The long standing stalemate between restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe and the Phoenix Suns on a new contract extension has arrived in an unusual turn of events and it all started when Bledsoe was rumored to be considering signing a one year $3.7 million qualifying offer. Signing a qualifying offer means that Bledsoe will become a restricted free agent next summer and will have the power to play with any team he wants. For the Suns, it would mean that they may lose Bledsoe for nothing next year in the free agency market.
With the threat of the qualifying offer looming large, General Manager Ryan McDonough might just be looking at his options right now. He can give in to Bledsoe's 5 years $80 million demand or look for a team whos willing to make a sign and trade deal for the young, explosive guard. A report from Paul Coro of Azcentral Sports suggests that the latter may just might be what McDonough is considering right now:
The Suns have contacted at least one team and taken inquiries from others regarding the possibility of executing a Bledsoe sign-and-trade. That would include the Suns signing Bledsoe, a restricted free agent, to a contract on behalf of another team in exchange for player(s) and/or draft pick(s). Other league executives who have not been contacted by the Suns said that they have heard Phoenix is looking into the possibility.
But given Bledsoe's youth and star potential, why are the Suns ready to deal him away instead of just giving him the max-contract offer that he wants? Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit believes that it is because the Suns are already stacked with young talent and draft picks. The Suns already have four players under the age of 22 and are equipped with four first round picks which they can use to revamp their roster in the coming 2 seasons. They almost reached the playoffs in extremely tough Western Conference coming off a lottery bound season and they did it with Bledsoe playing only 43 games due to injury.
Bourguet adds that the Suns made the right choice by declining Bledsoe from his max-contract demand after playing only half the season. Adding in a young promising player like Isaiah Thomas this summer in their roster also gave the Suns some insurance the moment Bledsoe decides to sign the qualifying offer.
But without a shadow of doubt, having Bledsoe improves the Suns chances of reaching the playoffs next year in the tough West. It would surely be a difficult summer for McDonough as he explores the best option for Suns with their restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe.
What do you think? Should the Suns trade Eric Bledsoe this summer?
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