The Milwaukee Bucks have surpassed all expectations this season. Despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ascension as a top five player in the league, most experts had them pegged as the third or perhaps fourth best team in the East, behind powerhouses like Boston, Toronto, and even Philadelphia.
Instead, the Bucks have the best record in the NBA at 47-14 and have currently won six straight games, giving them a 2.5 game cushion on the Raptors as the East’s top seed. Giannis and fellow All-Star Kris Middleton have been the two-headed hydra wreaking havoc on opponents all season, but point guard Eric Bledsoe has been a major catalyst for that success as well.
Now, the organization has seen fit to reward him for his efforts with a contract extension that will keep him in Milwaukee until the 2023 season. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bledsoe has inked a deal that will pay him around $17.5 per year over the next four seasons.
Guard Eric Bledsoe has agreed to a four-year, $70M extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 1, 2019
Bledsoe has been adamant about his desire to remain in Milwaukee long-term, but a lackluster showing in the postseason last year called his future with the franchise into question. Bledsoe has responded by playing some of the best basketball of his career this season, and was a borderline All-Star candidate alongside his teammates, averaging 15.7 points and 5.5 assists per game.