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Milwaukee Bucks Make Decisions On Mike Budenholzer, Eric Bledsoe

Milwaukee Bucks Make Decisions On Mike Budenholzer, Eric Bledsoe

Milwaukee Bucks Make Decisions On Mike Budenholzer, Eric Bledsoe

The Milwaukee Bucks were unceremoniously booted from the postseason this week by the Miami Heat.

This was supposed to be the year Giannis Antetokounmpo made it to his first NBA Finals and established himself as the new face of the league, so naturally the team’s unexpected playoff flameout has led to some soul searching.

Less than a week after having their season cut short, the Bucks have already made two important decisions.

The first is that they will retain Mike Budenholzer as the team’s head coach heading into next season.

The second is that guard Eric Bledsoe, who vanished offensively in the playoffs, will be made available for a potential trade.

“Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe is under contract for multiple seasons and had another standout season by earning All-Defensive team honors, but he is expected to become a potential trade candidate,” Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Thursday.

Bledsoe, 30, is recognized as one of the league’s more superior defensive guards. Unfortunately, as good as he is on one side of the ball, that is how bad he is on the other when the postseason rolls around.

This year, Bledsoe averaged 11.7 points on 38.8 percent shooting in the playoffs. He also chipped in 5.9 assists. Those are tough numbers to live with from a guy who got a $70 million extension last year and is averaging 30 minutes per night.

That said, there should be a number of potential suitors out there for Bledsoe. A team with less pre-existing offensive limitations and more of a need for a defense-first guard could utilize him effectively. He is a good trading chip with which Milwaukee can slightly retool its roster in an effort to retain Antetokounmpo and him happy long-term.

As far as Budenholzer goes, the decision by front office brass to retain him shouldn’t come as much of a shock. While his inability to make major adjustments certainly leaves a lot to be desired, his positive impact on the Bucks cannot be overstated.

Budenholzer will get one more shot to turn things around next year. However, if he underperforms again, the writing is on the wall – there won’t be a third chance.

All in all, 2020-21 is shaping up to be a very interesting season for the Bucks. It will be fun to see how the franchise ultimately responds.

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Charles Kruger

Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7's go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.

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