Bucks looking at Bledsoe, probably.

[LUKE23]

Hoping we offer Bledsoe. It makes sense for us given his age, position, and likelihood we find someone better via draft/FA/trade. It also fits with our salary structure. After two years out, once we have Mayo, Pachulia, and Ilyasova off the books, we'd be looking at:

Bledsoe: roughly $15M (2 years remaining)
Sanders: $11M (2 years remaining)
Parker: $5.4M (2 years remaining)
Giannis: $2.9M (1 year remaining)
Inglis: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
O'Bryant: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
Henson: FA
Wolters: FA

Plus whatever draft picks we've made since then. That's easily doable assuming we haven't done anything stupid (like give Knight $10M per year). We'd still have enough for a Henson extension if needbe as well. Just don't make moronic Mayo/Pachulia type signings that add up and you are fine in terms of building around that salary structure. Sanders/Bledsoe/Parker are all up at the same time.

I just don't think we are going to find a better PG than Bledsoe, realistically.

[WeekapaugGroove]

That frontcourt is terrible, but I agree I think the Suns match Bledsoe.

the thing is they won't be going into the season with only the Morris brothers and plumlee and len in the frontcourt. They have the cap space to add more depth there with a free agent or trade. And it's the same frontcourt minus fry for a team that won 48 games out west. All 4 of their current front court guys are young and you would think could be improving plus Warren will play some small ball 4.

I'm a fan of both teams so maybe I have a different perspective than most but as bucks fans think about it from the suns perspective. If the bucks were in the same spot would you guys be advocating letting Bledsoe go for lesser value just for sake of "roster ballance"? No you would say keep the better asset in Bledsoe and worry about roster ballance later. It's July 15th it's not like they are set with the current roster forever.. trades are allowed up until march. Heck the suns have 3 1st rounders next year I would guess they could deal one for Thad young right now and they have the cap space to absorb his contract.

I'm not saying it's impossible that Bledsoe could end up in Milwaukee but I think some people are only viewing this with bucks goggles on.

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[M-C-G]

I am just trying to figure out, if we are interested in Bledsoe, why have we waited this long? We heard rumors of interest, but is there an advantage to waiting this long?

I could see letting PHX use up some of their cap, making matching a tougher decision. But that is a pretty big gamble.

I don't see us concerned about tying up cap for three days, as PP mentioned, that is a non-issue.

We haven't been linked to anyone else, outside of maybe absorbing Lin.

Only thing I can think about, is that we want to move Ersan first, and clear some salary. I can't really think of anything else, other than we aren't interested, and we won't be making an offer.

[ReasonablySober]

Hoping we offer Bledsoe. It makes sense for us given his age, position, and likelihood we find someone better via draft/FA/trade. It also fits with our salary structure. After two years out, once we have Mayo, Pachulia, and Ilyasova off the books, we'd be looking at:

Bledsoe: roughly $15M (2 years remaining)
Sanders: $11M (2 years remaining)
Parker: $5.4M (2 years remaining)
Giannis: $2.9M (1 year remaining)
Inglis: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
O'Bryant: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
Henson: FA
Wolters: FA

Plus whatever draft picks we've made since then. That's easily doable assuming we haven't done anything stupid (like give Knight $10M per year). We'd still have enough for a Henson extension if needbe as well. Just don't make moronic Mayo/Pachulia type signings that add up and you are fine in terms of building around that salary structure. Sanders/Bledsoe/Parker are all up at the same time.

I just don't think we are going to find a better PG than Bledsoe, realistically.

With the direction the team may be heading we may not need a PG so much as we simply need another good guard. Maybe Bledsoe is that guard, I don't know.

But seeing Giannis handle the ball so much lately makes me think Kidd and the organization are buying into him being the guy who initiates the offense. I certainly want to see him handling the ball as much as possible this season.

[WeekapaugGroove]

If Bledsoe was interested in coming to Milwaukee wouldn't you think he would have visited the bucks by now?

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[BigO]

Milwaukee, with new ownership, has been mentioned as a team that might be willing to dig deep for Bledsoe, but the Bucks do not have space for a maximum-level deal. Milwaukee could start an offer at close to $12 million for the first year but they have not acted since the signing moratorium was lifted Thursday. If the Bucks do, their cap space is tied up for the three days Phoenix gets to respond.

Can someone explain how some teams can sign three max players and the Bucks don't have space to sign one? The Bucks have no high paid players except Sanders and he isn't close to the max.

[LUKE23]

Because teams like the Heat generated $55M in cap space. The Bucks currently sit at only $11-12M under the cap. This is why you don't sign OJ Mayo for $8M per year and Zaza Pachulia for $5.2M per year. Those signings add up.

