Eric Bledsoe rumors: Los Angeles Lakers won't trade Julius Randle for Bledsoe

The Phoenix Suns and guard Eric Bledsoe remain far apart in contract talks. Bledsoe is looking for a deal worth about $80 million over five years while the Suns are offering a four, year, $48 million deal.

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A recent report suggested the Los Angeles Lakers could be willing to trade rookie power forward Julius Randle and big man Jordan Hill, who they just re-signed to a two-year, $18 million deal, to get their hands on Bledsoe.

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, the Lakers will not be dealing Randle for Bledsoe. That really isn’t much of a surprise. After being unable to land either Carmelo Anthony or LeBron James, they made a few moves like bringing back Hill and guard Nick Young, signing Memphis Grizzlies’ big man Ed Davis and winning the claim on veteran power forward Carlos Boozer off of waivers after he was waived via the amnesty clause of the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers clearly know they are not a contender and need to let players like Randle develop.

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. Hill went for 9.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 54.9% from the field and 68.5% from the free throw line. Randle, a former Kentucky Wildcat, was selected with the seventh-overall pick in the first round of last month’s draft. He was ranked as the draft’s fourth-best prospect according by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express. He measured in at 6’9″ and 250 pounds with a wingspan of 7’0″ at the NBA’s Scouting Combine. Last season, he put up 15.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 50.0% from the field and 70.6% from the charity stripe.

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Eric Bledsoe rumors: Los Angeles Lakers won’t trade Julius Randle for Bledsoe

By Andrew Melnick | Jul 23, 2014