This story has been updated after a previous version incorrectly reported Bledsoe had signed an offer sheet with Minnesota.
What, did you forget that Eric Bledsoe was still a free agent?
The Minnesota Timberwolves are desperately making a play for the Phoenix Suns’ point guard, and are dangling a four-year, $63 million max contract to make it happen. This is the deal Bledsoe has been waiting for all summer after he earlier rejected the Phoenix’s offer of four years for $48 million. He's currently in a stalemate the Suns, and has said that he would rather sign the one year qualifying offer and hit unrestricted free agency next summer than agree to their current offer.
The Timberwolves do not currently have the cap space to sign Bledsoe outright, and would thus need to execute a sign-and-trade in order to get him. According to Yahoo!, however, the Suns have no interest in that kind of arrangement. Phoenix would want an All-Star in return for Bledsoe, and after sending Kevin Love to Cleveland a few weeks ago Minnesota most definitely does not have any of those.
When healthy, Bledsoe is a dynamic, game-changing force in the backcourt. The key with him is that first part: when healthy. In four years in the NBA, he has never played a full season as a starter and has missed double digit games in two different campaigns. While he did average 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game in 2013-14, he also played just 43 times.
At just 24 years old and with that much promise, though, it would be a shock to see him playing anywhere but Phoenix next season.
[via ESPN]
