Eric Bledsoe [RFA]

[INFORMER]

however, i'd offer marc gasol the max, among the list of impact free agents available next year. i really love his game. obviously he's not going to be available, but if he were and we got him, i'd be beside myself with joy.

I would never give Marc Gasol the max. He's a good player, but he's not nearly productive enough.

'Good player' is a severe understatement. Severe.

If I want to win now, as a free agent I max him out, with no hesitation.

If by "win now" you mean be a perennial conference semifinalist, then sure. If you're actually interested in being a legitimate contender, then no, I don't think that's advantageous route to take.

[Cap]

Bledsoe aside, it's been a newsy offseason. We added two impact free agents and two first-round draft picks. Dragic is having a great tournament at the FIBA World Cup. The Mercury won a championship, and were arguably the greatest team in the history of women's basketball. Has Bledsoe had a comment on any of it? Other than complaints about negotiations, has he said a public word about the team, his teammates, the city or the fans? At least on his Twitter feed, he hasn't. He even did the ice bucket challenge a few weeks ago and didn't challenge anyone associated with the Suns.

[Superbone]

Bledsoe aside, it's been a newsy offseason. We added two impact free agents and two first-round draft picks. Dragic is having a great tournament at FIBA. The Mercury won a championship, and were arguably the greatest team in the history of women's basketball. Has Bledsoe had a comment on any of it? Other than complaints about negotiations, has he said a public word about the team, his teammates, the city or the fans? At least on his Twitter feed, he hasn't. He even did the ice bucket challenge a few weeks ago and didn't challenge anyone associated with the Suns.

Every other Sun is here for informal workouts other than Dragic who just finished up at the World Cup. Bledsoe hasn't been here once since the season ended. Sure, he's in contract "negotiations" but it says a lot about his commitment here (which is zilch).

[The Bobster]

Well, he's not under contract - so I wouldn't expect him to be here.

Unfortunately for him, he and his "agent" probably counted on a lot more mobility and some big offers this summer, and when the market dried up they found themselves without many options (other than accepting the qualifying offer).

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

[Cap]

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

I can't remember any agent looking as lazy and inept as Rich Paul this summer. Maybe having LeBron James as his only other client has got him thinking an agent's job consists solely of stating your client's demands and waiting for them to be met because your client is awesome.

If you don't think the Suns are offering your client fair value, you're supposed to work the phones and try to get some of the other 29 teams to enter the market and boost demand for your client. No indication that he has done so.

More damning is the complete lack of public relations. Bledsoe's reputation has taken a beating. Among the media and the management of 30 NBA teams, he seems to have almost no fans. Everybody thinks he's being an unreasonable asshole and doesn't care about his team. Where's the damage control? Come on, tweet something nice about the new additions to the team, or Dragic's performance at the FIBA World Cup, or the Mercury making history. Come to Phoenix and make some appearances at charity events. Just some kind of little public gestures to give people a reason to like you. If Bledsoe doesn't have the brains to do this PR on his own initiative, part of the job of a professional agent is to help him do it. There's been nothing. He's not even trying.

[Gladiator]

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

I can't remember any agent looking as lazy and inept as Rich Paul this summer. Maybe having LeBron James as his only other client has got him thinking an agent's job consists solely of stating your client's demands and waiting for them to be met because your client is awesome.

If you don't think the Suns are offering your client fair value, you're supposed to work the phones and try to get some of the other 29 teams to enter the market and boost demand for your client. No indication that he has done so.

More damning is the complete lack of public relations. Bledsoe's reputation has taken a beating. Among the media and the management of 30 NBA teams, he seems to have almost no fans. Everybody thinks he's being an unreasonable asshole and doesn't care about his team. Where's the damage control? Come on, tweet something nice about the new additions to the team, or Dragic's performance at the FIBA World Cup, or the Mercury making history. Come to Phoenix and make some appearances at charity events. Just some kind of little public gestures to give people a reason to like you. If Bledsoe doesn't have the brains to do this PR on his own initiative, part of the job of a professional agent is to help him do it. There's been nothing. He's not even trying.

Very solid post and I agree 100%. Bledsoe's entire off-season is being driven by his manager, and he's asleep at the wheel.

[Shabazz]

Bledsoe aside, it's been a newsy offseason. We added two impact free agents

Are you counting PJ Tucker?

I've been a little underwhelmed by the offseason.

[EDIT: Forgot about Tolliver. Still a little underwhelmed.]

[Shabazz]

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

I can't remember any agent looking as lazy and inept as Rich Paul this summer. Maybe having LeBron James as his only other client has got him thinking an agent's job consists solely of stating your client's demands and waiting for them to be met because your client is awesome.

If you don't think the Suns are offering your client fair value, you're supposed to work the phones and try to get some of the other 29 teams to enter the market and boost demand for your client. No indication that he has done so.

More damning is the complete lack of public relations. Bledsoe's reputation has taken a beating. Among the media and the management of 30 NBA teams, he seems to have almost no fans. Everybody thinks he's being an unreasonable asshole and doesn't care about his team. Where's the damage control? Come on, tweet something nice about the new additions to the team, or Dragic's performance at the FIBA World Cup, or the Mercury making history. Come to Phoenix and make some appearances at charity events. Just some kind of little public gestures to give people a reason to like you. If Bledsoe doesn't have the brains to do this PR on his own initiative, part of the job of a professional agent is to help him do it. There's been nothing. He's not even trying.

Nailed it.

[Mori Chu]

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

I can't remember any agent looking as lazy and inept as Rich Paul this summer. Maybe having LeBron James as his only other client has got him thinking an agent's job consists solely of stating your client's demands and waiting for them to be met because your client is awesome.

