Suns, Eric Bledsoe Far Apart In Talks

[Mainstreet]

Kyrie got 4 and $48million. On what possible basis would Bledsoe be able to argue that he would deserve more than Irving, let alone a MAX DEAL?????

What some other dumb teams payed for FAs.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Kyrie got 4 and $48million. On what possible basis would Bledsoe be able to argue that he would deserve more than Irving, let alone a MAX DEAL?????


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No, Kyrie is the problem as he's the one that got the max. Bledsoe is much better than Irving, who IMO is the most overrated guard in the league. I haven't verified this as I don't pay attention to analytics but one of the Network experts said he was one of the worst guards in the league using advanced stats.

The comparison should be Lowry. He got the 48 million deal and he seems to be on a par with Bledsoe.

Steve

 

[devilalum]

Is there any team besides Brooklyn that would pay him 5/80 in a sign and trade?

AND send back a good player!?!? IMO 4/48 is excessive.

 

[Jay Cardinal]

Kyrie got 4 and $48million. On what possible basis would Bledsoe be able to argue that he would deserve more than Irving, let alone a MAX DEAL?????


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Kyrie got the max. 5 year 90 million. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...iers-announce-kyrie-irving-contract-extension

I think 4 year 48 million is more than fair for Bledsoe. At this point in free agency there is not a lot of teams that can offer more than that.

 

[KloD]

Their childhood friends. Chances are that if he didn't know LeBron, he would be bagging groceries at some store in downtown Akron.

Most NBA agents typically have high accolades and accomplishment such as college degrees etc but Paul has nothing other than being LeBron's best friend.

No, Rich Paul actually wasn't one of his childhood friends. I read they met when Paul was 21 and Lebron was 17 or 18 at an airport. Most agents hold law degrees, I don't believe Paul has an undergrad degree. But, the thing to remember is it isn't Paul doing the negotiations from what I understand. Paul has a lawyer on their team that handles that part of his duties.

My guess is they have set their asking price and the Suns have set their limit. It's going to be interesting who folds first. If I had to bet, I'd say Pauls team leaked this info to ESPN likely hoping to get the fans and press writing about how the Suns are going to blow it and put pressure on the team. Hold firm Sarver. I wouldn't even be opposed to giving him the 5 years, just not at max pay.

Another thing to remember, if they give Eric max than they set up Dragics asking price when he opts out. So giving in to Bledsoe also means giving in to Dragic next summer or losing him because you can't pay them both their max. They have to keep Bledsoe's salary down if they want to retain Dragic too.

 

[82CardsGrad]

No, Kyrie is the problem as he's the one that got the max. Bledsoe is much better than Irving, who IMO is the most overrated guard in the league. I haven't verified this as I don't pay attention to analytics but one of the Network experts said he was one of the worst guards in the league using advanced stats.

The comparison should be Lowry. He got the 48 million deal and he seems to be on a par with Bledsoe.

Steve

My bad... I thought I heard Irving took 4 and 48.


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[Covert Rain]

Kyrie got the max. 5 year 90 million. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...iers-announce-kyrie-irving-contract-extension

I think 4 year 48 million is more than fair for Bledsoe. At this point in free agency there is not a lot of teams that can offer more than that.

Agreed. 5 years at 80 million? Let someone else offer him that much.

 

[Phrazbit]

No one else can offer that much. This is why I think the Suns still hold all the cards. Bledsoe's only out is to play for his qualifying offer, which would cost him like 8 million in salary just next season, and its a huuuuge risk to go into next season with no contract in place. Another injury and he would not get the kind of money the Suns are offering now.

IMO the Suns are playing this right. Its a waiting game that I expect us to win. Bledsoe's agent made some promises he wont be able to keep.

 

[Errntknght]

how much did Hayward wind up getting?

 

[AzStevenCal]

how much did Hayward wind up getting?

I think it was 4 years/63 million. But whatever it was, it was more than he's worth and more than I'd pay for Eric.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

No one else can offer that much. This is why I think the Suns still hold all the cards. Bledsoe's only out is to play for his qualifying offer, which would cost him like 8 million in salary just next season, and its a huuuuge risk to go into next season with no contract in place. Another injury and he would not get the kind of money the Suns are offering now.

