Although trade rumors have swirled around Eric Bledsoe during the past week, the Phoenix Suns say they’re not interested in trading their restricted free agent.
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Assuming that to be the case and assuming Eric Bledsoe doesn’t have a change of heart, it appears as if the former Kentucky Wildcat product will be signing his one-year qualifying offer with the Phoenix Suns on October 1st. Doing so would give him a full no-trade clause meaning an in-season deal is almost all but out of the question.
It’s possible the Phoenix Suns many attempt to sell him on the idea of playing in the Valley of the Sun throughout the season, though Eric Bledsoe may already have his eyes set on the Los Angeles Lakers according to David Aldridge of NBA.com.
"There’s also a California-based NBA franchise that will be looking for a long-term solution at the point after this season. (This team currently has a 40-year-old incumbent at the position.) It will have an inordinate amount of cap room next summer, more than enough for a max offer to a still-young point guard with superstar potential. It would be a gamble for Bledsoe to play this season on the chance that that team would come calling next summer, but that’s why they sell insurance, right?"
Bledsoe has proven himself to be an injury risk and he’s certainly be rolling the dice by playing on a one-year qualifying offer worth just over $3 million dollars, though he may feel it’s his only option if he can’t get the Phoenix Suns to break the bank. The Los Angeles Lakers are more likely to do so given their need for an additional ‘star’.
Earlier on Tuesday there were suggestions the Los Angeles Lakers could also be interested in Ricky Rubio.
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