Eric Bledsoe to start in debut with Bucks against Spurs Friday

Jason Kidd is not going to start slowly and break things in over time.

Newly acquired point guard Eric Bledsoe is going to start in his debut with the Bucks, Kidd said at shootaround on Friday in San Antonio, where the Bucks will take on the Spurs later that night. Via Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“For his first day of shootaround, you could see the dynamic of his speed, something that we don’t have at that position,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll find out here quickly (how he fits with the team). It’s going to take some time for him to understand his teammates and understand the defensive and offensive schemes, but he’s a pro, he’s a very smart young man and he can help us, hopefully. He’s going to start tonight. We’re going to start him and start that relationship with the starting group.”

The move bounces reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon to the bench, but he could end up playing more minutes than Bledsoe, who has not played in a game since Oct. 21 and may be on a bit of a minute’s limit.

“They talk about 20 minutes, so we’ll see when that approaches how he feels,” Kidd said. “Again, it’s not like he’s coming off an injury. He hasn’t played and so we don’t want to throw him out there and have him play 35 minutes.”

Bledsoe should be a big boost to the Bucks — he is a secondary shot creator next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bledsoe can play off the ball and knock down shots. The Bucks have the seventh best offense in the NBA, and he could be a boost to it. If he can improve the Bucks’ defense — second worst in the NBA and the reason they are 4-6 — it would be a bigger help.