Suns, Eric Bledsoe Far Apart In Talks

[Mainstreet]

I know it won't happen and maybe I'm the only one interested, but I'd have loved to see the Suns be able to get Wiggins/Bennett for Bledsoe by being the 4th team in the trade and giving Minn. Bledsoe. Unfortunately we'll not likely get anything near that for him. More likely someone like Larry Sanders (which I know was mentioned earlier today in this thread). It's funny, a few weeks ago I did the same in looking through rosters and kept coming back to the Bucks as out most likely chance of getting a big for Bledsoe. At this point I think we'd have to concider ourselves lucky to get Sanders for him. Hope I'm wrong, but I don't see a team giving us much for him.

Hopefully trade him to an Eastern Conference team on a multi-year contract and get something that can help the Suns in return. If McDonough can do something like the Scola trade, I will be happy.

 

[splitsecond]

I believe this sign and trade stuff is genuine in that, sure we would love to have Kevin Love, but also a bit of a ruse. No one is going to bite on what the Suns will want, and it is going to essentially be a call out of Bledsoe and his amateur hack of an agent as to his real value. But, if someone bites, great we are now an improved team. Its a very cunning move by the front office.

 

[Covert Rain]

If Dragic plays at the same level this coming season as he did last year, the Suns should just max him out. Pretty easy call really.

You think Dragic is a Max player?!?!

 

[elindholm]

You think Dragic is a Max player?!?!

Sure. You can't reserve max salaries for only the top dozen players in the league. Dragic was All-NBA third team and he's in the prime of his career. If he repeats his performance this season, it's a pretty safe bet that someone will offer him the max. Might as well be the Suns.

 

[Covert Rain]

Sure. You can't reserve max salaries for only the top dozen players in the league. Dragic was All-NBA third team and he's in the prime of his career. If he repeats his performance this season, it's a pretty safe bet that someone will offer him the max. Might as well be the Suns.

I think there is just very few players that should be getting the max and I feel like Dragic is simply not in that tier. You might be right though and the market might dictate he is a max player. I would just hate to have that kind of contract on our books for player that IMO is not a franchise player. I guess at the end of the day....you have play the NBA market.

 

[elindholm]

I think there is just very few players that should be getting the max and I feel like Dragic is simply not in that tier.

Well, it's hard to argue "should be," since that brings all sorts of outside questions into play. But put it this way: This season, the 30th highest salary in the league is $14.7 million (James Harden). There is an average of more than one max-territory contract per team. If the Suns are an above-average team, there's nothing out of line with paying their best player max money.

I would just hate to have that kind of contract on our books for player that IMO is not a franchise player.

"Franchise player" is another one of those unquantifiable terms. Dragic is probably top-20 if he can maintain last season's level. If you want a top-20 player, you have to pay for him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think there is just very few players that should be getting the max and I feel like Dragic is simply not in that tier. You might be right though and the market might dictate he is a max player. I would just hate to have that kind of contract on our books for player that IMO is not a franchise player. I guess at the end of the day....you have play the NBA market.

I think you're going to see the cutoff for max player dip even lower in the next few years. I wouldn't be surprised to see it as standard for the top 50 players or so. As for Dragic, he'll get the max from us or someone else.

Steve

 

[Chaz]

Is Dragic UFA or a RFA next year?

Player option for 7.5M.
Aka ufa.

 

[Ronin]

Saw this pop up on google via his wikipedia page.

Eric Bledsoe
Basketball player
Eric Bledsoe is a greedy American professional basketball guard who last played for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association

.

 

[devilalum]

Saw this pop up on google via his wikipedia page.
.

Prolonged negotiations in any sport always seem to elicit this kind of response. To the average guy (like me) turning down 48 mil guaranteed looks greedy.

I try to look at it objectively but its hard. What's the difference between 48 and the 60 or so he could get from another team? More exotic sports cars? More mink lined swimming pools? These guys all hang out in the off season and its a giant pissing contest to see who leads the most ridiculous lifestyle.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I know it won't happen and maybe I'm the only one interested, but I'd have loved to see the Suns be able to get Wiggins/Bennett for Bledsoe by being the 4th team in the trade and giving Minn. Bledsoe. Unfortunately we'll not likely get anything near that for him. More likely someone like Larry Sanders (which I know was mentioned earlier today in this thread). It's funny, a few weeks ago I did the same in looking through rosters and kept coming back to the Bucks as out most likely chance of getting a big for Bledsoe. At this point I think we'd have to concider ourselves lucky to get Sanders for him. Hope I'm wrong, but I don't see a team giving us much for him.

