Suns News: The Offseason

[Wally_West]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11225 ... mer-league

More than a couple insiders cited the Phoenix Suns as a managerial success. "They keep acquiring high-value assets," said one general manger, "But the big thing is that they're putting a great product on the floor while they do it. A lot of people in our business forget that part of the job."

Yuck! What theses dudes smoking? #McDout

[TOO]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11225 ... mer-league

More than a couple insiders cited the Phoenix Suns as a managerial success. "They keep acquiring high-value assets," said one general manger, "But the big thing is that they're putting a great product on the floor while they do it. A lot of people in our business forget that part of the job."

Yuck! What theses dudes smoking? #McDout

InB4SDCwelcomesyouonhiscrazytrain.

[Wally_West]

So rumor is he wants max 4/63 and we are offering 4/44. I'd be OK meeting in the middle somewhere. Maybe 4/52 or 4/48. There really is no one that is gonna pay him more than that, no one has cap space and we aren't gonna sign and trade him without significant assets in return. His only leverage is really taking the qualifying offer and with his injury history there is no way he does that. 4/48 is what Lowry got and that seems fair to me.

Let's just make it 4/50 and call it a day. Love the avatar pic, btw.

OTOH, I can understand the Suns holding out for 4/44. It would make it easier to sign Dragic next year. It's just a tricky thing possibly making your player feel undervalued. I'm sure he'd get over it though once he's making 11 million per year!!!

I really don't see Dragic as some petty dude where he feels he has to make more money then Bledsoe does or else he will go all Channing Frye and talk shit about not being wanted. I think Dragic is the type of guy that as long as he is paid fairly, even if it is less than Bledsoe, he is going to be cool with that and re-sign. The dude pretty much took less money just to come back to be the Suns, he just doesn't seem the type of dude to get all pissy because Bledsoe might be paid a little more especially since having Bledsoe makes his team better and makes him better too.

[AmareIsGod]

So rumor is he wants max 4/63 and we are offering 4/44. I'd be OK meeting in the middle somewhere. Maybe 4/52 or 4/48. There really is no one that is gonna pay him more than that, no one has cap space and we aren't gonna sign and trade him without significant assets in return. His only leverage is really taking the qualifying offer and with his injury history there is no way he does that. 4/48 is what Lowry got and that seems fair to me.

Let's just make it 4/50 and call it a day. Love the avatar pic, btw.

OTOH, I can understand the Suns holding out for 4/44. It would make it easier to sign Dragic next year. It's just a tricky thing possibly making your player feel undervalued. I'm sure he'd get over it though once he's making 11 million per year!!!

I really don't see Dragic as some petty dude where he feels he has to make more money then Bledsoe does or else he will go all Channing Frye and talk shit about not being wanted. I think Dragic is the type of guy that as long as he is paid fairly, even if it is less than Bledsoe, he is going to be cool with that and re-sign. The dude pretty much took less money just to come back to be the Suns, he just doesn't seem the type of dude to get all pissy because Bledsoe might be paid a little more especially since having Bledsoe makes his team better and makes him better too.

Unfortunately, once the agent gets in the athlete's ear, it doesn't matter what his thought or feelings are about the team / organization. Agents speak in dollars and they have more control over the process than the players themselves.

[Superbone]

So rumor is he wants max 4/63 and we are offering 4/44. I'd be OK meeting in the middle somewhere. Maybe 4/52 or 4/48. There really is no one that is gonna pay him more than that, no one has cap space and we aren't gonna sign and trade him without significant assets in return. His only leverage is really taking the qualifying offer and with his injury history there is no way he does that. 4/48 is what Lowry got and that seems fair to me.

Let's just make it 4/50 and call it a day. Love the avatar pic, btw.

OTOH, I can understand the Suns holding out for 4/44. It would make it easier to sign Dragic next year. It's just a tricky thing possibly making your player feel undervalued. I'm sure he'd get over it though once he's making 11 million per year!!!

