Suns, Eric Bledsoe Far Apart In Talks

[Jay Cardinal]

How about any positive feedback about the Suns. This is not court and taking the 5th amendment.

Very true. Best thing I can say about it is that he doesn't appear to be the most vocal player. If Charles Barkley was quiet for more than a day or two I would be worried about him, Bledsoe not so much. I still think the agent is telling him to remain silent as to not destroy any negotiating leverage with other teams.

 

[Griffin]

The money his agent is looking for is just ridiculous for a player who is half a season removed from being a backup point guard, and who, in that half a season, hasn't really improved to a level that would indicate he is on the cusp of becoming a perennial all-star (like, say, Harden was in his final year in OKC).

Should Bledsoe decide to gamble and take the qualifying offer, a lot of things would have to go right for him this season to get a bigger offer next summer. He would not only have to stay healthy for the whole year, but also improve his numbers while sharing a more crowded backcourt.

The Suns already have a replacement in hand so they may not offer much more than they have already offered. But I would add performance-based incentives like making all-star, all-nba, etc. If the guy really thinks he deserves more, let him earn it that way.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The money his agent is looking for is just ridiculous for a player who is half a season removed from being a backup point guard, and who, in that half a season, hasn't really improved to a level that would indicate he is on the cusp of becoming a perennial all-star (like, say, Harden was in his final year in OKC).

Should Bledsoe decide to gamble and take the qualifying offer, a lot of things would have to go right for him this season to get a bigger offer next summer. He would not only have to stay healthy for the whole year, but also improve his numbers while sharing a more crowded backcourt.

The Suns already have a replacement in hand so they may not offer much more than they have already offered. But I would add performance-based incentives like making all-star, all-nba, etc. If the guy really thinks he deserves more, let him earn it that way.

I would disagree with this. If I could choose between Eric healthy or Harden healthy I'd take Eric easily. Harden is a better offensive weapon but he's not very efficient. He has a solid edge on offense but it pales in comparison to the defensive edge in Bledsoe's favor. I have no problem giving Bledsoe the max contract if we can count on him replicating just the performance he gave us for half a season. And I expect him to get much better. The injury risk is the only issue AFAIC.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

How about an offer like 4 years at 55 million dollars to break the road block.

 

[KloD]

I would disagree with this. If I could choose between Eric healthy or Harden healthy I'd take Eric easily. Harden is a better offensive weapon but he's not very efficient. He has a solid edge on offense but it pales in comparison to the defensive edge in Bledsoe's favor. I have no problem giving Bledsoe the max contract if we can count on him replicating just the performance he gave us for half a season. And I expect him to get much better. The injury risk is the only issue AFAIC.

Steve

Yeah, but if we have to lose Bledsoe I'd take a swap of him for Harden and be happy about it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, but if we have to lose Bledsoe I'd take a swap of him for Harden and be happy about it.

Well, I'd take it and then I'd trade Harden. I just don't believe you can win big with James as your star. And I'm so tired of players that give no effort at all on defense. But yes, it's probably more value than we could reasonably hope for if we're forced to do a sign and trade. There are a lot of teams that would love to have Harden although I think his 2013-2014 performance (especially postseason) has damaged his league appeal.

All that said, I could see Harden going to Chicago and becoming the best shooting guard in the league (by a wide margin). He played decent defense for OKC and he was a true team player while he was there. But the Harden that runs loose in Houston does nothing for me.

Steve

 

[Chaplin]

How about an offer like 4 years at 55 million dollars to break the road block.

My guess is that is where the deal will end up.

 

[Suns_fan69]

I wonder if the Suns have looked into throwing some minimum games played incentives in there to sweeten the pot. IE, 12M per year but if he plays 75 games or more he gets 15M...

Could be another way to protect themselves from injuries...

 

[Mainstreet]

Per an article by Chris Bernucca dated 7-18-14, Chris Sheridan thinks Bledsoe will take the qualifying offer and become a free agent. See link below.

SHERIDAN: It will be tough for Bledsoe to leave $48 million on the table, but this is a guy who can be a max player one year from now, and the Lakers will be flush with cap room along with a need for a point guard to supplant Jeremy Lin as the starter for the long-term. Next year’s free agent class is nothing like this year’s free agent class, and Bledsoe can be No. 1 or No. 2 on the list if he can find a way to produce decent numbers in Phoenix despite its point guard glut. So I think he will take the qualifying offer.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/07/18/three-man-weave-western-conference-burning-questions/

 

[95pro]

Well, I'd take it and then I'd trade Harden. I just don't believe you can win big with James as your star. And I'm so tired of players that give no effort at all on defense. But yes, it's probably more value than we could reasonably hope for if we're forced to do a sign and trade. There are a lot of teams that would love to have Harden although I think his 2013-2014 performance (especially postseason) has damaged his league appeal.

All that said, I could see Harden going to Chicago and becoming the best shooting guard in the league (by a wide margin). He played decent defense for OKC and he was a true team player while he was there. But the Harden that runs loose in Houston does nothing for me.

Steve

I like 6th man Harden as well but not for starting pay salary.

