Rumor: Bledsoe trade to Lakers

[AzStevenCal]

I want to keep Bledsoe but not for an 80M dollar maximum. Let's sign Bledsoe for an amount the Suns can afford to keep Dragic as well. As I view it, talking about sign and trades is just exploring all the options.

I'd pay the 80 if that's what it took but I think his agent is delusional right now. He's a better player than Kyrie and Hayward, IMO, and I'm sure that's his arguing point for the 80. But his value isn't much different than Lowry's, especially given the fact he's only started for half a season. If some other team offers him the max, then we match it. But until then, we stick with our reasonable offer and let it play out. There's no real rush right now.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I see no problem and yes they can keep both going forward as long as both are willing to sign on the dotted line. I have no idea what you are talking about with making a run this season, I think I was very clear that I absolutely do not believe such a thing. Of course you would choose Dragic and based on what I've read from you repeatedly is because you are in the corner that needs to be reassured that Bledsoe loves you. Just kidding, but really that's how I view this nonsense that he has never made it clear to FANS that he wants to be in Phoenix. I would bet money that the FO knows his position and feelings on the matter. So what if he doesn't give you fans the warm fuzzies. It's such a ridiculous notion IMO that I cringe every time I see you guys say it. Of course you are welcome to feel anyway you wish and you can choose Dragic over Bledsoe for whatever reasons you come up with, but while I really like Dragic and want him to retire a Sun, IF I had to choose, I go with the younger and equal talent. I believe Bledsoe will continue to improve, but at 29 I'm guessing Dragic has peaked or at least is very close to his peak. Like I said though, I want to keep both and think it's nonsense to break them up.

I was probably unclear. I definitely do not want to misstate your position. I was referring that after this coming season, Dragic has a player option for 2015/16. That's why I said if the Suns want to make a championship run with both players it might have to happen this season. I think we can agree this is unlikely to happen. We disagree on which player to keep, Dragic or Bledsoe. That is fine.

Yes, I am in the camp that questions does Bledsoe love the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd pay the 80 if that's what it took but I think his agent is delusional right now. He's a better player than Kyrie and Hayward, IMO, and I'm sure that's his arguing point for the 80. But his value isn't much different than Lowry's, especially given the fact he's only started for half a season. If some other team offers him the max, then we match it. But until then, we stick with our reasonable offer and let it play out. There's no real rush right now.

Steve

I like a man that makes a stand.

However, for this amount, I would be looking for a sign and trade.

 

[Covert Rain]

It astounds me that so many posters are fine with the idea of breaking up the Dragic/Bledsoe pairing. With both on the court we won 66% of our games, thats among the top 7 teams in the league, and that was with a very poor front court.

The only way I'd let either of them go is if we're getting an all-star caliber big man (and Love is the only one available) OR we've decided to blow it up and start over.

I think maybe people are being realistic about the long term prospects of playing 2 PG's in the starting lineup. I mean, I get we won a bunch of games but I can't think of one example where starting two PG's led to long term success or repeated playoff success.

I would personally like to keep both but get a pure SG on the team with Dragic backing up Bledsoe when he goes to the bench or the SG on the team. It would maximize Dragic's playing time without going down the two PG avenue.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think maybe people are being realistic about the long term prospects of playing 2 PG's in the starting lineup. I mean, I get we won a bunch of games but I can't think of one example where starting two PG's led to long term success or repeated playoff success.

I would personally like to keep both but get a pure SG on the team with Dragic backing up Bledsoe when he goes to the bench or the SG on the team. It would maximize Dragic's playing time without going down the two PG avenue.

And those of us that think this is hogwash, such as Jeff Hornacek, the current Utah head coach and a few of us here are what? Unrealistic? If you looked around the league last year you'd see we weren't the only team that went this direction. And we don't play two point guards. Neither Goran nor Eric are ideal point guards, Dragic is definitely a combo guard and Bledsoe is simply a basketball player. He kind of defies description.

Steve

 

[desertdawg]

Hornacek and the Suns got all these guards, have talked about a small up tempo style of ball, we put too many miles on the Dragon and Bledsoe so we have more to come in. When did all of this change?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hornacek and the Suns got all these guards, have talked about a small up tempo style of ball, we put too many miles on the Dragon and Bledsoe so we have more to come in. When did all of this change?

I'm not really sure what you're asking here. I don't remember Jeff ever saying anything about playing small. Goran and Eric aren't really undersized. Eric is physically strong and has a 6'7 wingspan and Goran is 6'4 and matches up well with most shooting guards. Jeff seems to want guards that can set up an offense in addition to being a threat to score on their own. But our biggest advantage with those two was probably on defense.

