Eric Bledsoe rumors: Phoenix Suns willing to increase offer

The stalemate between the Phoenix Suns and restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe is now six-months deep though might there be progress on the horizon?

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While Bledsoe’s agent has spoken to the Suns brass during the offseason, Bledsoe has not and it doesn’t appear he’s willing to do so until the Phoenix Suns are willing to provide him with a max-level contract. Understandably, that’s not something the Suns want to do though they sound open to increasing their four-year, $48 million dollar contract offer.

"The Suns began to seek or listen to sign-and-trade options for Eric Bledsoe last month but their priority remains to sign Bledsoe to a multi-year contract. The Suns likely would be willing to increase their offer if they had a chance to negotiate, even though they have no market competition for the restricted free agent."

Both the Suns and Bledsoe have previously been unwilling to budge during their ‘negotiations’ though with the season fast approaching, it appears as if Phoenix might be willing to cave some in effort to get a deal done. Will Eric Bledsoe be willing to do the same? So far there’s been no indication that he’s open to taking less than a max-level deal, though at this point the only other option he has is to sign a one-year qualifying offer.

Doing such would pay the guard around $3 million dollars this season and would allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at season end. Of course, deciding to accept the qualifying offer would be a questionable decision as Bledsoe would be risking potential injury, a scary proposition for a player who has already suffered multiple knee injuries.