[M-C-G]

Milwaukee, with new ownership, has been mentioned as a team that might be willing to dig deep for Bledsoe, but the Bucks do not have space for a maximum-level deal. Milwaukee could start an offer at close to $12 million for the first year but they have not acted since the signing moratorium was lifted Thursday. If the Bucks do, their cap space is tied up for the three days Phoenix gets to respond.

Can someone explain how some teams can sign three max players and the Bucks don't have space to sign one? The Bucks have no high paid players except Sanders and he isn't close to the max.

35M wrapped up in Sanders, ZaZa, Delfino, Ersan and Mayo.

[LUKE23]

But seeing Giannis handle the ball so much lately makes me think Kidd and the organization are buying into him being the guy who initiates the offense. I certainly want to see him handling the ball as much as possible this season.

I agree there. Reasons I add Bledsoe are:

1. Age
2. Defensive ability-I believe he's one of the best PG defenders in the NBA
3. Offensive efficiency at the position
4. Fit with a transition based team, which I think the Bucks are currently

If we did add him, I'd start Sanders and then a low usage floor spacing guy at SG like Middleton. I love the starting five actually.

[Badgerlander]

Hoping we offer Bledsoe. It makes sense for us given his age, position, and likelihood we find someone better via draft/FA/trade. It also fits with our salary structure. After two years out, once we have Mayo, Pachulia, and Ilyasova off the books, we'd be looking at:

Bledsoe: roughly $15M (2 years remaining)
Sanders: $11M (2 years remaining)
Parker: $5.4M (2 years remaining)
Giannis: $2.9M (1 year remaining)
Inglis: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
O'Bryant: 1 year remaining probably around $950K
Henson: FA
Wolters: FA

Plus whatever draft picks we've made since then. That's easily doable assuming we haven't done anything stupid (like give Knight $10M per year). We'd still have enough for a Henson extension if needbe as well. Just don't make moronic Mayo/Pachulia type signings that add up and you are fine in terms of building around that salary structure. Sanders/Bledsoe/Parker are all up at the same time.

I just don't think we are going to find a better PG than Bledsoe, realistically.

I think if our starting line-up is Bledsoe/Knight/Giannis/Parker/Sanders then Knight averages around 14ppg and his price drops.

[LUKE23]

As I said above, I'd start Middleton. Knight would be trade fodder. Throw him in with Ilyasova and see who bites.

[paulpressey25]

If Bledsoe was interested in coming to Milwaukee wouldn't you think he would have visited the bucks by now?

I'll give you the Bucks goggles version of some things.....

Did Jason Kidd visit Milwaukee before he showed up as Bucks coach? No.

Is Robert Sarver cheap? Yes.

Would it be out of the question for Bledsoe to wonder if he'd be the man in the backcourt now with Ennis, Thomas and Dragic? This could be a possibility.

How long did it take Ramon Sessions to get his deal when he was an RFA? End of August.

I don't think the odds are high the Bucks get Bledsoe. But we've all seen how these sticky situations take time to play out, as we did with Ramon, Mo Williams, etc in years past.

[Badgerlander]

Sounds like DWade is getting 4/60mil

[ReasonablySober]

I'm not ready to give up on Knight.

Granted, I'd trade him tomorrow for the right piece, but I think Drew **** up a year of his development with all the freedom he gave Knight. I wonder how Knight looks on a team in which he's clearly the third option and isn't asked to run the offense.

Or, maybe more likely, is the 6th man in the Jason Terry or Jamal Crawford role.

He's still young. I think in an ideal world he improves his shooting and decision making, defers to Giannis and Parker in the half-court, and uses more energy on defense.

Or who knows. Maybe he is who he is, sees himself as a ball dominant point guard and we have to move him.

I'm just saying I'm open to a few possibilities here.

[WeekapaugGroove]

If Bledsoe was interested in coming to Milwaukee wouldn't you think he would have visited the bucks by now?

I'll give you the Bucks goggles version of some things.....

Did Jason Kidd visit Milwaukee before he showed up as Bucks coach? No.

Is Robert Sarver cheap? Yes.

Would it be out of the question for Bledsoe to wonder if he'd be the man in the backcourt now with Ennis, Thomas and Dragic? This could be a possibility.

How long did it take Ramon Sessions to get his deal when he was an RFA? End of August.

I don't think the odds are high the Bucks get Bledsoe. But we've all seen how these sticky situations take time to play out, as we did with Ramon, Mo Williams, etc in years past.

I'm not sure kidds strange path to being hired is a good correlation to signing a free agent. Seems like two very different situations.