Steve

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The problem is, can the Suns keep both going forward? I think the answer is no unless you think the Suns can make a champioship run this coming season. If I had to put all my eggs in one basket, I would chose Dragic. Perhaps Bledsoe might be the better option (I don't know) but if I had to chose one, it would be Dragic.

The suns can afford to pay both IMO. The salary cap is expected to increase to 80 mil in a couple years and though it might hamper our cap room for a year or so it would be completely fine to have around 35 mil spent on Dragic, Bledsoe and Thomas because that would still be lees than half of our cap.

Edit: Also all 3 contracts would be very tradeable under the higher salary cap and they would also still have enough to spend for 2 max to near max players.

 

[PhxGametime]

I vote to keep Eric Bledsoe!! Monroe - I won't vote either way and trust McD. Bledsoe hopefully will be back though...

 

[mojorizen7]

I am in agreement with you two gentlemen as well. I would just add that Goran is not only the Suns best player (by far), but he also genuinely loves the organization and the city. For God's sake, he came back after the Suns sent him to the Rockets.

We discarded him once already to make room for Nashball 2.0. It pissed me off too. We were lucky to get Goran back.
He is the one player on this roster we need to keep for the next 10 years IMO.

Bledsoe is like the NFL's Percy Harvin. Everyone gives him a pass for being absent as long as he's amazing when he does show up.
F that.

 

[sunsfan88]

And those of us that think this is hogwash, such as Jeff Hornacek, the current Utah head coach and a few of us here are what? Unrealistic? If you looked around the league last year you'd see we weren't the only team that went this direction. And we don't play two point guards. Neither Goran nor Eric are ideal point guards, Dragic is definitely a combo guard and Bledsoe is simply a basketball player. He kind of defies description.

Steve

Exum is an extremely athletic and long 6-7 guard, big difference imo.

If you have a PG like Exum, Livingston or MCW then that's a different story.

 

[SirStefan32]

And those of us that think this is hogwash, such as Jeff Hornacek, the current Utah head coach and a few of us here are what? Unrealistic? If you looked around the league last year you'd see we weren't the only team that went this direction. And we don't play two point guards. Neither Goran nor Eric are ideal point guards, Dragic is definitely a combo guard and Bledsoe is simply a basketball player. He kind of defies description.

Steve

I am amazed by how fans attribute mythical attributes to Bledsoe. "He defies description." He does not defy description. He is an often-hurt, undersized shooting guard that can't shoot or generate offense for other people. That's all that Bledsoe is. He is very easy to describe, and he defies nothing.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am amazed by how fans attribute mythical attributes to Bledsoe. "He defies description." He does not defy description. He is an often-hurt, undersized shooting guard that can't shoot or generate offense for other people. That's all that Bledsoe is. He is very easy to describe, and he defies nothing.

We win 66% of our games when he's healthy. We win 50% of our games when he isn't. Call it what you like, he makes us better. And the undersized thing is a joke. When have you (or the other poster who keeps calling him undersized) ever seen him be taken advantage of because of his height? He is shorter than average for his position but he is hardly undersized. He is stronger and longer than most of his opponents. Size is more than height.

I'll leave the medical up to the medical people.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I'm not really sure what you're asking here. I don't remember Jeff ever saying anything about playing small.

He referred to it to the Press a few weeks ago by mentioning (exaggerated) the Suns having five Point Guards when the Press mentioned him having four.

 

[Mainstreet]

The suns can afford to pay both IMO. The salary cap is expected to increase to 80 mil in a couple years and though it might hamper our cap room for a year or so it would be completely fine to have around 35 mil spent on Dragic, Bledsoe and Thomas because that would still be lees than half of our cap.

Edit: Also all 3 contracts would be very tradeable under the higher salary cap and they would also still have enough to spend for 2 max to near max players.

I think one way to look at it, whatever the Suns pay Bledsoe per season under a new contract is what they should expect to pay Dragic per season when he signs a new contract.

 

[Chaplin]

He referred to it to the Press a few weeks ago by mentioning (exaggerated) the Suns having five Point Guards when the Press mentioned him having four.

Well, that's pretty damn far from policy, isn't it? Hornacek makes a joke, and everyone jumps on it like it's the new direction of the team.

 

[KloD]

Well, that's pretty damn far from policy, isn't it? Hornacek makes a joke, and everyone jumps on it like it's the new direction of the team.