Yup. Why would any team trade anything for Bledsoe right now, when he'll be a FA next season and they can sign him without giving up anything??
Screw Bledsoe and his pathetic agent... The Suns did everything right, including making him an extremely fair offer. Let him play for the QO and then leave... I'm done with the kid. To turn down $48 million when you have already had 2 knee surgeries and now play without a meniscus is beyond selfish and stupid...
What a moron...


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[SirStefan32]

You guys are just being mean. Bledsoe has to feed him family. You don't expect him to be able to do that at $12M per year, do you?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yup. Why would any team trade anything for Bledsoe right now, when he'll be a FA next season and they can sign him without giving up anything??
Screw Bledsoe and his pathetic agent... The Suns did everything right, including making him an extremely fair offer. Let him play for the QO and then leave... I'm done with the kid. To turn down $48 million when you have already had 2 knee surgeries and now play without a meniscus is beyond selfish and stupid...
What a moron...


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This isn't true. A couple of years ago he had a small meniscus tear and they repaired it. A contact injury damaged the repair job so they went in and removed a small portion of the meniscus.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

This isn't true. He had a small meniscus tear and they repaired it. A contact injury damaged the repair job so they went in and removed a small portion of the meniscus.



Steve

I've heard different stories... Either way, he's still beyond selfish, stupid and is a moron...


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[TigToad]

Oh Irony... I was in favor of the max contracts. Looking at it now, since each team will get 1-2 max players, the teams that have the markets to earn additional money or are proven winners will get the 2 max players that matter. Other teams will be in a position where they are 'forced' to max a guy or two to keep them when they couldn't get max from a big market/winning team.

We'd (the Suns) would be better off if guys like Lebron got double what they are making now.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I've heard different stories... Either way, he's still beyond selfish, stupid and is a moron...


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Yes, so have I. I think they all came from the same source. IIRC, it was an article written just before the surgery that was really talking about what might happen rather than a report of what actually happened. But Paul Coro and several other sources have confirmed that he just had a portion of it removed.

As for selfish, stupid and a moron? Why? This is his livelihood. What's wrong with taking advantage of the process that the players and owners collectively bargained for? The Suns are doing the same thing. I'm not thrilled with the way he and his agent are handling things but they aren't as extreme as the over-the-top comments that are being sent that direction from Suns fans. Keep in mind, this isn't a holdout. This is the offseason still.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yes, so have I. I think they all came from the same source. IIRC, it was an article written just before the surgery that was really talking about what might happen rather than a report of what actually happened. But Paul Coro and several other sources have confirmed that he just had a portion of it removed.

As for selfish, stupid and a moron? Why? This is his livelihood. What's wrong with taking advantage of the process that the players and owners collectively bargained for? The Suns are doing the same thing. I'm not thrilled with the way he and his agent are handling things but they aren't as extreme as the over-the-top comments that are being sent that direction from Suns fans. Keep in mind, this isn't a holdout. This is the offseason still.

Steve

I hardly see risking $48 million as "taking advantage of the process"... And not sure how you see my comments as extreme? Bledsoe has been roundly viewed and valued by every so-called expert as a non-Max player. Seriously, you're a smart guy... What had he done to even begin to be considered in a Max conversation?? It's hilariously pathetic actually...
He has had two surgeries and has yet to play more than 1/2 a season in his career.... C'mon man... It's laughable... And sad. And pathetic... I don't wish any ill will toward the kid, but to cough up a guaranteed $48 million and try to play your way into a Max deal next season?? Wow....


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[AzStevenCal]

I hardly see risking $48 million as "taking advantage of the process"... And not sure how you see my comments as extreme? Bledsoe has been roundly viewed and valued by every so-called expert as a non-Max player. Seriously, you're a smart guy... What had he done to even begin to be considered in a Max conversation?? It's hilariously pathetic actually...
He has had two surgeries and has yet to play more than 1/2 a season in his career.... C'mon man... It's laughable... And sad. And pathetic... I don't wish any ill will toward the kid, but to cough up a guaranteed $48 million and try to play your way into a Max deal next season?? Wow....


