Suns agree to deal Eric Bledsoe to Bucks for Greg Monroe, draft picks

The Phoenix Suns have agreed in principle to send guard Eric Bledsoe to the Milwaukee Bucks for center Greg Monroe, a 2018 protected first-round and a 2018 protected second-round draft pick, league sources told ESPN.The teams reached an agreement in principle on deal terms late Monday night and finalized the terms Tuesday morning, league sources told ESPN. The Bucks resisted including guard Malcolm Brogdon, the NBA's reigning Rookie of the Year, in the deal, league sources said.

Bledsoe will pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton for what could be an explosive offensive team in the Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee has lost three straight -- including four of five games -- to drop to 4-5 on the season.Bledsoe is not expected to play with the Bucks on Tuesday night in Cleveland, multiple sources told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. The plan is for Bledsoe to meet the Bucks in San Antonio on Wednesday. The Bucks play the Spurs on Friday.

With the move, Milwaukee creates a $3.38 million trade exception that will be available to use for one year. The Bucks also have a $5 million trade exception that will expire in February. They are now $4.4 million below the luxury tax.

The Suns (4-7) potentially could have three first round picks in 2018: their own, Miami's (top-seven protected) and Milwaukee's (lottery protected). Phoenix could have seven first-round picks from 2018 to 2021.