I believe the accurate description is that he makes an obvious joke and those who insist it's the direction of the team use a joke as "evidence" to support their claim. Which of course is just another joke, but one they don't get.

 

[Matt L]

KTAR reported this morning that there is a press conference scheduled today and speculated that it is regarding the Laker's sign and trade deal, but i just read from SB Nation that the Suns have repeatedly refuted the trade rumor.

Bummer

 

[Chaplin]

KTAR reported this morning that there is a press conference scheduled today and speculated that it is regarding the Laker's sign and trade deal, but i just read from SB Nation that the Suns have repeatedly refuted the trade rumor.

Bummer

Moronic, it's for introducing Tolliver and Thomas. That is horrible reporting.

 

[KloD]

Moronic, it's for introducing Tolliver and Thomas. That is horrible reporting.

Exactly. How ridiculous for them to speculate. Has it ever been a surprise what those press conferences are for? We always know a few days at least in advance what they are about because the trade/signing are always very reported on. The last thing is the team holding a press conference to introduce the player(s). I can't think of one instance where they had a press conference and shocked anyone by announcing something that wasn't already widely reported on.

 

[Covert Rain]

And those of us that think this is hogwash, such as Jeff Hornacek, the current Utah head coach and a few of us here are what? Unrealistic? If you looked around the league last year you'd see we weren't the only team that went this direction. And we don't play two point guards. Neither Goran nor Eric are ideal point guards, Dragic is definitely a combo guard and Bledsoe is simply a basketball player. He kind of defies description.

Steve

History says it's incredibly unrealistic. I guess you could argue there is a first time for everything. Also, just because Hornacek runs this lineup doesn't mean he buys into the prospective long term success. He could just be going with what he has.

Maybe I am wrong but I can't think of one example of long term success in this league with two PG's in the starting lineup.

 

[Phrazbit]

I am amazed by how fans attribute mythical attributes to Bledsoe. "He defies description." He does not defy description. He is an often-hurt, undersized shooting guard that can't shoot or generate offense for other people. That's all that Bledsoe is. He is very easy to describe, and he defies nothing.

Geez, you'd been more guarded in your strange hate of Bledsoe lately but not here... you really let fly.

An "undersized" sg who cant shoot or generate offense... yet the Suns are make a huge leap whenever he is in the game. So... either you're absolutely wrong about his skill set or you're absolutely wrong that he "defies nothing".

I'd go with both. First off, he can't shoot? 48% from the field, 36% from 3? Thats a guy who can't shoot? Not everyone can be Curry out there but Bledsoe is well above average as a shooter. Among starting PGs he trails only Curry, Paul and Calderon in TS%. He is ahead of Lillard, Lowry, Parker and every other starting PG in the league. But I suppose none of them can shoot either.

If you insist on calling him a SG (even though he logged virtually all his minutes at the point), he has a better TS% than Affalo, Stephenson, Klay Thompson, Kevin Martin... ect ect ect.

And he does not generate offense for other people? Here we are with 2 guards, only .4 apart in assists per game, both of them score first guys, you'd think it must have really hurt the guys around them... but oh... whats this, basically every guy on the team had a career year offensively. I suppose thats ALL on Dragic though, his 5.9 assists per game are the mark of a guy who makes everyone around him better, while Bledsoe's 5.5 are a clear sign of a player who makes people worse.

 

[elindholm]

First off, he can't shoot? 48% from the field, 36% from 3? Thats a guy who can't shoot? Not everyone can be Curry out there but Bledsoe is well above average as a shooter. Among starting PGs he trails only Curry, Paul and Calderon in TS%. He is ahead of Lillard, Lowry, Parker and every other starting PG in the league.

That doesn't sound right about Parker. Are you using his career numbers? Parker has developed into a much better shooter than Bledsoe is currently.

 

[Sci Fi]

History says it's incredibly unrealistic. I guess you could argue there is a first time for everything. Also, just because Hornacek runs this lineup doesn't mean he buys into the prospective long term success. He could just be going with what he has.

Maybe I am wrong but I can't think of one example of long term success in this league with two PG's in the starting lineup.

Dumars and Thomas.

 

[Covert Rain]

Dumars and Thomas.

Dumars had ability to play both but I think he was widely regarded as a SG. I would be curios to see his effectiveness stats at both though. By the way I am not saying there are no players in the history of the NBA that couldn't play both positions. Even if the argument can be made he was a "true" PG that would be an exception and not the rule.