Happy Eric Bledsoe Day!

[Superbone]

I guarantee I'm in the minority, but I like the Suns more w/Bledsoe running point than Dragic, so I'm keeping him unless he gets hurt again this year.

I prefer Bledsoe half court and Dragic full court.

[TOO]

I can see that, Bledsoe for all his athletic ability doesn't really push the pace. Personally I think games are won in half court (altho running and chucking 3's works in the regular season) so there is why I prefer Bledsoe. That and defense.

[LazarusLong]

Dragic reminds me more than a little bit of Paul Westphal, with all his "horse" game moves. I have no problem with Bledsoe at the point.

It would be nice if they had better passers up front. Too many guys try to dribble and get into jams.

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't get why people think we will miss the playoffs now. Bledsoe is back and we will be a strong team down the stretch with him and Dragic together. I still think we will make it.

Have you watched the games after the allstar break? No defense whatsoever, little defensive rebouding, much less energy overall, a ton of fatigue (many rookie starters). Also, our inherent flaws are still there, like FTs, turnovers/mental lapses, lack of post presence, etc.

Hustle and speed played a huge part on our our success, but it's basically gone now. You can point that we have the ability to come back in any game, or that we don't give up, and that's true, but it doesn't come from fundamental play but from clutch shooting, and I am afraid that if nothing really changes, it won't save our asses enough times to take back a playoff spot.

But above all, I can't emphasize enough how pasive and liefeless we look on defense, and if it is a matter of gas, or lack thereof, we are in some real pretty shit man (to quote WW's avatar).

[Ring_Wanted]

Might as well ask since this is a Bledsoe thread, have any of y'all decided whether or not *you* personally would match him in the off-season? ...or are ya waiting the rest of the season out to see what he looks like post-surgery?

I keep him. Dragic just can't defend and we need somebody to cover his ass in the perimeter. If that was his only issue, Bledsoe could be replaced by a number of players, but you also have to consider how weak Goran is against double teams, and quick defenders in general. He picks up his dribble too soon and the offense becomes terribly chaotic. If the other team doesn't get the ball back, that's it.

The ballhandling and defense, plus playmaking ability that Bledsoe brings to the table are not easy to find.

from the FA pool, Stephenson could be a nice replacement if his head was right. Hayward would make a terrific complement for Bledsoe-Goran, but not so much a replacement for one of them.

From the draft, Exum in a sign and trade could be an alley if he goes to the Lakers or Magic, but there is too much indetermination right now for this scenario, and it's a wet dream anyway. Other sign and trade targets and scenarios bring too many question marks.

So I think we should keep him as long as there is not a better option in terms of sign and trade.

Letting him go for nothing is a no-no even at the max, because the marginal cost of keeping him vs what he is really worth is not enough to offset the loss of this player.

Assuming health, of course.

[INFORMER]

Might as well ask since this is a Bledsoe thread, have any of y'all decided whether or not *you* personally would match him in the off-season? ...or are ya waiting the rest of the season out to see what he looks like post-surgery?

I wouldn't bring him back.

[TOO]

Might as well ask since this is a Bledsoe thread, have any of y'all decided whether or not *you* personally would match him in the off-season? ...or are ya waiting the rest of the season out to see what he looks like post-surgery?

I wouldn't bring him back.

Who do you replace him with? We realistically can't bank on signing an RFA or S&T him, you just let him go?

[INFORMER]

I don't really see the need to replace him. I just would continue to build the team without him. I wouldn't try to find one guy to step in do what Bledsoe does. Of course I would like to see a sign and trade that brings something back, but with the cap space, draft picks, and trade chips we have, I just wouldn't feel the pressure to give Bledsoe a big contract nor be held captive by the fear of losing him for nothing.

[JeffreyLee]

Bledsoe to start today, with green coming of the bench. Tucker to start as well.

[Charlie Smithy!]

I don't really see the need to replace him. I just would continue to build the team without him. I wouldn't try to find one guy to step in do what Bledsoe does. Of course I would like to see a sign and trade that brings something back, but with the cap space, draft picks, and trade chips we have, I just wouldn't feel the pressure to give Bledsoe a big contract nor be held captive by the fear of losing him for nothing.

Not a fan of Bledsoe as a player? ...or perhaps his multiple knee surgerieslol?

...or is it the simple fact that we have those aforementioned assets that makes you leery of selling out for one particular player?

[In2ition]

If it was up to me, I wouldn't want to lose him for nothing. Right now, he is a valuable asset, and you would like to leverage that asset for other assets if you don't plan on bringing him back or think you will lose him because he will command something ridiculous. You don't need to replace him exactly, but have something that could be used beyond. It wouldn't be as smart to just let him go, but it has to be done prudently.

I wouldn't be afraid of his knee issues at all, since that meniscus isn't even an issue any longer. I think he will be able to play without it for the entire next contract and beyond without any problems.

[INFORMER]

Not a fan of Bledsoe as a player? ...or perhaps his multiple knee surgerieslol?

...or is it the simple fact that we have those aforementioned assets that makes you leery of selling out for one particular player?

