As the off-season comes to an end and training camps begin to kick into full gear, one of the major questions was the ongoing status of Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe.
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Bledsoe had been holding out for a max contract for the Phoenix Suns, who were unwilling to give him one. It seemed as if the two sides would be unable to come to an agreement, but that is no longer the case as Bledsoe and the Suns have agreed to a five-year contract according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:
The Suns and Eric Bledsoe have agreed to a 5-year, $70 million deal, sources told ESPN
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) September 24, 2014
Bledsoe enjoyed his best season last year, averaging over 17 points and five assists. But he also suffered another major knee injury, playing in only 43 games.
Bledsoe had demanded a max contract, but the Suns offered him only $48 million over four seasons. With Bledsoe being a restricted free agent, teams were wary to offer him a contract since the Suns had claimed that they would match any offer.
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Many believed that Bledsoe would do the same thing Detroit Pistons forward Greg Monroe did and take the one-year qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, but that is no longer the case.
Bledsoe had been linked to the Lakers on numerous occasions as both Jeremy Lin and Steve Nash will be free agents after this season, leaving the Lakers with a hole at the point guard position. There will still be a number of other point guard possibilities next year with the likes of Rajon Rondo, Reggie Jackson, Kemba Walker, and Goran Dragic all on the market.
[divide]Kobe Bryant’s Big Drop In Sports Illustrated’s 2014 NBA Player Rankings
