Bucks goes all-in with Bledsoe extension, Gasol signature

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Just weeks after the deadline for NBA negotiations, the Milwaukee Bucks are back, and have signed goalkeeper Eric Bledsoe for a four-year, $ 70-million extension, just minutes after rumors have surfaced. began to swirl that Pau Gasol was redeemed heading towards Brew City for running. Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN was the first with both reports.

Let's start with the shocking news: the Bledsoe extension. Becoming a free agent in July, Bledsoe had a career season with an average of 15.7 points, 5.5 assists and just 2.1 turnovers per game, his lowest in six years. The 29-year-old playmaker also reached a career high of 49.2% in the field.

This Bledsoe deal gives Milwaukee a clearer view of the offseason and allows them to better negotiate with some of its other players. After Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is locked up during the 2020-2021 season, the five best Bucks players were expected to hit the market this summer. Brook Lopez and Nikola Mirotic, newly acquired, will be unrestricted free agents and should be joined by Khris Middleton if he denies his $ 13 million player option as scheduled. Rookie of the year 2016-17 Malcolm Brogdon will also be a restricted free agent. Even George Hill could hit the market if the Bucks bought out the last year of his contract for a fraction of the $ 19 million that he should earn in 2019-20.

Putting Bledsoe on an extension of $ 17.5 million a year is certainly acceptable, especially with the salary ceiling of about $ 109 million in 2019-20. After taking into account Bledsoe's $ 17.5 million for next season (final terms not yet announced, this number may change slightly), Milwaukee will receive approximately $ 72 million in salary from eight players in 2019-20 (if they decide to buy Hill). This leaves them with $ 37 million in space if they want to operate below the salary cap – enough for Middleton to keep a maximum type contract – although they can still override that threshold and pay the luxury tax as well.

Before extending Bledsoe, the Bucks also made the headlines when it was announced that they would be likely to sign Pau Gasol's center for the remainder of the season as a major replacement and veteran. Gasol will certainly not produce the same kind of field impact as Bledsoe in the next few years, but it could still have immense value this spring.

Prior to Gasol's signing, Hill was the only player in the lineup to compete in the conference finals. The Bucks have faced very little adversity this year – a testament to Antetokoumpo 's skill and Budenholzer' s system – but they will eventually find themselves back to the wall this spring. For a team that has not won playoffs since 2001 and a coach with the habit of not succeeding in the playoffs, the Gasol experience will add a soothing presence to an otherwise roster unproved. The six-time star and two-time NBA champion could also clinch a few minutes in the playoffs if starter Brook Lopez finds himself in a big trouble against Joel Embiid of Philadelphia or Marc Gasol of Toronto in a seven-game series. games. Lopez was the only nominal center on the list before Gasol's signing, although the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo could certainly fill that void when needed.

Milwaukee has now completed its list with three mid-season high-profile acquisitions – Gasol, Hill and, most importantly, Nikola Mirotic – and has begun keeping pieces of this current core for the future. The first offers them more versatility in the playoffs this year, while the latter offers front-office Bucks options during this team-building process.

It has long been assumed that Milwaukee will have to make sacrifices after this season. After all, Bledsoe and potentially Middleton are not the usual superstar candidates of a team for the modern championship contender, and it could be quite expensive for an owner to retain those free agents mentioned above. But after almost five months of historic basketball, it's clear that this is not a typical team.

Milwaukee is brimming with confidence, completes its lineup and has the MVP leader. The Bucks do not have to let this training break up in four months just because the rest of the league says it. They still control their own destiny – both for this season and in the 2020s. Milwaukee starts right away, but why could not Milwaukee have everything in the future?

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