5 potential trade destinations for Eric Bledsoe
By Joe Romano
CLE gets: Eric Bledsoe
PHX gets: 2018 BKN 1st round pick & Tristan Thompson
The Cleveland Cavaliers have popped up as a potential trade partner for Phoenix. Bledsoe was rumored to Cleveland in the offseason. He also trains with LeBron James and is represented by the same agent.
Bledsoe makes sense on the court for the Cavaliers as a defensive presence who does not require the ball. He can also play next to either Isaiah Thomas or Derrick Rose and take the tougher defensive matchup.
The Brooklyn pick is the best asset the Cavaliers have after acquiring it from Boston in the Kyrie Irving deal. It would require a commitment to stay in Cleveland from James for the Cavaliers to move that pick. That pick is essentially Cleveland’s insurance that if James jumps ship they have something to build on.
Tristan Thompson would be the key player in making the deal work for salary purposes. He is young enough at 26 that is does not kill the Suns timeline of young players. Realistically the Brooklyn pick is what gets this done and Thompson is the salary filler.
Cleveland would likely have to involve a third team to pull this off. It’s hard to imagine Pheonix wanting Thompson with last year’s first rounder waiting. Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss have shown potential enough that adding Thompson could stunt their growth.