Eric Bledsoe finally got out of that salon

A few weeks after declaring that he didn’t want to be there, Eric Bledsoe was traded by the Phoenix Suns to the Milwaukee Bucks, where it will be much colder yet much more fun. The Bucks pulled off a coup of sorts, landing a top-50 player without giving up one of their top-5 pieces -- no Thon Maker or Malcolm Brogdon -- and being able to protect the first-round pick they sent out.

Greg Monroe is headed to Phoenix, though there is already talk of a buy-out. The Suns also receive a first-round pick that will convey in 2018 if it falls between Nos. 11 and 16, in 2019 if it falls between Nos. 4 and 16, in 2020 if it’s lower than No. 7, and in 2021 regardless of where it lands if it has not been conveyed. Odds are it transfer as a late first in 2020. There’s a protected second-round pick in the mix, too.

The Suns fandom doesn’t seem overjoyed with the return, and it’s hard to blame them. I’d count the Suns as the biggest loser in the deal, with the Cavaliers -- who ought to have been in the mix -- right behind them. (Not that re-pairing Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas is super easy to explain.) You also wonder if the Nuggets should have pressed harder, given the iffy return Phoenix ended up taking.

MIL 119, CLE 124
NOP 117, IND 112
DAL 113, WAS 99
CHA 113, NYK 118
CHI 114, TOR 119
LAC 107, SAS 120
BKN 104, DEN 112
PHI 104, UTA 97
MEM 98, POR 97
OKC 86, SAC 94

Check out Paul Flannery’s five takes from the first 10 games or so of action. I, too, underestimated Ben Simmons.

I also underestimated Kristaps Porzingis’ ability to take over a franchise quickly and seamlessly. Here he is swallowing Cody Zeller’s shot three times on one possession! Here he is smirking and winking after taking Dwight Howard to the cleaners!

Nike won the Giannis sweepstakes.

It sounds like it will be a while yet until Kawhi Leonard is back on the court.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 0-5 against the West.

Hassan Whiteside got benched against the Warriors, and needs some help from his vets.

Yikesville goes international: three UCLA basketball freshmen, including LiAngelo Ball plus two top-50 recruits, were arrested in China on suspicion of shoplifting from a Louis Vuitton store. ESPN reported early Wednesday that they were released on bail. However, it appears the three players have been told to remain in Hangzhou; the rest of the team (and the Ball family) is in Shanghai ahead of Friday’s game against Georgia Tech. LaVar Ball canceled a press conference for Wednesday amid the legal concerns.

Do LeBron’s annual subtweets actually work? Does LeBron even understand how memes work?

Magical Lance Stephenson pass! Too bad T.J. Leaf botched the bucket.

Nine potential first-time All-Stars in the East.

Shouts to the dude Lang Whitaker.

The Cavs got a needed win (thank you Kevin Love), but Giannis Antetokounmpo did add a block on LeBron to his resume.

Lee Jenkins alert: Blake Griffin edition.

Matt Moore makes the case that LeBron is a significant part of the Cavaliers’ defensive problems.

The future of women’s basketball is a 16-year-old Canadian.

Young players all want to be the next LeBron.

Up next: it’s a light Wednesday with just five games. ESPN has Lakers-Celtics (8 p.m. ET) followed by a huge Timberwolves-Warriors showdown (10:30 p.m.). Full schedule here.

And finally: I cannot stop watching Jimmy Butler, wearing two life preservers, capsizing his boat in one foot of water and screaming as though he were dying. From a Sam Alipour adventure via r/nba.

Be excellent to each other.