Bucks acquire guard Eric Bledsoe from Suns in exchange for Greg Monroe, draft picks

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired guard Eric Bledsoe from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for forward-center Greg Monroe and a protected first and second-round draft pick.

“Eric is a dynamic player who brings scoring and toughness to the court while enhancing our young and talented core,” said Bucks General Manager Jon Horst in a news release Tuesday, November 7th. “We thank Greg for his professionalism, leadership and contribution on the court and in the community during his time in Milwaukee.”

According to the Bucks, Bledsoe, 27, is in his eighth season in the NBA and holds career averages of 13.1 points, 4.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game over 421 games (259 starts) with the Suns and the L.A. Clippers. He averaged more than 20.0 points and 6.0 assists per game in each of the last two seasons with the Suns, including career highs in points (21.1) and assists (6.3) per game during the 2016-17 season. Bledsoe spent the past five seasons (2013-17) with Phoenix and averaged 18.8 points, 6.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 33.6 minutes over 224 games (221 starts).

The Kentucky product was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was traded on draft night to the Clippers where he spent the first three seasons of his career. Bledsoe averaged 6.7 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 197 games (38 starts) with the Clippers.

Monroe, 27, was in his third year with the Bucks. In three seasons with Milwaukee, Monroe averaged 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 165 games (67 starts). In 2016-17, Monroe averaged 11.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per game, according to the Bucks' news release.