Eric Bledsoe [RFA]

[INFORMER]

Do you think Isaiah is not going to have an impact on Dragic even if Bledsoe was gone?

I think Thomas is better off the ball than Bledsoe, so Dragic can remain the primary ball-handler even when on the court with Thomas.

The increase in usage was out of pure necessity and it took an inhuman effort and wear and tear that I don't want to see on a consistent basis again.

I think the wear and tear came from carrying talent depleted team, not from missing Bledsoe specifically. But I've said as much and you have said as much, so it is pointless to continue this particular part of the debate. I will add though the burden that he carried will never be that heavy again with Isaiah Thomas on the roster. And I think the "inhuman effort" point is an exaggeration.

They want two creators at all times on the floor, and in order to do so you have to be willing to compromise usage to some extent, but that's not the same as marginalizing one player.

The compromise in usage is fine. I'm speaking more to the roles played. I think there is a middle ground between how Dragic is cast with Bledsoe, and how he was featured when Bledsoe went down. And in that middle ground is where you optimize Dragic's abilities.

[Ring_Wanted]

I think Thomas is better off the ball than Bledsoe, so Dragic can remain the primary ball-handler even when on the court with Thomas.

All game things considered, I'd rather have Bledsoe-Dragic than Dragic-IT3. And having Thomas as the third piece gives the Suns a big advantage over a regular role player.

I think the "inhuman effort" point is an exaggeration.

Probably. The point persists, though. By the time the regular season ended it was evident that Dragic was really banged up, particularly his ankles.

The compromise in usage is fine. I'm speaking more to the roles played. I think there is a middle ground between how Dragic is cast with Bledsoe, and how he was featured when Bledsoe went down. And in that middle ground is where you optimize Dragic's abilities.

I think in this context role and usage are basically the same. These players are very ball dominant and it's a matter of who creates first, or by default if you will, how often and who is acknowledged as such by their teammates. In other words, who is option 1A and B, and Dragic was already ahead of Bledsoe when they played together despite being nominally a SG. A lot of times Bledsoe would get the first pass around the basket and if no fastbreak was possible, once everybody was set half court, the ball didn't take long to get to Dragic, often from Bledsoe himself (and much more than the other way around, if my recollection is accurate). Could it be more emphatic? Probably, but there's not too much room before you are taking Bledsoe/Thomas out of the creator role, and that's not what the system is about.

[ShelC]

Bledsoe spoke up yesterday saying the suns are using restricted free agency rules against him. Says he understands it and he's letting his agent handle it. I think his agent is the problem more than the suns' offer.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... 33ea379a59

[DrSublime]

Bledsoe spoke up yesterday saying the suns are using restricted free agency rules against him. Says he understands it and he's letting his agent handle it. I think his agent is the problem more than the suns' offer.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... 33ea379a59

his agent is one of LeBron's buddies, what do you expect. This is probably the 1st contract that Rich Paul has done where teams are not begging him to take their max contract and he needs to swallow his ill conceived ego and inform his client (Bledsoe) that he is not a max player.

OR Bledsoe needs to fire him and find a real agent.

[ShelC]

My sentiments exactly.

[da_suns_fan]

Bledsoes absolutely correct that the Suns are using the RFA rules against him.

That being said, its doubtful any team really considered spending/offering more than 12 million a year with such a history of injury problems.

[AmareIsGod]

And at this point in the game, no team would be able to even offer him that with a contract that allows for them to exceed what we've offered. His agent (and himself, possibly) are only hurting the image of Bledsoe. Fans and even teammates probably aren't looking too fondly upon him. It's time they just sign the offer sheet. Nobody has and nobody will be able to exceed 4 years, $48 million dollars. Ink the contract and start your damage control.

[Cap]

What does that even mean, using the RFA system against him?

[DrSublime]

What does that even mean, using the RFA system against him?

means his agent told him he would get the max, and he's not getting it so he's blaming the system and the Suns instead of himself and his agent

[Cap]

Does he realize how alone he is in his assessment of his value, or has his agent told him, "Don't read the media. Trust me — they're siding with us"?

[Mori Chu]

I think he saw the max deals the other RFAs got and started to expect the same.

