Bucks’ Bledsoe returns to Phoenix, hasn’t ‘said one bad thing’ about Suns

PHOENIX — Eric Bledsoe makes his return to Phoenix on Wednesday to play against the Suns for the first time since being traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

He does so trying not to look in the rearview mirror.

At shootaround Wednesday, Bledsoe was asked about the comments made from the Suns’ side after the team sent him home following a cryptic tweet.

“Since I’ve been here I don’t think I said one bad thing about (anybody) here and for people to speak bad about me, I mean, it tells you what type of people, what’s going on,” Bledsoe said. “I can’t do nothing but move forward and thank them for the opportunity they had gave me when I was here.”

General manager Ryan McDonough was outspoken about Bledsoe’s actions and the reasoning for the team sending him home a day after his tweet. On 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station, McDonough said in late October Bledsoe’s actions were not that of a leader.

To no surprise, Bledsoe said he’s not letting the storylines surrounding his return dictate how the game will go.

“I’m going to treat this like a regular basketball game,” Bledsoe said. “I’m gonna play the game.”

Bledsoe will have the opportunity to put up big numbers against his old team, as the Bucks will be without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo due to right knee soreness.

Bledsoe isn’t necessarily seen as a veteran at 27 years old, but he holds a special place in the Suns’ current rebuild.

Every player in the team’s young core played with Bledsoe as their leader and best player, and for some like Tyler Ulis, he was the player he battled against in practice.

Now, Ulis — if interim coach Jay Triano sticks with his recent starting backcourt — will be starting against Bledsoe.

“I know he’s gonna be in here hyped to play,” Ulis said. “I’m excited.”

Devin Booker had a similar relationship with former Sun P.J. Tucker in terms of going at each other in practice.

“Those guys are older and they helped us out ever since we’ve been in the league,” Booker said. “I know Bled helped out Tyler a lot, them battling with each other in practice every day — P.J. helped me out a lot.”

Booker admitted that it’s weird to see Bledsoe wearing a different uniform and he’s been trying to watch as much of his games with Milwaukee as he can.

Bledsoe, Ulis, Booker and Jared Dudley hung out at Booker’s house the night before the game. Ulis said basketball wasn’t the top subject matter, as one would expect for three guys looking to catch up. Cards were played with some food and college basketball on as well.

On the court Wednesday, Ulis believes he’ll be working hard to attack his former teammate.

“We gotta go at him tonight,” he said.

“We’re not brothers when we step between the lines.”

Bledsoe has a similar mindset.

“We definitely going to compete when we’re out there,” he said. “We friends, brothers off the court, but once you step on the court we compete.”

As far as trash talk between the two, Ulis said to expect it.

“Probably, most likely,” he said.

“It’ll be a high-energy game,” Booker added. “I’m looking forward to it.”

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