Bledsoe Contract: 5 Years, $70 million

[SO91]

Since you've been saying that for a year now, how much longer will you keep believing it if no trade of significance materializes? We heard the same thing leading up to last season's trade deadline and then again around the draft. I'm all for being patient, but it's hard to have faith in the value of all of these "assets" when the rest of the league keeps collectively turning up their noses at them.

Not saying it's the exact same situation and I have no idea if the Suns are doing the same, but Houston did this for a while before they were able to pull off a big-time trade.

 

[FutureSuperstar]

Ennis and Goodwin traded. Dragic not signed. Green not signed. Bledsoe traded.

I hope you posted the choices in no particular order.

I prefer: (1) Bledsoe traded. (2) Green not signed. (3) Ennis traded. (4) Goodwin traded. (Last) Dragic not signed.

It was in no order, and I basically agree with your order. Dragic must be signed. I also think next offseason - IF Bledsoe has a great year and stays healthy, Bledsoe can/should be traded (Combined w/ the Lakers Lottery Pick ... THAT is the way to get a major star player!)

 

[Mainstreet]

Since you've been saying that for a year now, how much longer will you keep believing it if no trade of significance materializes? We heard the same thing leading up to last season's trade deadline and then again around the draft. I'm all for being patient, but it's hard to have faith in the value of all of these "assets" when the rest of the league keeps collectively turning up their noses at them.

The key to making a quality trade is patience, assets and opportunity. Other teams know the players the Suns have on their roster and when the time comes the Suns will be ready. I think the Suns have done a good job of collecting marketable players on reasonable contracts. The time will come and I am willing to wait. However, I think McDonough already has a plan in mind. We shall see.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

There are only 96 minutes between the two guard positions. Unless you're going with a three-guard lineup quite often, there's a huge logjam, and yet the Suns keep bringing more and more guards aboard.

I'm fine with having 2 of the 3 on the court at all times, considering the lack of talent at the 2 guard position league-wide, and the fact that Goran/Bledsoe can handle most 2's defensively.

I also can't see why we'd try to bring Zoran on board, outside of appeasing Goran.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

IMO Green is the guy who's minutes suffer the most because of this, and I'm fine with that. I've never been wild about Gerald Green, offensively he is almost as likely to hurt you as help you, and defensively he always hurts you.

I think Green is on the chopping block. If Warren is solid early then Green's minutes will erode rapidly. I expect him to get traded, maybe before the season even starts.

It's likely that Green will get most of his minutes at the 3 at this point. I expect Warren to play some 4 as well.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Not really. He got less than what he wanted, and made his client look like a whiny child in the process. I mean Lebron freaking James weighed in on the negotiations at one point.

Sorry... But Just yesterday NO ONE thought he'd get anywhere close to 70 or 5 years. Most people were saying 48/4 was the absolute best he could hope for... Maybe 52/4. 70/5 is a hell of a lot better then anyone here expected him to get and I'm pretty sure Bledsoe could care less what this message board thinks of him as a whiny child.

 

[hcsilla]

I'm all for being patient, but it's hard to have faith in the value of all of these "assets" when the rest of the league keeps collectively turning up their noses at them.

The league did not when Gortat, Scola and Dudley were traded.

 

[SO91]

Sorry... But Just yesterday NO ONE thought he'd get anywhere close to 70 or 5 years. Most people were saying 48/4 was the absolute best he could hope for... Maybe 52/4. 70/5 is a hell of a lot better then anyone here expected him to get and I'm pretty sure Bledsoe could care less what this message board thinks of him as a whiny child.

I wasn't expecting that 5th year, and no options whatsoever is definitely surprising, but the per year money is not hard to swallow. This deal doesn't really put to bed the notion of Rich Paul being a rube, as you put it. He could have negotiated this exact deal 2 months ago. We kept hearing about the lack of negotiation from Bledsoe's camp, and how much the Suns wanted to meet to get a deal done. PHX publicly stated they were willing to negotiate up from the 4/48 initial offer. Rich Paul finally comes to the table to talk and it gets done in what, a day? Super agent right there. The Suns will pay 2M more per year, and Rich Paul got 2M less per year than he wanted.

As for Bledsoe not caring what people on this board, or any other board think of him, you're right. Hell for $70M for 5 years I wouldn't give a damn either

 

[Mainstreet]

I think most posters had given up on the Suns signing Bledsoe to a five year contract as he appeared to want the max on a 4 year contract with the Wolves. The Suns were not going to give him the max on a 5 year contract. It all seemed to be about the max until Paul and Bledsoe sat down at the table. Then it seemed to all boil down to getting the most money possible.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

With the new TV deal, I think we'll be glad to have Bled on the books for another year, esp at age 29.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's a little more than I expected but I've said all along that I didn't think we could actually overpay him (barring injury). If it's 5 years and 14 per with no options, I think that's a win for both sides. It's nice to not have that player option but I'd say we probably paid a premium to get there.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I gotta assume McD has a plan to trade Bledsour sometime this season before his next broken down ass isn't tradeable. Not worth the gamble. He wont last the year guaranteed. Rather have mighty midget Thomas running with Goran. Wont be a lot of defense played but all the points scored would be fun to watch.

