Eric Bledsoe Trade Rumors: Bucks 'Expected' to Shop Guard in Offseason

The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly expected to shop guard Eric Bledsoe on the trade market during the offseason.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Bucks want to acquire a playmaker and more shooting this offseason to complement Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bledsoe could be a trade chip to land those pieces.

The Bucks fell short of the NBA Finals again this season, as they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

This season was Bledsoe's third with the Bucks, and while his production was down a bit compared to the previous two campaigns, he was still a highly effective player.

The 30-year-old veteran started all 61 regular-season games he appeared in, shot 47.5 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc, and averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Bledsoe was also named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team after being named to the First Team last season.

The Bucks signed Bledsoe to a four-year, $70 million extension in 2019, meaning he is under contract through the 2022-23 season.

Trading Bledsoe could leave a big hole in the Bucks' lineup since he was third on the team in scoring and second in assists this season, but it is clear that Milwaukee needs to shake things up in order to experience more playoff success.

The Bucks posted the best record in the NBA in each of the past two seasons, but they fell in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 and the second round this season.

Milwaukee can also ill-afford to waste another MVP-caliber season from Giannis, especially since he can become a free agent after next season and may be compelled to leave if the Bucks don't improve and have a better finish.

As good as Bledsoe is in some areas, the Bucks could benefit from a true playmaker at point guard. Trading Bledsoe may not net them precisely that, but it would make room on the roster to sign one or acquire one in a different deal.

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet could be a logical target for Milwaukee on the free-agent market, as his contract expires at the conclusion of this season.