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Eric Bledsoe rumors: Things ‘aren’t looking good’ for Phoenix Suns

By Andrew Melnick

Mar 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Suns 115-99. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Suns 115-99. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Phoenix Suns’ guard Eric Bledsoe is perhaps the top player on the market and it is a bit of a surprise the talented restricted free agent has not at least signed an offer sheet. Teams could be concerned about Bledsoe’s injury history and there has been a belief the Suns would match any offer sheet Bledsoe signed. That could have made teams hesitant to make Bledsoe an offer – they likely didn’t want to tie up their cap space for three days on a player they would not acquire anyway.

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Although it has always looked like the Suns would re-sign Bledsoe, the two are very far apart in their negotiations. The Suns are offering Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million deal while Bledsoe is seeking a max contract, which would be worth $80 million over five years.

According to Chris Haynes of CSN Northwest, things “aren’t looking good” in negotiations between the Suns and Bledsoe.

"According to league sources, an “ominous development” has arisen with sides still “very far apart” in contract negotiations. It has even escalated to the point where the “relationship is on the express lane to being ruined,” a source with knowledge of the situation informed CSNNW.comThe Suns offered Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million deal with declining salaries each year, two sources said. That proposal was quickly turned down. Bledsoe’s camp is putting a max price tag on the player Suns Head Coach Jeff Hornacek called “a Top-10 player in the NBA in coming years”, another source said."

The Milwaukee Bucks have shown interest in Bledsoe, but can’t afford to offer him any more than $11-12 million a year and the Suns haven’t seemed particularly interested in completing a sign-and-trade.

Bledsoe averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 47.7% from the field, 35.7% from beyond the arc and 77.2% from the free throw line last season. In his career, he’s put up 8.7 points, 3.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 44.5% from the field, 32.7% from three and 75.9% from the free throw line.

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