Eric Bledsoe is the remaining restricted free agent left in the NBA, and although he improved by leaps and bounds in his first season as a starter, he's gotten the cold shoulder from the Phoenix Suns regarding a max contract. As training camps approach, it is appearing more likely that Bledsoe will sign his name on a one-year, $3.726 million qualifying offer.
Bledsoe rejected a four-year, $48 million deal earlier this offseason and hasn't budged from his desire to receive the maximum five years and $84 million. After averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds last year while playing 33 minutes a night, his demands may seem reasonable.
Health is a main reason the Suns have balked despite the breakout though. Those numbers came in just 43 games. Bledsoe has already undergone two knee surgeries, and has yet to log a full season as a starter. His numbers stand out, and his athleticism is undeniable, but the Suns are leery of committing so much money to a player whose durability is a mystery
Another reason for hesitation is Phoenix's depth. Bledsoe is an All-Star-caliber player, but the Suns are loaded at the point guard position. They will return Goran Dragic, added Isaiah Thomas from the Sacramento Kings via free agency, and drafted Syracuse rookie Tyler Ennis as well.
Dragic played so well during the 2013-14 season that he essentially pushed Bledsoe off the ball and ran the show. He averaged 20.3 points and 5.9 assists in addition to canning 40.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
Thomas is decidedly less impactful on the defensive end than Dragic or Bledsoe, but he's an equally dynamic player offensively. Thomas was part of a trio of Kings that all averaged more than 20 points, and he added 6.3 assists.
Ennis isn't likely to play much, despite a stellar freshman campaign with the Orange. Ennis scored 12.5 points and dished 5.5 assists-he also registered 71 steals in 34 games. He is raw, but if Bledsoe winds up elsewhere he should be capable of filling in for Dragic and Thomas in spurts. Having all three players in addition to Bledsoe negates the leverage Bledsoe had built with his performance last season.
Returning Bledsoe will make the Suns a better team, but they are young and in a tough Western conference. His relationship with the team is reportedly at an all-time low, and he's been quoted saying that the Suns are "using restricted free agency against me, but I understand that." There's no telling how that friction will affect the games, if at all.
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