The sarver is cheap narrative is a false one that seems to be brought up a bunch. He was a very stupid owner the first few years but he did pay the luxury tax 3 times in the Nash years and was always top 10 in payroll. Where he got himself in trouble was pulling a Hammond and acquiring guys like Kurt Thomas or banks one off season the deciding he needed to get rid of them for different players the next off season and giving up assets to do it. The only "cheap" moment was trying to low ball Joe Johnson on an extension and that was a decade ago. They sold a couple draft picks during the dantoni years but that was Mikes decision not sarvers. Some of the worst moves he made as an owner was actually paying guys like Warrick and Childress. I hate defending sarver but the whole cheap thing just isn't factually true.

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[M-C-G]

I'm not ready to give up on Knight.

Granted, I'd trade him tomorrow for the right piece, but I think Drew **** up a year of his development with all the freedom he gave Knight. I wonder how Knight looks on a team in which he's clearly the third option and isn't asked to run the offense.

Or, maybe more likely, is the 6th man in the Jason Terry or Jamal Crawford role.

He's still young. I think in an ideal world he improves his shooting and decision making, defers to Giannis and Parker in the half-court, and uses more energy on defense.

Or who knows. Maybe he is who he is, sees himself as a ball dominant point guard and we have to move him.

I'm just saying I'm open to a few possibilities here.

I think Knight gets dismissed too much around here for not being able to distribute, but then we are all on board with making Giannis more of a distributor.

If Giannis, really fulfills that role, then you don't really need a true distributing PG. Also, Knight as a primary scorer, not very appealing, but in a second or third scoring "role" (like a truly defined role unlike what we saw last year), I think he could be a nice starting piece. Certainly can fulfill that 6th man super scorer role as he is today.

[[MIKE C]]

But seeing Giannis handle the ball so much lately makes me think Kidd and the organization are buying into him being the guy who initiates the offense. I certainly want to see him handling the ball as much as possible this season.

I agree there. Reasons I add Bledsoe are:

1. Age
2. Defensive ability-I believe he's one of the best PG defenders in the NBA
3. Offensive efficiency at the position
4. Fit with a transition based team, which I think the Bucks are currently

If we did add him, I'd start Sanders and then a low usage floor spacing guy at SG like Middleton. I love the starting five actually.

Bledoe is a great fit defensively next to Middleton, who may struggle to stay in front of some guards. I also think Bledsoe is a good fit as someone who can score and play off the ball if you are going to run a lot of point forward with Giannis.

[paulpressey25]

I'm not sure kidds strange path to being hired is a good correlation to signing a free agent. Seems like two very different situations.

No one knew our owners were interested in the team until the ink was basically dry. They likely were talking with Kidd for a long-time about him joining but kept it contained.

Again, I'm not saying Bledsoe is going to be a Buck. Personally, I'd put the odds of it at about 10 percent. But since we've been on the frustrating side of these things so many times in the past with FA's and RFA's (Redd, Tim Thomas, Mo Williams, Ramon, etc) I'm having fun watching the other side's fanbase squirm a bit and start rationalizing how they'll get through this with their optimal desired outcome.

The bottom line is that the Suns are likely going to pay Bledsoe 4/$63, lose him at that contract or negotiate a S&T with some team. Suns fans can't rationalize away the marketplace, which is now going to turn to his situation.

Maybe you'll get him for a "fair contract" but after the Gordon Hayward deal (I think Bledsoe is a lot better player) Rich Paul and Bledsoe are going to try everything to make sure they get the max from some team.

[MiltownHawkeye]

For there to be rumblings of Bledsoe signing our offer sheet doesn't he have to be interested in playing here? Seems like everyone's just assuming he would.

Of course, we might be the only team willing/able to give him the max so there's that.

[MadBlueEdwards]

If Bledsoe was interested in coming to Milwaukee wouldn't you think he would have visited the bucks by now?

I'll give you the Bucks goggles version of some things.....

Did Jason Kidd visit Milwaukee before he showed up as Bucks coach? No.

Is Robert Sarver cheap? Yes.

Would it be out of the question for Bledsoe to wonder if he'd be the man in the backcourt now with Ennis, Thomas and Dragic? This could be a possibility.

How long did it take Ramon Sessions to get his deal when he was an RFA? End of August.

I don't think the odds are high the Bucks get Bledsoe. But we've all seen how these sticky situations take time to play out, as we did with Ramon, Mo Williams, etc in years past.

Also, if you were a young point guard would you rather be on this team:

PG Bledsoe/Thomas
SG Dragic/Goodwin
SF Tucker/Green/Warren
PF Morris/Morris
C Plumlee/Len

or be on a team with two potential stars in Parker and Giannis that you can feed the ball to?