IMO the Suns are playing this right. Its a waiting game that I expect us to win. Bledsoe's agent made some promises he wont be able to keep.

I think someone posted no other team can offer him more than 12 million per now right?

 

[Azlen]

He was probably made offers by other teams but none of them were for the max so he declined. There may have even been one or two higher than the Suns offer. I don't believe him being a RFA has scared off teams, I think it was his asking price that did it. I hope that when the Suns do sign him that he isn't overly bitter.

 

[sunsfan88]

Rich Paul only has 5 clients according to Hoopshype. LeBron and 4 players on rookie deals. He's never had to work.

http://hoopshype.com/agents/rich_paul.htm

ESPN's Amin said something similar and I think he's right. Check it out here

http://t.co/JGv0suYS7G

IMO this isn't about Bledsoe, its about his agent. Let's see if Bledsoe is smart enough to interfere and do what's best for Bledsoe.

 

[BC867]

Another thing to remember, if they give Eric max than they set up Dragics asking price when he opts out. So giving in to Bledsoe also means giving in to Dragic next summer or losing him because you can't pay them both their max. They have to keep Bledsoe's salary down if they want to retain Dragic too.

That is a key part of the equation. And should be an active consideration in the Suns handling of the Bledsoe situation.

I believe that Dragic is the better long-term investment, especially considering Bledsoe's health problems. Bledsoe's defense would be a primary factor, but not if he is missing half of every other season, a situation that will probably get worse.

 

[Superbone]

I agree with you. I have been sour on him ever since it became an issue, for a number of reasons.

1) His health overrides the defense he brings
2) We have too many tweeners
3) He has never given an indication that he wants to be here
4) Hopefully, it will put a stop to the Sun's latest version of
small-ball -- three Point Guard lineups
5) It is time to sh** or get off the pot. Dragic is the leader
of this team. He has earned it and he fills it (if not
splitting his time with Bledsoe)

6) He is not a bruising center

 

[Superbone]

Their childhood friends. Chances are that if he didn't know LeBron, he would be bagging groceries at some store in downtown Akron.

They are not.

ETA: KloD beat me to it.

 

[CardsFan88]

It's pretty random to be called an agent, and yet you need a lawyer to actually do the work of being an agent. To just meet a guy at an airport and later on want this person to be your agent, that's pretty random, and makes me think Lebron isn't a good businessman, he just has an aura that can generally overcome such craziness... for now, and in his current situation. However...

That's really a mickey mouse situation if you ask me.

Also Lebron isn't Bledsoe, and Bledsoe doesn't have an obvious max contract to sign. So Lebron's aura doesn't protect Bledsoe.

It's like your plumber hiring a plumber to actually plumb your pipes. Needless middleman that only makes things more complicated, more expensive, and can introduce more points of error.

Bledsoe would be wise to get out of the situation before it screws him over. He may end up on the 76ers for all he knows.

I remember, I think it was a Cardinals player, but can't remember who, fired his agent because he got screwed by him, but by then it was too late. Can't remember who though. Same could happen to bledsoe.

What kind of moron hires a no name guy with no degree and a lawyer to do the agenting? Wow. I'm speechless.

Nepotism rarely works out great in the long term. Bledsoe is his first real nepotism vs reality... check. I know I wouldn't want to be the first guy a doctor operated on. Well Bledsoe you got yourself a virgin agent... good luck.

Also I wonder if him doing only a 2 year deal for Lebron, is making him want to 'make up for it' with Bledsoe's deal.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He was probably made offers by other teams but none of them were for the max so he declined. There may have even been one or two higher than the Suns offer. I don't believe him being a RFA has scared off teams, I think it was his asking price that did it. I hope that when the Suns do sign him that he isn't overly bitter.

This. His market value has been established.

The Suns are probably willing to pay slightly above market value. So there it is. He is not being squeezed. He is getting a fair offer and he ought to be happy about it.

Oh. and its Babby that is doing the negotiating on this to be sure. He was a master agent and knows that side. He knows how to stick to what he thinks is right without letting it get nasty.

 

[chickenhead]

I feel echoes of the JJ situation, too. But to be fair, I think any actual talk I've heard of Bledsoe not wanting to extend with Phoenix has been second-hand or speculation.

I guess my main question is whether he just wants the max (why not?), or if the Suns unwillingness to pay it expedites a transaction. If the latter is the case, that's a potential knock on his agent since a lot of doors have closed around the league as needs have been filled.

