Bledsoe: To Keep or Shop

[slinslin]

Clearly Bledsoe has lost some credit this season though much of that is probably unfair.

I don't really care much for the turnover explosion but I think that he has not handled frustration well and he has shown that he can't assume the leadership role and is not aggressive enough scoring offensively.

I think the team is poorly constructed which makes it very hard for Bledsoe to perform, we have no shooters at all, poor spacing, poor movement.. these are player and coaching issues.

Bledsoe has clearly shown that a team where he has to be the man, the Lebron if you will, can't be good enough. Bledsoe does not have that mentality to put the team on his back offensively like an Isaiah Thomas had. He does not look comfortable being a scorer.

Keeping or shopping is kind of the question. I feel like Bledsoe would be absolutely amazing if he was the 3rd option on offense and surrounded by 2 bonafide allstar caliber players so that he can focus on doing the things he does well and be more selective offensively.
So based on that keeping him is probably the right call but on the other hand we are so far away from adding 2 players better than Bledsoe, I don't believe we have one on the roster that qualifies.
Brandon Knight is in the same boat as Bledsoe imo.

 

[elindholm]

I think the trade market for Bledsoe would be extremely soft. The Suns have consistently overrated his value; it's very difficult to make the case that he's anything better than an average starting guard in the league. They might as well keep him and hope that he can start to look better if the team improves; otherwise they will be selling low.

 

[JS22]

Shop. Even if they have to sell a little low. Hopefully he can be part of a package to bring in a decent big. Although he and the Wonder twins (potential assault charge) have really killed their value this year. A package including Bledsoe and Markieff looks a lot less enticing than it did at the start of the season.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd be willing to trade Bledsoe or Knight for the right trade which includes a first round pick for the upcoming draft. I think Knight will be the player traded. The Suns need to get bigger in the draft or free agency. The Suns need to keep Wright and add a couple more bigs. Hopefully the Suns can get Bogdan Bogdanovic to come over, keep Green and add another shooter to shore up the backcourt. It looks like the Suns will need to find another PG on the cheap.

 

[JS22]

I'd be willing to trade Bledsoe or Knight for the right trade which includes a first round pick for the upcoming draft. I think Knight will be the player traded. The Suns need to get bigger in the draft or free agency. The Suns need to keep Wright and add a couple more bigs. Hopefully the Suns can get Bogdan Bogdanovic to come over, keep Green and add another shooter to shore up the backcourt. It looks like the Suns will need to find another PG on the cheap.

Knight won't be traded. If so they essentially gave away the Lakers pick for nothing. Since Knight is restricted they wouldn't get much, if anything, back in a trade.

I still think he was brought here so they could shop Bledsoe in the offseason.

 

[SirStefan32]

Suns made their bed and now they have to lay in it. They overrated and overpaid a sixth man combo guard. No sane team is going to give up anything of value for Bledsoe (or Knight, for that matter.)

 

[Cheesebeef]

Suns made their bed and now they have to lay in it. They overrated and overpaid a sixth man combo guard. No sane team is going to give up anything of value for Bledsoe (or Knight, for that matter.)

yup... gotta find the insane team because at this point, it's MUCH tougher to argue the "unfulfilled potential" angle with Bledsoe, especially because his contract is already paying him to be that fulfilled player... and it's pretty dubious that ever happens.

and Knight's got "unfulfilled potential" but jury's out on him and why would a team make a deal when they can try and just sign him outright?

 

[TJ]

You keep Bledsoe and build around him. He's not going to bring anything of substance back with his contract.

I'm also not ready to cut bait on him. I think he played fine this season with all things considered. Once the talent around him gets better and (hopefully) the overall moral of the team improves, his production will improve.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'd be willing to trade Bledsoe or Knight for the right trade which includes a first round pick for the upcoming draft. I think Knight will be the player traded. The Suns need to get bigger in the draft or free agency. The Suns need to keep Wright and add a couple more bigs. Hopefully the Suns can get Bogdan Bogdanovic to come over, keep Green and add another shooter to shore up the backcourt. It looks like the Suns will need to find another PG on the cheap.

Yep. One of them has to go IMO. You can't keep both and keeping making the same mistakes over and over. Like the saying goes, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Bledsoe? I am leaning towards shopping him now. It's really hard to argue he is going to grow much more as a player. I think you know what we have in him. Knight is still a bit of an enigma to me. I think we also know what type of player he is but he has not played with a great cast of supporting players exactly and I still feel like I have not seen enough of him. Although, he might garner some trade value.

 

[slinslin]

I think you guys are WAY overestimating the "they crushed their value". NBA GMs do not look at the Suns this season and think "wow they underachieved they had a terrible season".

 

[slinslin]

Knight won't be traded. If so they essentially gave away the Lakers pick for nothing. Since Knight is restricted they wouldn't get much, if anything, back in a trade.

I still think he was brought here so they could shop Bledsoe in the offseason.

