We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
If a deal gets done with Eric Bledsoe going to Milwaukee, who are the players most likely leaving Milwaukee? — Dan Vachalek, via Twitter
A report this week said the Suns are asking for reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, along with either John Henson or Mirza Teletovic to help match salaries. The Bucks responded by offering Matthew Dellavedova, which won’t be enough to get the deal done. Dellavedova is nearly as old as Bledsoe and has more guaranteed money, which isn’t what the Suns are looking for. With Milwaukee unwilling to part with the rest of its young core, Brogdon seems like a fair price, and it’s probably the only way the Bucks can get a deal done.
How’s it different when an owner trades a player and it’s business, but when a player asks to be traded he’s selfish and punished? — Chane Miller, via Twitter
There’s unquestionably a double standard throughout sports where players are expected to live up to their contracts, but teams can treat the talent as disposable assets. We suspect comments this week by Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough about Eric Bledsoe‘s failings as a team leader weren’t well received around the league by players and their agents. It’s true that the disgruntled point guard is signed for one more year at $15MM, but it’s also true that he’s in the prime of his career and is trapped on a terrible team that hasn’t managed its assets well — that includes shutting down a healthy Bledsoe to tank down the stretch last season. As more power shifts to the players, asking for a trade like Bledsoe or Kyrie Irving did will become more common.
Bucks should not trade Brogdon and more for Bledsoe. Bledsoe has not yet proven that he can win in the NBA while Brogdon is a key piece for the Bucks rebuild process