 

[KloD]

It's pretty random to be called an agent, and yet you need a lawyer to actually do the work of being an agent. To just meet a guy at an airport and later on want this person to be your agent.

That's really a mickey mouse situation if you ask me.

It's like your plumber hiring a plumber to actually plumb your pipes. Needless middleman that only makes things more complicated, more expensive, and can introduce more points of error.

Bledsoe would be wise to get out of the situation before it screws him over. He may end up on the 76ers for all he knows.

I agree, it's an odd situation. I will say that his clients obviously trust him which is important. I myself wouldn't choose someone as my agent just because I trust them, but it's their decision. Also, it's really not any different than the Suns situation. We have McD who performs all the G.M. duties and Babby who handles the negotiations. There is far more involved in being an agent than negotiating contracts. At least they have someone who's educated and trained for that.

There's this weird sense of more money equals more want in this (and probably all pro sports) league. We hear all the time, "I feel wanted" because a team was willing to pony up more for whatever the reason to retain or acquire a player. That somehow wanting to pay someone a fair market value means they don't want you. We just had that article quoting Frye saying he felt rejected because he wasn't the Suns first priority. They went to Portland and visited him just to let him know they wanted him back, but because he wasn't their first call or his he takes that to mean he wasn't wanted. I have a hard time understanding this ego drive, but I'm not a millionaire pro athlete. Maybe it just comes with the territory. I'm sure Bledsoe feels "slighted" to some degree because he's let the hype go to his head and likely feels the Suns should bow down to his envisioned value. It's a huge turn off for me and makes it really hard to root for people like this. Every time I hear one of these comments or hear these guys go on about what they are entitled to I like the NBA a little less. Sprewell and his feed his family idiocy always comes to mind and I want to throw up a little and change the channel due to my disgust. Do these people not see how blessed and lucky they are to have a natural ability to play a freaking game that allows them to make such ridiculous money? Look at how we fans talk about how a minimum vet contract is nothing. It's more a year than most of us will see in 10 or 20 years. Many people are concerned that society is becoming desensitized to violence because we see so much on tv and in the movies. I'm wondering if we aren't becoming desensitized to a persons value based on what we pay those who provide our entertainment. Ok, off my soapbox.

At this point I'm hoping for getting fair value when we dump this mess off on some other team.

 

[Bufalay]

What is the point of having an agent in the NBA? To help negotiate contracts? That only happens once every four years or so. Also, it seems like a pretty easy thing to do given the constraints of salary caps and a small number of potential jobs and the fact that the salaries of other players are known.

What else do agents do?

 

[Chaplin]

What is the point of having an agent in the NBA? To help negotiate contracts? That only happens once every four years or so. Also, it seems like a pretty easy thing to do given the constraints of salary caps and a small number of potential jobs and the fact that the salaries of other players are known.

What else do agents do?

They also negotiate bonuses and merchandising deals. They are like personal assistants, but for big events/deals.

 

[az jam]

i just get a feeling that Bledsoe doesn't want to play for the Suns. You never heard him say anything positive about being with the Suns. I know that the agent controls his communications with the media but I thing his case is extreme. IMO a sign and trade could be best if the Suns could get something of value in return.

 

[KloD]

What is the point of having an agent in the NBA? To help negotiate contracts? That only happens once every four years or so. Also, it seems like a pretty easy thing to do given the constraints of salary caps and a small number of potential jobs and the fact that the salaries of other players are known.

What else do agents do?

Often they advice on all business matters and manage the players public image. They handle all negotiations for contracts and filter and/or seek endorsement deals. They in many cases manage the players finances/budget and taxes and seek employment for many of their clients (most are not stars who have secured opportunities). That's just a general description. I'm sure the duties vary by client, but they also serve as the middleman between the team and player on more topics than just salary.

 

[TJ]

Suns have the leverage unless someone comes in and offers him at or near his asking price, which IMO is highly unlikely.

I think Bledsoe should take one of two offers: the 4/$48mil currently on the table, or an "I'll prove I'm worth the max" offer for three years, with an opt out for the third year, around 3/$30mil.

Bledsoe would be a dummy if he played on the RFA tender of $3.7 mil. One injury and his stock plummets.