If you don't think the Suns are offering your client fair value, you're supposed to work the phones and try to get some of the other 29 teams to enter the market and boost demand for your client. No indication that he has done so.

More damning is the complete lack of public relations. Bledsoe's reputation has taken a beating. Among the media and the management of 30 NBA teams, he seems to have almost no fans. Everybody thinks he's being an unreasonable asshole and doesn't care about his team. Where's the damage control? Come on, tweet something nice about the new additions to the team, or Dragic's performance at the FIBA World Cup, or the Mercury making history. Come to Phoenix and make some appearances at charity events. Just some kind of little public gestures to give people a reason to like you. If Bledsoe doesn't have the brains to do this PR on his own initiative, part of the job of a professional agent is to help him do it. There's been nothing. He's not even trying.

Great post. Except, I can think of ONE agent who was even worse:

http://static.espn.go.com/nba/columns/s ... 77692.html

[JCSunsfan]

Of course their other option is to actually try negotiating a deal, but for some reason they've chosen to bypass that option.

I can't remember any agent looking as lazy and inept as Rich Paul this summer. Maybe having LeBron James as his only other client has got him thinking an agent's job consists solely of stating your client's demands and waiting for them to be met because your client is awesome.

If you don't think the Suns are offering your client fair value, you're supposed to work the phones and try to get some of the other 29 teams to enter the market and boost demand for your client. No indication that he has done so.

More damning is the complete lack of public relations. Bledsoe's reputation has taken a beating. Among the media and the management of 30 NBA teams, he seems to have almost no fans. Everybody thinks he's being an unreasonable asshole and doesn't care about his team. Where's the damage control? Come on, tweet something nice about the new additions to the team, or Dragic's performance at the FIBA World Cup, or the Mercury making history. Come to Phoenix and make some appearances at charity events. Just some kind of little public gestures to give people a reason to like you. If Bledsoe doesn't have the brains to do this PR on his own initiative, part of the job of a professional agent is to help him do it. There's been nothing. He's not even trying.

Nailed it.

He still has time to fix it. I wonder if that is what he is doing. All he has to do is sign the contract or negotiate for a little more. If Bledsoe signs for the QO its clear that his agent has failed him.

[Mori Chu]

What happens if he just doesn't sign the QO? Does he just not play?

[The Bobster]

he can sit out the season if he wants, but then he's a restricted free agent again next year with the same qualifying offer. so he's certainly not sitting out the year.

[SDC]

blatche and zoran please.

[JCSunsfan]

he can sit out the season if he wants, but then he's a restricted free agent again next year with the same qualifying offer. so he's certainly not sitting out the year.

Its the second most desirable option. The first is that he signs for a reasonable long term deal. The second is that he lets Oct 1 roll by without signing the QO. That allows the Suns to keep his rights without having to offer him anything. The third is that he signs the QO.

The fact is that Eric and his agent have already lost this negotiation. The question is whether he will use the "nuclear option" and blow himself up (the QO) as his last resort. The team will probably be fine then anyway.

[In2ition]

The Suns are trying to force him to play in a city he can't support for slave wages otherwise he is forced to play in China or elsewhere. I am sure that is going to be truly unacceptable. Maybe he can get the NBA to step in like LeBron tried to, to help out his friend's Bledsoe and Paul.

[Mori Chu]

Bledsoe's got a family to feed!

I wonder if he realizes the damage to his "brand" by this protracted negotiation. That goes for him and for Rich Paul. I really do think that Paul is going to look bad from this and be less appealing to future players.

[JCSunsfan]

Bledsoe's got a family to feed!

I wonder if he realizes the damage to his "brand" by this protracted negotiation. That goes for him and for Rich Paul. I really do think that Paul is going to look bad from this and be less appealing to future players.

I would hope so, but for some reason things seldom work out that way. I remember chanting voodoo curses on Tony Dutt after the McDyess fiasco, but it did not seem to work.

[Superbone]

New Coro article on Bledsoe:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /15700239/

Coro: Bledsoe could be facing 1-year deal

A midcourt pile of money to the US Airways Center ceiling has sat untouched this summer, awaiting Eric Bledsoe to come from his baseline and meet the Suns.

It has been a trying, bewildering and exasperating process to fathom how Bledsoe, with 78 career starts and $7.4 million in career earnings, would balk at the Suns' four-year, $48 million offer when there have been no competing bids the past 10 weeks. He has his reasons, but we can only guess.

Bledsoe is a restricted NBA free agent — the last one — who appears headed toward accepting a one-year, $3.73 million qualifying offer by the Oct. 1 deadline (if he waits until Oct. 1, he will not be part of the Sept. 29 media day or be aboard the bus to training camp).

Bledsoe and his agents have lost this case in the court of public opinion by nolo contendere. League executives, agents, fans and media judged the Suns' offer to be fair — and the qualifying offer to be a risk and a financial sacrifice that takes years to make up.

...

[Shabazz]

If it comes to the point that Bledsoe is about to take his qualifying offer, what about offering him a 1 year, $5M deal so he loses his veto rights (for $1M+) and we have the ability to trade him anywhere it suits us?

[Superbone]

If it comes to the point that Bledsoe is about to take his qualifying offer, what about offering him a 1 year, $5M deal so he loses his veto rights (for $1M+) and we have the ability to trade him anywhere it suits us?

Why would he sign that when he's willing to look away from $48 million and sign the QO? It's only $1.3 M more than he'll get for the QO.