Eric Bledsoe rumors: Teams can't afford Bledsoe

Although teams believed the Phoenix Suns would match any offer sheet restricted free agent guard Eric Bledsoe would sign, it is still a surprise he didn’t draw more interest once he hit the market.

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According to Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors, Bledsoe is unsigned because teams simply can’t afford him.

"I don’t think it’s a matter of some team not thinking you’re worth the max right now, Eric. I think it’s a matter of Philly not thinking that, since they’re the only team with cap room, and Phoenix not being willing to shell it out, since they’re the only other team that can otherwise sign you to the max without making a trade. Phoenix seemed to make it very clear that they would match any offer for you, Eric, including the max, heading into restricted free agency, and it seems like other teams just didn’t want to bother with having their cap space tied up. Now that the Suns have no real reason to offer you the max, they’re not. Whether that changes between now and the end of next month, when the qualifying offer expires, remains to be seen."

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 four-year NBA career, the 18th-overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder (he was immediately dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers), has averaged 8.7 points, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 44.5% from the floor, 32.7% from three and 75.8% from the charity stripe.

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Eric Bledsoe rumors: Teams can’t afford Bledsoe

By Andrew Melnick | Aug 25, 2014