NBA rumors: No team willing to max Eric Bledsoe or Greg Monroe
Although they entered free agency as two of the top players on the market, a pair of restricted free agents, Phoenix Suns’ guard Eric Bledsoe and Detroit Pistons’ power forward Greg Monroe, remain free agents. Monroe is reportedly so fed up with the Pistons he is going to sign his qualifying offer and try free agency next year. Recent reports suggest Bledsoe may do the same.
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According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, teams aren’t willing to give a max deal to either Bledsoe or Monroe.
"The issue everyone seems to be missing is that no one wants to pay Bledsoe or Monroe MAX money, and they both are seeking deals like that… I don’t think the Suns want Monroe at MAX any more than they want Bledsoe at MAX as neither are truly MAX players.Both are very good players, but if you’re talking spending $12 million… I think Phoenix would rather have Bledsoe."
Monroe didn’t show the improvement many hoped last year, likely because of the signing of forward Josh Smith and the development of center Andre Drummond while Bledsoe has a history of injuries which could help scare teams off.
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. Monroe put up 15.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 65.7% from the free throw line last season.
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