Eric Bledsoe rumors: Contemplating Phoenix Suns qualifying offer
By Bryan Rose
The battle between the Phoenix Suns and restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe continues to rage on. Now a few months in, it doesn’t appear that either side is willing to budge and the idea of Bledsoe signing a qualifying offer becomes more and more realistic by the day.
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Earlier this offseason the Suns offered Eric Bledsoe a very respectable, four-year, $48 million dollar contract though the former Kentucky product wanted nothing to do with that. In fact, he came out and all but hinted the Phoenix Suns were using the process of restricted free agency against him.
Granted, they were, but the Phoenix Suns also weren’t doing anything illegal and were well within their rights. Of course, that didn’t sit well with Bledsoe who may be leaning closer and closer to signing the one-year qualifying offer.
.@RambysPro: Do you think Bledsoe signs qualifing offer? ---> seems headed in that direction. Not something he needs to do until camp.
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) August 26, 2014
Understandably, the Phoenix Suns would prefer he not do such considering a qualifying offer would give Bledsoe a full no-trade clause and would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at season end. Given that, trading him would seem very difficult.
As for Bledsoe, it’s not a perfect situation for him either considering his history of injuries and the fact he’d lose his Bird Rights if he was to sign the qualifying offer, a big blow to his free agency plans.
It would seen to make the most sense that he Eric Bledsoe simply re-sign with the Phoenix Suns, but for now both continue to play hardball.