"Won't be a lot of defense played but all of the points scored would be fun to watch."? Honestly now, did Mike D'Antoni write that for you? Or are you Mickey D posting under an assumed name?

He must be laughing like hell at this talk of three Point Guards on the floor for the Suns.

 

[elindholm]

I'm fine with having 2 of the 3 on the court at all times, considering the lack of talent at the 2 guard position league-wide, and the fact that Goran/Bledsoe can handle most 2's defensively.

Fair enough, but then that means no time for Goodwin, and a crunch at SF with Green, Tucker, and at least one Morris.

 

[BC867]

Fair enough, but then that means no time for Goodwin, and a crunch at SF with Green, Tucker, and at least one Morris.

Knowing the Suns, they are probably going to trade Goodwin (or keep him at the end of the bench), play Kieff a lot at Center and Marcus a lot at Power Forward. Our 4-3-1-1-1 vs their 5-4-3-2-1.

Oh, if only the NBA could alternate teams on offense and defense like the NFL. After a made basket or rebound, blow the whistle for five substitutions. If the Suns had five substitutions for defense.

 

[Mainstreet]

John Gambadoro ‏@Gambo987

The Bledsoe signing will not affect the Suns ability to resign Goran Dragic next season

It's nice to see Gambo tweeting this. I hope the Suns are intent on keeping both.

https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/514916813483020288

 

[BC867]

Could this be the Suns poster for the 2014-15 season (for those of you old enough to remember Charles Atlas advertisements)?

 

[82CardsGrad]

Sorry... But Just yesterday NO ONE thought he'd get anywhere close to 70 or 5 years. Most people were saying 48/4 was the absolute best he could hope for... Maybe 52/4. 70/5 is a hell of a lot better then anyone here expected him to get and I'm pretty sure Bledsoe could care less what this message board thinks of him as a whiny child.

Spot on. I was one of the many who were convinced Bledsoe wouldn't see anything close to this type of $$ and years...
His agent is still a professional hack as I have no doubt that had he sat down with the Suns months ago, this same deal would've been reached...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JCSunsfan]

So to recap the off season:

Spin wheels waiting for Lebron to reject us.

Spin wheels watching Kevin Love sail out of reach.

Bid against ourselves for an injury-plagued guy at a position already overloaded on the roster.

#championship

And you hate Santa Claus because he is fat.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Sorry... But Just yesterday NO ONE thought he'd get anywhere close to 70 or 5 years. Most people were saying 48/4 was the absolute best he could hope for... Maybe 52/4. 70/5 is a hell of a lot better then anyone here expected him to get and I'm pretty sure Bledsoe could care less what this message board thinks of him as a whiny child.

I don't think anyone was really thinking about 5 years. I think I speculated at 4/54 or $13.5 million per. He got 5/70 or $14 per season. Its really not that much different. It is also much less than the $15.7 million per year that the Suns thought they might have to match.

If Rich Paul had shown up on the first day of free agency with this offer, the Suns would have taken it. It would have been considered a 1.8 million home team discount.

Its more than I would have hoped, but it always is.

I wonder if they are going to trade Ennis.

 

[BC867]

And you hate Santa Claus because he is fat.

'Interesting comparison. A pretend gift-giver with flying reindeer presented to impressionable children as being real.

Yup, sounds like the Suns roster.

 

[Chaz]

I have to wonder if the perception would be different if it was 4/56.

 

[elindholm]

I have to wonder if the perception would be different if it was 4/56.

Yes, because of Bledsoe's health. If he's going to average only 40 games a season, that fifth year is really going to be painful.

 

[crisper57]

And you hate Santa Claus because he is fat.

Entering the off-season the Suns had all sorts of flexibility. Young players. Tons of Cap space. Lots to draft picks. We were going to package those to land a big name.
Now we ended the off-season bidding against ourselves for a guy already under our control.

Is this team any better than the one that we put on the court last year?

 

[SirStefan32]

I have to wonder if the perception would be different if it was 4/56.

I'd prefer a four year contract, of course. Bledsoe has "Penny Hardaway" written all over him, so I'd prefer team be financially crippled for four years instead of five. If I am wrong and he stays healthy (Oh how I hope I am wrong!), then five years is a better option.
I am hoping that the cap increases so that $14M per year recovering from injuries doesn't hurt as much.

But, either way- it's not a terrible contract, so it could have been a lot worse.

 

[Mainstreet]

A team option would have been nice on the 5th season but it is what it is. Both sides left out options which likely helped the agreement to get done.