Eric Bledsoe rumors: Suns, Rockets talking trade?
By Bryan Rose
The Phoenix Suns know that if they don’t re-sign restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe to a long term contract, he’ll end up signing a one-year qualifying offer which would allow him to not only become an unrestricted free agent next season but he’d also be granted a full no-trade clause.
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Given that, as the two remain at a contractual impasse, it’s been said the Phoenix Suns are entertaining the thought of moving Eric Bledsoe in a trade.
Are the Houston Rockets a possible destination? They might be as Jeric Griffin, appearing on 910 AM Phoenix reported that the Houston Rockets are showing trade interest in Eric Bledsoe and such a deal would be centered around Kostas Papanikolaou.
According to Griffin, Houston would also be sending back a handful of their non-guaranteed contracts and some other additional assets, though of course such a deal would need the approval of Eric Bledsoe given his restricted status.
It remains to be seen how accurate the report is, though, the Houston Rockets have been extremely high on Kostas Papanikolaou and while he’s not a household name he’s certainly a strong return for Eric Bledsoe, especially if the Suns aren’t comfortable paying such an elevated price for the guard.
Such a deal would leave the Phoenix Suns with a significant amount of cap space (assuming they were to rid themselves of the guaranteed contracts) and it’s not known what they’d do with it, though it would give them additional flexibility to make further moves if they so desires (be it now or in season).