Eric Bledsoe was the last elite free agent to get a contract last summer, re-signing with the Phoenix Suns on Sept. 24 after a protracted and contentious negotiation.
Three months later, as the NBA commences its unofficial trade season, Eric Bledsoe might be the first elite player to be dangled on the market.
"I think they signed him with the [thought] that they can move him and get something for him," a rival team executive said last week.
We now pause for an emphatic disclaimer: This is not a trade rumor. There is no indication, as of yet, that the Suns have made Bledsoe available. There are no known offers on the table. Bledsoe might well spend the rest of his career in the Valley of the Suns.
The above quote should be placed in the category of informed speculation. It is the firm belief of one well-connected team executive, nothing more.
Caveats aside, there is every reason to believe the Suns will trade Bledsoe, or one of their other flashy point guards, in the next few months. It's the logical move, competitively and financially. So as we assess the buyers, sellers and names that will define the NBA trade season, we begin in Phoenix.
Under NBA rules, Dec. 15 is the first day that players who signed new contracts over the summer can be traded. With just about every player now eligible to be dealt, the trade season has begun. Teams have until Feb. 19 to make deals.
The Suns (12-13) are in free fall, having lost five straight games—including a rout by Oklahoma City on Sunday—leaving them with a tenuous hold on eighth place in the West. The Thunder (11-13), healthy at last, are coming for that final playoff spot, and will likely get it.Three of the Suns' top four scorers are point guards: Goran Dragic (16.1 points per game), Isaiah Thomas (14.6) and Bledsoe (15.6). Meanwhile, the Suns badly need a big man who can score in the low post, rebound and protect the rim.
The Suns also have salary-cap concerns and Dragic's impending free agency to consider.
Phoenix has committed $70 million over five years to Bledsoe and $27 million over four years to Thomas. Bledsoe and Thomas will earn a combined $20.5 million next season. Dragic, an All-NBA third-team selection, could command $15 million a year or more on the open market in July.
Would the Suns pay three point guards a combined $35 million, more than half of the projected cap? Would they let Dragic walk away for nothing?
The answer to both questions is "probably not," which is why team executives across the league expect the Suns to trade one of the three. Some interviewed for this story said Thomas was the most likely candidate.
"I do think that they're going to look at it, [but] only if it makes them better," said another Western Conference executive.
Of the three, Bledsoe would surely fetch the best package. Thomas is undersized and lacking as a playmaker. Dragic's free agency could scare off potential suitors, or at least diminish their trade offers. But Bledsoe is young (25), under contract and has All-Star potential—making him the Suns' most valuable trade asset.
Also worth noting: Although the Dragic-Bledsoe backcourt has been effective, Dragic thrived as the sole point guard while Bledsoe was recovering from injury last season. But with three point guards now splitting time, Dragic has seen his production and his efficiency fall.
The Suns could start Gerald Green at shooting guard in Bledsoe's place and go with a more traditional lineup—presumably one bolstered by a new starting big man.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2300743-nba-insider-players-teams-poised-to-move-as-nbas-trade-season-kicks-off
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