Milwaukee Bucks got steal with Eric Bledsoe’s contract extension

The terms of the contract extension between the Milwaukee Bucks and Eric Bledsoe were released and it’s great news for the franchise.

Late last week it was announced that Eric Bledsoe and the Milwaukee Bucks had agreed to a contract extension. Although the specific terms of the deals weren’t released until Monday, it was reported to be a four-year, $70 million deal. When the signing was made official today, in Phoenix nonetheless, the details were released to the public.

At first glance, the contract appeared to be favorable for the Bucks. At 29-years-old, there are concerns about Bledsoe’s long-term projection in the NBA. However, four years isn’t unreasonable and it was on team-friendly terms to begin with.

However, the terms became even friendlier once the details were announced. The first three years pays him $50.625 million and the final year is only partially guaranteed. The Bucks can opt out of the final year and only owe Bledsoe $3.9 million.

That’s a huge detail that immediately improves this contract for the Bucks. Even if the Bucks choose to pay Bledsoe slightly over $19 million in the final year of his contract, that’s not so bad in the grand scheme of things. However, the fact that Milwaukee can get out of the deal all together with only paying a portion of it is a steal of a deal.

There’s no saying exactly how Bledsoe will fare as he begins to lose some of his elite athleticism. However, he brings so much to the Bucks that he is incredibly valuable in the immediate future. He’s struggled a bit with his outside shot this season, only hitting 31.7 percent, but he’s been a bowling ball on his way to the rim. According to Cleaning the Glass, his 71 percent shooting percentage at the rim ranks in the 95th percentile among all point guards.

Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bledsoe is a huge benefactor to Mike Budenholzer’s five-out scheme. He’s able to use his elite combination of strength, quickness and speed to get to the rim and finish.

Bledsoe has also found his way on defense. He’s always possessed the necessary traits, but his effort had been lacking in the past. He’s found his consistency this season and has hounded guards all over the court. His defensive ability has allowed the Bucks to become one of the best defensive teams in the entire league.

Even with the unknowns, this deal is immediately a great one for the Bucks. It’s clear Bledsoe put his team first because of the great environment and winning culture they’ve quickly established.