top of page

2022 Free Agents - Eric Bledsoe

Summary
Bledsoe had his best season in '18-'19, playing at a near All-Star level for a Bucks team that won 60 games and had the best record in the league. Bledsoe helped lead the Bucks to the second best defense in the league, fighting over screens and contesting jumpers or floaters from behind, allowing Brook Lopez to stay near the rim in drop coverage. On offense, Bledsoe averaged just under 16 ppg and had his most efficient season of his career.

However, Bledsoe struggled in the 2019 playoffs, and those struggles were even greater in the 2020 playoffs. His lack of outside shot made him not a threat on offense at all, as defenses were able to go under every Bledsoe ball screen and ignored him off the ball. The Bucks then traded Bledsoe as part of the Jrue Holiday trade, and he since been traded multiple times since then, struggling to make an impact at any of his stops.

Bledsoe can still be defensively solid, since he's strong enough to switch onto multiple positions, and can fight through screens when engaged. However, his offensive game has completely cratered, as his 47.7% eFG% in '21-'22 was his worst in a decade, as his finishing at the rim has declined while he continues to struggle as an outside shooter. As a 34% three-point shooter over the course of his last four seasons, he doesn't scare any defenses when spotting up.
 
Cap Considerations
Bledsoe's $19.4 million salary for 2022-2023 is only $3.8 million guaranteed, and if he is waived he will become an unrestricted free agent and the Trailblazers will have no form of Bird rights on him. At this point, the only way Bledsoe's guarantee gets picked up is if his salary is needed in order to facilitate a trade. Bledsoe's agent should be working tirelessly to find a trade that makes sense for both Portland and another team, because it could earn Bledsoe a lot of money.

If Bledsoe is waived and becomes a free agent,  other teams will have multiple ways to him as even teams without cap space could use any of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or possibly even the Room MLE or Bi-Annual Exception to sign him. It's also not out of the question that Bledsoe could only get minimum offers.

Potential Teams: Hornets, Hawks, Lakers, Raptors, Wizards

Predicted Contract: 1-year, $6.3 million with the Hornets

Last updated: 5/1/2022

bottom of page