 

[95pro]

Per an article by Chris Bernucca dated 7-18-14, Chris Sheridan thinks Bledsoe will take the qualifying offer and become a free agent. See link below.



http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/07/18/three-man-weave-western-conference-burning-questions/

I just don't understand the hype around Bledsoe, thinking that he's max money worthy

 

[Mainstreet]

I just don't understand the hype around Bledsoe, thinking that he's max money worthy

If Bledsoe chooses to take the qualifying offer, it might prove risky as he is putting all his eggs in one basket... this coming season. I would try to entice the Suns to up their offer and go for a max offer when he is 28.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I just don't understand the hype around Bledsoe, thinking that he's max money worthy

Look at his defensive stats. I know it's flawed but look at ESPN's defensive rating system. They have Bledsoe leading all point guards with a 3.96 DRPM. The next closest is at 2.46. That's a huge difference. Of course, it loses a little value when you see that it's Rubio in second place but the next half a dozen on the list are consistent with general opinion.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

If Bledsoe chooses to take the qualifying offer, it might prove risky as he is putting all his eggs in one basket... this coming season. I would try to entice the Suns to up their offer and go for a max offer when he is 28.

It's risky and he then has to make back the 9 million or so he's giving up in this year. His agent has to be pushing for this, I can't see it making much sense from the player's perspective.

Steve

 

[BC867]

The injury risk is the only issue AFAIC.

If we could count on Bledsoe's defense in the backcourt for anywhere near a full season, while he develops his offense . . . well, I dunno. I am still not comfortable encouraging a three Point Guard lineup.

But, you're right. His injury history is indeed an issue.

Like the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (I never knew it was spelled that way), I think he is the Suns' albatross. The sooner he moves on, the better.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If we could count on Bledsoe's defense in the backcourt for anywhere near a full season, while he develops his offense . . . well, I dunno. I am still not comfortable encouraging a three Point Guard lineup.

But, you're right. His injury history is indeed an issue.

Like the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (I never knew it was spelled that way), I think he is the Suns' albatross. The sooner he moves on, the better.

Neither am I but I don't see that on the horizon. We might see it occasionally but I can't see it succeeding for more than a few minutes at a time.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

Per an article by Chris Bernucca dated 7-18-14, Chris Sheridan thinks Bledsoe will take the qualifying offer and become a free agent.

Wow. This would be an enormously bad idea. Not only would he be counting on staying healthy, he'd be needing the Suns to feature him in a way they're unlikely to do if they think he's leaving. If this is true, either Bledsoe or his agent is pretty stupid. Or both.

 

[devilalum]

Wow. This would be an enormously bad idea. Not only would he be counting on staying healthy, he'd be needing the Suns to feature him in a way they're unlikely to do if they think he's leaving. If this is true, either Bledsoe or his agent is pretty stupid. Or both.

No way Hornacek limits his minutes because of a contract dispute. He'll be the starting PG as long as he's healthy.

One thing that was encouraging last season was that after he came back from the injury he was more conservative and played closer to the ground but still put up the same numbers. He's not crazy reckless like KJ and the current rules help. If his knee isn't chronic I could see him staying healthy.

 

[Superbone]

Like the Rime of the Ancient Mariner (I never knew it was spelled that way), I think he is the Suns' albatross. The sooner he moves on, the better.

rime (noun)
1. frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in cloud or fog.

 

[elindholm]

No way Hornacek limits his minutes because of a contract dispute. He'll be the starting PG as long as he's healthy.

That's not really what I meant. He'll get minutes, but will he really be "the" point guard? The relationship between Bledsoe and Dragic was already unclear; now that Thomas has been added, there's even more room for confusion.

Bledsoe often sat on the bench for long stretches in the fourth quarter toward the end of last season; he was not reliably part of the closing lineup. Position him as a likely departing free agent, and I think the important occasions on which his number mysteriously doesn't get called will become even more frequent.

 

[KloD]

That's not really what I meant. He'll get minutes, but will he really be "the" point guard? The relationship between Bledsoe and Dragic was already unclear; now that Thomas has been added, there's even more room for confusion.

Bledsoe often sat on the bench for long stretches in the fourth quarter toward the end of last season; he was not reliably part of the closing lineup. Position him as a likely departing free agent, and I think the important occasions on which his number mysteriously doesn't get called will become even more frequent.

I agree. The Suns have no incentive to feature him. They will want to build team chemistry with those who they plan on for the long haul. Of course he'll play, but they won't do him any favors. That is unless they think they can trade him and feature him at the beginning, but they won't get much back being he'd be unrestricted. That and how stupid to give up $8.5 million to take a chance like that with his injury history. While the $7.5 million he may gain in signing a max 4 year contract next summer is nothing to sneeze at, it's just not a smart move. He'd have to be nuts and feel slighted in a big way (which in itself it nuts) to play it that way.

 

[Griffin]

Per an article by Chris Bernucca dated 7-18-14, Chris Sheridan thinks Bledsoe will take the qualifying offer and become a free agent.

That's just speculation on his part, but obviously it's a possible scenario. I do wonder if the Suns have a contingency plan in place should that happen, because that will leave them significantly below minimum salary requirement with 14 players already under guaranteed contracts.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's just speculation on his part, but obviously it's a possible scenario. I do wonder if the Suns have a contingency plan in place should that happen, because that will leave them significantly below minimum salary requirement with 14 players already under guaranteed contracts.

I would have to think McDonough and Babby have thought about this option and they would take on some team's expiring contract.

What is this clutter on the right side of the page?

 

[Mainstreet]

Another thought. Might Bledsoe try to do a two year contract similar to Lebron since they have the same agent with an opt out after one year?

This Lebron stuff might shake up the salary structure with stars around the NBA.

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/0...ew-contract-empowers-him-as-king-of-the-cavs/

 

[SirStefan32]

I would have to think McDonough and Babby have thought about this option and they would take on some team's expiring contract.

What is this clutter on the right side of the page?

It is uglier than Amare Stoudemire's contract he signed with the Knicks a couple of years ago.