Why the Los Angeles Lakers need Eric Bledsoe

Picture this, there are three women. One of which is your most recent ex-girlfriend…we’ll call her Phoenix. The other two women are sisters and live in the same house together. One of the two sisters is one of your other ex-girlfriends. After recently breaking up with Phoenix you are single again.

Would it be wrong to date your other ex-girlfriend’s sister?

No, especially if she represents a better situation for you.

That is how I think of the Phoenix Suns/Eric Bledsoe situation.

The Phoenix Suns do not want to offer Bledsoe a maximum contract. They have counter-offered him and he is not willing to resign for a value he is not worth.

The Suns need to offer Bledsoe the bank, because soon enough the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to sign him. If they do target Bledsoe, it is the best possible landing destination for his game.

Rivarly

Recently the Lakers have been getting destroyed by the Los Angeles Clippers organization anytime they play inside of their shared house, the Staples Center. Though they share the Staples Center, it’s slowly starting to feel like the Clippers’ home.

The Clippers have dismantled the Lakers team in the last two years.

Since Bledsoe has already played for the Clippers, he already understands the rivalry that these two teams share. How much fun would it be to watch the two former point guards, Bledsoe and Chris Paul play against each other on a national stage?

They used to guard each other in practice, but now it will be for the world to watch.

Though the balance of power historically is on the side of the Lakers, last season for the first time the Clippers made it to the playoffs and the Lakers didn’t (since they’ve been in L.A.). Also, the Clippers in the last two years have a 7-1 record against the Lakers.

Hollywood

There are few cities that have the type of flash that Los Angeles holds. Bledsoe has already played in this market. However, being featured as a premier player for the Lakers will certainly give him the notoriety as one of the must watch players in the NBA.

Bledsoe will again play for a town that will marvel at his athletic ability. In Phoenix it was nice to watch him play with Goran Dragic, but there is no championship sizzle. With the Lakers, he will join one of the most prestigious franchises in the NBA.

So many people will watch his games just because he’s donning the purple and gold. There is something about the Lakers mystique that can’t be replicated.

Look at how many commercials Griffin and Paul have been in since there move to Los Angeles. If Bledsoe moves back and is the starting point guard for the Lakers it will only give him even more attention in a city full of stars.

Youth

The Lakers are not only a prime destination for Bledsoe because of marketability, they also offer him a young team that is rebuilding.

One of the players that is going to have an impressive career is in the NBA at the power forward position is Julius Randle. At 19 years old he already is a beast.

Having a dominant player in the low post who can get buckets and score the basketball without taking a lot of shots will ultimately help the Lakers win more games.

At times Randle can score in the paint at ease. With Bledsoe getting into the lane with dribble penetration, he can find Randle and give him easy layups and dunks around the rim. Even when the defense attempts to double he can still throw an entry pass and watch Randle go.

Also, the bench play of the Lakers will have a real upgrade.

Xavier Henry comes from the bench and scores a lot of points, whereas Jordan Clarkson can give backup point guard minutes as well. Also if the Lakers manage to keep Jeremy Lin, it could create an interesting dynamic running a two point guard set in certain lineups the way Bledsoe did when he played for the Suns and Clippers.

In addition, the Lakers have the potential to have a terrible year next year and it would set them up perfectly with the arrival of Bledsoe. If the Lakers play bad and do not have a great year next year there are a bunch of draft picks who could help them.

If the chips fall correctly, the Lakers could have the services of Myles Turner, Jahlil Okafor, Karl Towns and or Stanley Johnson. Throw that in with the aforementioned Randle and Bledsoe and there is a young nucleus ready for the future in a town where stars are coveted.

Also, in that potential starting lineup there was one name who would be the beneficiary from playing with a group of young and talented players…

Kobe Doing Work

There is no way I can write a Lakers story and not talk about the greatest one of all time, Kobe Bryant.

How much could Bledsoe learn from playing with Bryant in the twilight of his career? He would become a more intelligent player from learning Bryant’s wisdom. Nick Young was the recipient last season of a bunch of knowledge from Bryant and he had one of his best years as a pro.

It would also extend the career of one of the greatest basketball players.

With a group of potentially three young stars on a team together with the future Hall of Fame member Bryant, he would not have to have complete control of the roster. Instead, he could allow his teammates to make his job easier.

Kobe could pick his spots when he wanted to dominate and yet still have the ability to watch his young horses fly around the court. The Lakers could potentially have a team back in contention for an NBA championship relatively soon.

Bledsoe not only would enter into the playoffs, he would make deep playoff runs with Bryant as his running mate.

Even if they do not ultimately win a championship, moving forward Bledsoe could be the face of a storied Lakers franchise and talented free agents would play with him in Los Angeles since he is an athletic, pass first distributing point guard.

The Phoenix Suns need to get Bledsoe signed as soon as possible, because soon enough if he dates his ex-girfriends sister, they will regret this for a longtime.

Bledsoe is beginning to enter into the prime of his career, either as a member of the Suns or not.

The choice is theirs.