Phoenix Suns feel Eric Bledsoe will accept contract
By Bryan Rose
The Phoenix Suns have played hardball with restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe and they don’t appear interested in softening their stance. Believing that their four-year, $48 million dollar offer is fair, they plan to wait Bledsoe out as he sits in restricted free agency.
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Phoenix has done nothing wrong in this scenario other than play by the rules. Granted, it’s understandable as to why Eric Bledsoe may feel slighted as he’s suggested, but restricted free agency isn’t always built with the player in mind. In fact, it favors the franchise far more often than the player.
Still, with only the Philadelphia 76ers able to offer Eric Bledsoe more money than the Phoenix has offered, the Suns will wait out the guard as they believe he will eventually sign their contract offer according to Steve Kyler.
"The Suns feel they have exceeded the marketplace for Bledsoe with their four year, $48 million offer and that ultimately Bledsoe will relent and sign their deal."
The one looming issue here for the Suns is if Eric Bledsoe takes the one-year qualifying offer which would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent next season. Some, including ESPN’s Chris Broussard have hinted that’s a very real possibility but given Bledsoe’s injury history, does he play out a full season and hope he avoids injury to cash in next year?
That’s a $48 million dollar decision essentially and a rather unenviable choice. You’d have to think Bledsoe wouldn’t get that much more money in free agency next season and the risk of losing it all because of an injury would be too great. That seems to be what the Phoenix Suns are betting on.