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Because you've just called a man you've never met "selfish, stupid and a moron". And the process I'm referring to is pretty obvious. You start negotiating and then you eventually finish negotiating. They collectively bargained for the right to do this and a period in which to do it in and we are still in this period. Judging him for wanting to maximize his earnings and taking his time during this process is absurd IMO and grossly unfair.

How much should he have asked for? Many credible analysts consider him a top level star in the making and there are stats to suggest he is already a max player (when he plays). The only only reason a max contract is in dispute is because of his injury history. There are plenty of teams that would love to have him at 12 million (opinion) but he's not just going to cost another team a lot of money, he'll cost them a lot of assets too.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

Because you've just called a man you've never met "selfish, stupid and a moron". And the process I'm referring to is pretty obvious. You start negotiating and then you eventually finish negotiating. They collectively bargained for the right to do this and a period in which to do it in and we are still in this period. Judging him for wanting to maximize his earnings and taking his time during this process is absurd IMO and grossly unfair.

How much should he have asked for? Many credible analysts consider him a top level star in the making and there are stats to suggest he is already a max player (when he plays). The only only reason a max contract is in dispute is because of his injury history. There are plenty of teams that would love to have him at 12 million (opinion) but he's not just going to cost another team a lot of money, he'll cost them a lot of assets too.

Steve

Yep... When a player hasn't done a thing to earn Max consideration, and then turns down $48 million, when no other team in the league has attempted to offer more, I'll let my comments stand...



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[AzStevenCal]

Yep... When a player hasn't done a thing to earn Max consideration, and then turns down $48 million, when no other team in the league has attempted to offer more, I'll let my comments stand...

Again, it isn't just the money. We have made it clear that we will match and reportedly that chased away at least two suitors who were willing to pay more money than we offered.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

Again, it isn't just the money. We have made it clear that we will match and reportedly that chased away at least two suitors who were willing to pay more money than we offered.

Steve

I haven't heard that rumor. But if true, why wouldn't Bledsoe attempt to use the fact that two other teams would've paid him more, to further negotiate and get more from the Suns? Heck, Sarver has said he is willing to continue the negotiations....


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[AzStevenCal]

I haven't heard that rumor. But if true, why wouldn't Bledsoe attempt to use the fact that two other teams would've paid him more, to further negotiate and get more from the Suns? Heck, Sarver has said he is willing to continue the negotiations....

My opinion is that his agent really stepped into it and is trying to come out smelling better than he should. The talk around the league early in the season was that Bledsoe would go for max dollars. His injury in addition to the fact he really doesn't have much playing history to be judged by put a dent in that market. Then, to top it off, Lowry, Stephenson and Isaiah Thomas all signed for far more reasonable contracts than expected.

Those reasonable deals bolster our position but the Bledsoe camp, I'm sure, has chosen to focus on Parsons, Hayward and Irving. It's not a stretch to say that Bledsoe is now or soon will be better than any of those three and they are all getting far more than we are offering Eric. I think Paul is trying the only thing left for him. He's hoping that time will erase his mistake. Drag this out long enough and maybe someone will come up needing a star point guard or maybe enough unhappy Suns fans will convince Sarver and company to raise their offer?

But as I've said before, neither side is up against a deadline and until that happens, most of the information we receive will be spin from one side or the other.

Steve

 

[devilalum]

You guys are just being mean. Bledsoe has to feed him family. You don't expect him to be able to do that at $12M per year, do you?

Funny you bring that up. Sprewell made that comment because he felt disrespected by the $85 million offer he received. He turned it down and ended up making about $8 million for the remainder of his career.

 

[devilalum]

Since no other team can offer Bledsoe more than about 4/65 why is he demanding 5/85 from the Suns?

If the Suns could go back in time they should have told everybody they would NOT match even a medium sized contract then matched whatever offer he received.

Going out of their way to tell everybody they would match seems to have been a really bad move. All it did was piss everybody off.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Since no other team can offer Bledsoe more than about 4/65 why is he demanding 5/85 from the Suns?

If the Suns could go back in time they should have told everybody they would NOT match even a medium sized contract then matched whatever offer he received.

Going out of their way to tell everybody they would match seems to have been a really bad move. All it did was piss everybody off.

Yup. I have been saying this for a while. It would have been better to draw out an offer and match it, rather than discourage all offers.