Clippers bring back Eric Bledsoe in a blockbuster trade

Eric Bledsoe (YouTube)

The Los Angeles Clippers are bringing back guard Eric Bledsoe of Birmingham, Alabama in a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. In return, the Grizzlies will receive guard Patrick Beverley of Chicago, Illinois, point guard Rajon Rondo of Louisville, Kentucky, and center Daniel Oturu of Brooklyn, New York.

The biggest name in this deal is Bledsoe. The 31-year-old played his first three NBA seasons with the Clippers from 2010 to 2013. He then went on to play five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, and last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Last season in New Orleans, Bledsoe averaged 12.2 points per game.

Beverley averaged 7.5 points per game last season with the Clippers. Oturu only averaged 1.8 points per game in a reserve role.

Meanwhile, Rondo averaged 7.6 points per game in L.A. The veteran was selected to the NBA All-Star game four straight years with the Celtics from 2010 to 2013, and won the NBA Finals with the Celtics in his rookie season of 2007-08. Three times in Rondo’s career he has led the NBA in assists, and once in steals.

This was the second time that Bledsoe has been traded in the offseason. On August 7, the same day the United States won gold in Olympic men’s basketball, the Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Charlotte Hornets were involved in a three-way deal. The Pelicans traded Bledsoe, Steven Adams, Jared Butler, Ziaire Williams, and a first-round pick in 2022 to the Grizzlies, along with Wesley Iwundu, and a first-round pick in 2022 to the Hornets. The Hornets traded Devonte’ Graham to the Pelicans. New Orleans also received Trey Murphy III, Brandon Boston, and Jonas Valanciunas from the Grizzlies.

In this deal, the two big names besides Bledsoe are Graham and Valanciunas. Graham averaged 14.8 points per game last year in Charlotte, and Valanciunas averaged 17.1 points per game and 1.5 rebounds per game in Memphis.

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