[SDC]

Does he realize how alone he is in his assessment of his value, or has his agent told him, "Don't read the media. Trust me — they're siding with us"?

i'm sure he's upset that parsons and hayward got max offers and he didnt.

[The Bobster]

Hey Bedsoe - If you want to take it out on somebody, take it out on Dallas and Charlotte. They're the ones who offered the money to somebody else.

[da_suns_fan]

What does that even mean, using the RFA system against him?

Telling the rest of the league they'll match any offer while at the same offering him less than the max offer.

[da_suns_fan]

Just a reminder that the Suns said the same thing with Joe (we'll match any offer) and came back with 6/60.

Ray Allen and Michael Redd got 90 million dollar deals that year. Sarver said in a radio interview with Gambo and Ash that he came to the 6/60 offer by looking at what Nash and Ginobili were making.

Not that this is relevant in anyway to bledsoe...i just still really hate Sarver.

[Mori Chu]

Bledsoe should be mad, not because 4/48 is unfair, not because he deserves 5/80, but because all these other scrubs got huge contracts and he somehow missed the boat. Look at all the crappy contracts handed out this summer! Almost 100% of them were ludicrous. If I were Eric, I'd be like, wait, why am I the one, ONE guy who has to take a fair and reasonable contract?

This is one situation where having your agent represent other NBA players can bite you. Paul tells Bledsoe to wait things out while the big fish, Lebron, settles his situation. Lebron settles on Cleveland, but he took so long that everybody else gave up on Bledsoe and spent their cap room. Now nobody's left to pay Eric. If his agent had pushed to get him signed to a big money deal early in free agency, this would have been his big payday. Eric should be mad at Paul; he should probably fire the dude. In terms of singularly being Bledsoe's agent, he did not get maximum market value for his client.

My question is, if he takes our deal, will he feel bitter about it and come into training camp with a horrible attitude? Will he play badly or not try hard? Will he demand a trade? If he doesn't really want to be here (at the given salary), will we want to move him so that he doesn't become a problem in the locker room? In general I don't like signing guys who don't truly want to play here. The moment I heard that Kevin Love didn't seriously want to play in Phoenix, I was done with him.

[Ring_Wanted]

Other 'scrubs' like Hayward a Parsons got an offer because they are the now rare SG/SF with creation ability and those are in high demand, whereas PG is the position most populated with talent.

That's where the agent comes in play. If there is not a market for your client, your job is to create one. We've seen it countless times. A player with no value beyond say MLE gets an absurd contract that apparently nobody in his right mind should be willing to sign.

Once the Suns obviously say no 5/80, Bledsoe's best shot was getting an offer sheet at the max, but the market just didn't feel like it. It really has little to do with the CBA rules, and much more with the dynamics that internally govern free agency. Supply/demand, risks/flaws, alternative options, etc, compounded with poor strategy/execution from his camp, who probably overplayed their hand.

Also, I couldn't care less if the player feels alienated. The offer on the table is more than fair, there is a risk for each side and the market has spoken. If he gets signed, starting Dec 15 he is a trading chip unless he goes out of his way to prove himself as a Phoenix Sun.

[INFORMER]

Other 'scrubs' like Hayward a Parsons got an offer because they are the now rare SG/SF with creation ability and those are in high demand

They're not really creators though. Parsons can score off a few dribbles with a floater or runner, but he's hardly a one on one scorer. Hayward is bit more skilled penetrating, but is still limited, one of the reasons why his field goal percentages plummeted this past season, because he had to create for himself. Both are skilled passers nonetheless.

Hayward got his deal because of his versatility and youth and Charlotte's desperation to add talent. Additionally, he's always been one of those players that GMs get crushes on. And that started when he was at Butler.

Parsons is a a young jack of all trades that Dallas probably feels fits perfectly with true creators like Ellis and Dirk. There was also the benefit of jamming up and weakening a divisional rival.

[Ring_Wanted]

They're not really creators though.

I agree, especially regarding Parsons. But they are 6'8, skilled with the ball in their hands and although obviously less so than the perimeter stars, they are much more than mere specialized role players, which is quite uncommon today. Batum, the Freak and not much else. That abililty is what earned them a max contract, in my opinion.

[DrSublime]

guys, Steph Curry and Kevin Love couldnt get max contracts on their last deals because of injury concerns, no way in hell Bledsoe is getting one