Being restricted is exactly why the Suns could get some value in a sign and trade.

They will match any offer that is for sure. With the cap exploding by like 30% in 2016 it would be incredibly stupid not to match a 2015 max.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think you guys are WAY overestimating the "they crushed their value". NBA GMs do not look at the Suns this season and think "wow they underachieved they had a terrible season".

For me it has nothing to do with them crushing their value. I think it has more to do with the Suns having higher expectations that probably will never pan out. In other words, they are what they are and most of the league probably knows that. I think your best bet is there is some team that thinks they can squeeze something more out of a player. It's seems there is at least always one.

 

[leclerc]

Trade them all except Len, Goodwin and Warren.

 

[Chaplin]

I get the question, but for the life of me I can't come up with a better answer than, "I don't care one way or another."

 

[BC867]

You keep Bledsoe and build around him. He's not going to bring anything of substance back with his contract.

I'm also not ready to cut bait on him. I think he played fine this season with all things considered. Once the talent around him gets better and (hopefully) the overall moral of the team improves, his production will improve.

How do you build around a Point Guard who doesn't fit a role?

He is not a Point Guard making the rest of the team better.

He is not a Shooting Guard.

His defense comes and goes.

He is not a vocal leader nor is he a leader by example.

He is an instant offense/hot & cold defense free spirit who would be the final piece surrounded by a couple of superstars on a strong playoff team.

As we have seen this season, he is not the one to build around. Bledsoe is what he is! I am surprised that LeBron hasn't influenced Cleveland to trade for his little buddy.

 

[sunsfan88]

You keep Bledsoe and build around him. He's not going to bring anything of substance back with his contract.

This is pretty ridiculous. You realize that you just basically said that nobody will really want him because he isn't that good and yet you want the Suns to build around him.

So you want the Suns to build around a player that other teams don't really care for because he isn't that good?

 

[JCSunsfan]

Everyone gets shipped except Warren and Len.

 

[Covert Rain]

Everyone gets shipped except Warren and Len.

I am hearing this more and more. However, I was curious about PG stats. Currently there are only 13 guys in the NBA that average more assists per game than Bledsoe. I realize that is only one part of running an offense as a PG.

Again...have not seen enough of Knight. Just food for thought but who is out there AND AVAILABLE that is better than Bledsoe in terms of PGs? If there are only 13 guys that involve their teammates more (assists).....that doesn't sound good to simply ship him off. Unless we are trading for one of those other guys or hoping to land a "true" PG in the draft.....the prospects to do better than Bledsoe don't look so hot.

Thoughts?

 

[sunsfan88]

I am hearing this more and more. However, I was curious about PG stats. Currently there are only 13 guys in the NBA that average more assists per game than Bledsoe. I realize that is only one part of running an offense as a PG.

Again...have not seen enough of Knight. Just food for thought but who is out there AND AVAILABLE that is better than Bledsoe in terms of PGs? If there are only 13 guys that involve their teammates more (assists).....that doesn't sound good to simply ship him off. Unless we are trading for one of those other guys or hoping to land a "true" PG in the draft.....the prospects to do better than Bledsoe don't look so hot.

Thoughts?

PGs are honestly a dime a dozen. Its the easiest position in the NBA for college players to transition over to in the pros. We can probably find one in the draft or through free agency.

Reggie Jackson will be a FA and with the Pistons, he's averaging 17.7 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds while shooting 44/35/82. He may get overpaid though and I wouldn't overpay for him.

 

[mojorizen7]

Building teams around good/great/elite PG's doesn't work.



This was the year the Suns needed to bottom out in order to go get a legit PF at the top of the draft. They F'd it up.


Keep Len and Warren.

 

[Chaz]

If I could trade him to move up in the draft and get a PF I would do it in a second.

 

[Sunburn]

Yes, please. His turnovers drive me crazy. His defense is overrated. He takes plays off. He's got the charisma/leadership of a rock. He's not a good pg. He can't shoot. His game is solely built on athleticism. Athleticism does not get better after age 25.

 

[Errntknght]

Without some defined overall direction I have trouble deciding about Bled. Assuming Hornacek stays and continues his current course I think Eric will improve very little, hence will never become very effective as a PG. He might do as a sixth man but his salary is too high for that. That makes the best course of action to move him.

On the other hand if we brought in a HC that ran a more conventional NBA offense I believe Eric could improve quite a bit, particularly in the realm of assists and turnovers. A motion type offense probably wouldn't work for him because a lot of his value is attacking the rim on the dribble.

 

[Chaz]

I think Eric's shooting stroke is OK it is his shot selection and decision making that is the problem.
I think he is a good player but, at least for now, he is not a particularly good PG or team leader.

 

[slinslin]

I think Eric's shooting stroke is OK it is his shot selection and decision making that is the problem.
I think he is a good player but, at least for now, he is not a particularly good PG or team leader.

I think this would be a non-issue if Eric Bledsoe was the #3 option unfortunately we don't have 2 players better than him.