest to the Bucks. Milwaukee's defense has been one of the worst in the league this season, and the addition of a quick, veteran ball stopper at the point of attack could make a major difference for the Bucks.
"Watching practice it’s all they worked on," Bledsoe said about the Bucks' defense. "Rotations, talking, you’ve got to be there and that’s pretty much what the game is.”
Offensively, Bledsoe can create on or off the ball, using his quickness to maneuver through defenses, especially in pick-and-roll situations.
As of yet, he isn't sure how the Bucks will use him — whether he'll start or come off the bench, if he'll run the point or play on the wing.
But after getting shut down for the final month of last season while having a career year and being sent home for nearly three weeks this season, Bledsoe really isn't worried about the semantics of what happens next.
“It doesn’t matter as long we win," Bledsoe said.
Lightening Antetokounmpo's load is of particular importance considering how much the Bucks' star has been shouldering this season. He's leading the league in points per game (31.9), third in minutes per game (37.2) and has taken 25.5% of Milwaukee's shots.
Now that he's in Milwaukee, Bledsoe's looking forward to playing along Antetokounmpo, offering him another outlet and hopefully relieving some of his pressure.
“He’s unstoppable," Bledsoe said. "When I was in Phoenix we couldn’t guard him. We knew he couldn’t shoot, but that didn’t stop him from playing his game.”
That opportunity could come as soon as 8 p.m. Friday when the Bucks aim to end their four-game skid as they take on the San Antonio Spurs.
It's likely Bledsoe, who will wear No. 6, will be activated by that time considering Monroe took the court for practice in Phoenix on Thursday afternoon.
“I hope so, we’re (waiting) on Greg," Bledsoe said with a laugh after watching Milwaukee's practice. "I’m excited to get back to playing.”
Fined: As he expected he would be, Kidd was fined $15,000 by the NBA for his public criticism of officiating following Milwaukee's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.