I like Bledsoe as a player, but I don't love him. His multiple knee surgeries is a huge red flag when considering giving him the deal that he'll command. And yes, because of all the assets and flexibility the Suns have, I'm just not crazy about giving big money to a player I just don't think is that special.

[The Bobster]

I like Bledsoe as a player, but I don't love him. His multiple knee surgeries is a huge red flag when considering giving him the deal that he'll command. And yes, because of all the assets and flexibility the Suns have, I'm just not crazy about giving big money to a player I just don't think is that special.

Agreed, I wouldn't be adverse to dealing him in a S&T, but I certainly wouldn't want to let him walk without the Suns getting anything in return.

[INFORMER]

I wouldn't be afraid of his knee issues at all, since that meniscus isn't even an issue any longer. I think he will be able to play without it for the entire next contract and beyond without any problems.

It's not about fearing that this latest injury is going to be a problem. It's looking at how short of a career he's had and he's already had two major knee injuries. And even took him awhile to come back from the shin injury he had. I just think injuries may always be a problem for this guy.

It's a little like Amar'e. Sure the microfracture knee was a concern, but he's had so many different issues as a Sun and as a Knick. He just can't stay on the court.

[Mori Chu]

Even without the knee problems, I wouldn't max out Bledsoe nor close to it. But with the problems, I'm wary. I like his game and like what he brings to the team. But we showed that we survive without him. I'm with INFy that we probably shouldn't break the bank to keep him. If he likes it here and takes a reasonable medium-size deal, let's talk. But if he used this year as an audition to get a huge pay-day, let's let/help him have that somewhere else. In that situation the ideal outcome would be to do a S&T and acquire some kind of future asset as he departs.

[LazarusLong]

As much as I like Bledsoe, I remember the bullet the Suns dodged name Eric Gordon ...

[carey]

As much as I like Bledsoe, I remember the bullet the Suns dodged name Eric Gordon ...

Like Lazarus, this has been in the back of my mind since the surgery. I'll say that Bledsoe is not Gordon. Gordon's injury was "mysterious" in that the doctors couldn't find out the cause of his pain. He bitched and moaned for nearly a solid year and was signed to a big deal anyway. It's not really a comparable situation, however there's enough red flags for me to say "beware of signing an oft injured guy coming off a sizable injury."

I've seen enough of our med staff to blindly trust whatever they say. However, I know that regardless of how good our med staff is the buck stops with the player. The onus is on them to do what the staff recommends.

I like Bledsoe. He's clearly a talented guy. Considering what we gave up to get him (not much) I won't be thoroughly crushed if he walks and we don't get anything but cap room. I'll be disappointed however. The likelihood of Bledsoe walking is slim, because as INFO keeps reminding us, he's McDonough's guy. He tried to acquire him many times while with the Celtics and succeeded when he came to work for us. I think now that McDonough controls his fate Bledsoe will be a Sun for the next four years. I'm honestly worried what we're going wind up paying him though. I don't feel comfortable with anything over $10Mil a year. I think 4/$40M is fair for his production and would give us enough room to add that 3rd banana we desperately need. I guess the hard part is figuring out who that is.

On RealGm a few months ago I suggested that we keep an eye Bosh. I still think it's a possibility, but I've read that he's thinking about not opting out now. If he wants to do his own thing there would hardly be a better landing spot for him than with the Suns.

[TOO]

Bledsoe is also a better complement to our bigs, his drive and dish skills are superior to Dragic. The more I look at it, I'm like 95% sure we're keeping him, he and Dragic complement each other too well. Bledsoe will get paid, Dragic will get paid after next year.

[Ring_Wanted]

10M is an amount I can easily live with. Starting at 10M would still be tolerable, probably up to an average of 12M per year. And throw in a trade kicker and a player option.

But if he gets an o-sheet (should call those 'Oh Shit', an institution that in my opinion needs to disappear, or at the very least, deeply refounded, but I digress), whoever is serious about getting him won't make such offer. Nothing remotely close to fair market value will be sent our way, and there are at least two teams absolutely perfect for him depending on what happens in the draft.

So yeah, do you press the button?

The remaining games will determine it in no small part, but this injury has been a huge problem but, oh well.

If I see positive signs, even if the didn't make the playoffs, I keep him. If the team definitely falls apart like it has since the allstar, I let it be known that I am open to sign and trades. Negotiable sign and trades, of course.

Which by the way is the stance I'd like to see from the Jazz and Hayward (but I can't see them taking say the Morrii and change).

I admit that Bosh is tempting.

He. Future is a funny word.

[Mori Chu]

... I'm honestly worried what we're going wind up paying him though. I don't feel comfortable with anything over $10Mil a year. I think 4/$40M is fair for his production and would give us enough room to add that 3rd banana we desperately need.

I'd be okay with paying him $10m/year. I agree; not much more than that.

On RealGm a few months ago I suggested that we keep an eye (on) Bosh. I still think it's a possibility, but I've read that he's thinking about not opting out now. If he wants to do his own thing there would hardly be a better landing spot for him than with the Suns.

I just don't think there is any way that Lebron, Wade, and Bosh split up at this point. They will be together until Wade retires at the least, and probably even longer than that. I'd go after Kevin Love or DeMarcus Cousins or LaMarcus Aldridge or some other PF like that, not Bosh.