With all due respect to Pau Gasol, the biggest story of the NBA day came just shy of 6 p.m. ET, when news of Eric Bledsoe’s four-year extension dropped via a mini-Woj Bomb. The price came out to $70 million, dedicating $17.5 million per year through 2023 to the former Clippers and Suns guard.
For all the talk of superstar pairings and partnerships throughout the league, Milwaukee’s commitment to Bledsoe signaled a different path. LeBron James and the Lakers offered the farm for Anthony Davis. The Knicks dealt their best draft pick since Patrick Ewing to create cap space for two max stars.