I really don't see Dragic as some petty dude where he feels he has to make more money then Bledsoe does or else he will go all Channing Frye and talk shit about not being wanted. I think Dragic is the type of guy that as long as he is paid fairly, even if it is less than Bledsoe, he is going to be cool with that and re-sign. The dude pretty much took less money just to come back to be the Suns, he just doesn't seem the type of dude to get all pissy because Bledsoe might be paid a little more especially since having Bledsoe makes his team better and makes him better too.

I don't think so either but he should be paid comparably.

[specialsauce]

@Chris_Broussard: Sources: Suns offered Eric Bledsoe 4-year, $48 million contract. Bledsoe wants max of 5 years, $80 million. Sides far apart

[carey]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/489898806410887169

It's that tool Broussard but no way am I giving Bledsoe 5/80. Hahaha. Wtf dude. You're delusional.

[Charlie Smithy!]

Good lord, Eric.

[TOO]

That is bonkers. How can he possibly think he deserves that? The IT2 signing looks better by the minute.

[ShelC]

I'm sure it's his agent, Rich Paul (aka LeBron's agent) who's going to make this difficult. Trade him or let him walk as a free agent next year. Who needs the aggravation if they're going to be douches. We legit have leverage now with 3 PGs on the roster.

[MightyMoog]

Does anyone else have cap room left to offer him that? Would they want to?

[In2ition]

I'm sure it's his agent, Rich Paul (aka LeBron's agent) who's going to make this difficult. Trade him or let him walk as a free agent next year. Who needs the aggravation if they're going to be douches. We legit have leverage now with 3 PGs on the roster.

I think that might be part of the reason why he's asking for max money and max years, because he probably doesn't think that his productivity can possibly be as good with all the pgs on the roster and probably slightly diminished minutes to keep everyone fresh.

[AmareIsGod]

Isaiah Thomas puts up better numbers than Bledsoe and has healthy knees. He gets 4 years, $27 million. Eric and his agent want 5 years, $80 million. Are you fucking kidding me? Get out of here with that shit.

[In2ition]

Would you say that Isaiah is as good as a defender as Bledsoe? Is he as good playing off the ball from time to time? Not that I'm advocating Bledsoe to get that type of crazy money, but idk if this is comparing apples to apples.

[Mori Chu]

The Suns FO has cleverly waited this out so that Bledsoe has the minimum leverage. Almost every team, including losers like the Lakers, are now out of cap space. And we now have Bledsoe's position heavily covered in case he bolts. No reason to max him out.

[In2ition]

The Suns FO has cleverly waited this out so that Bledsoe has the minimum leverage. Almost every team, including losers like the Lakers, are now out of cap space. And we now have Bledsoe's position heavily covered in case he bolts. No reason to max him out.

Agreed
Maybe he can get is big brother LeBron to help him out and get him a fair S&T to the Cavs.

[AmareIsGod]

Would you say that Isaiah is as good as a defender as Bledsoe? Is he as good playing off the ball from time to time? Not that I'm advocating Bledsoe to get that type of crazy money, but idk if this is comparing apples to apples.

No and no. I'd say Bledsoe is a better 2-way player and more athletically gifted than Thomas. I just think that Bledsoe has a lot less ground to stand on with half of a season of solid productivity. None of the other FA PG's got 5 year, $80 million dollar contracts. I think his agent is really taking the whole "mini LeBron" thing to a new level.

[MightyMoog]

Should almost be a criteria that you should make an all-star team or all-nba team before you can get a max contract.

[ShelC]

Rich Paul's only other client of note is Tristan Thompson. So he's trying to cash in instead of being a reasonable, responsible agent.

[TOO]

Would you say that Isaiah is as good as a defender as Bledsoe? Is he as good playing off the ball from time to time? Not that I'm advocating Bledsoe to get that type of crazy money, but idk if this is comparing apples to apples.

No, he's not as good of a defender as Bledsoe, but last year there were times it looked as if Bledsoes D was greatly exaggerated anyway. Thomas plays the passing lanes well, but he's just too small to really defend anyone.