Eric Bledsoe has been mentioned in trade rumors numerous times this summer and the Minnesota Timberwolves have made a late push for the star, but this comes as the Phoenix Suns and Bledsoe are getting closer on a free agent deal and that would mean the LA Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks all would miss out on the chance to chase Bledsoe in free agency next summer.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Bledsoe and the Suns are making progress on a deal and this comes after the two sides were not close for quite some time over the summer. ESPN.com reported last week that the Timberwolves were looking to make a sign and trade deal with the Suns for Bledsoe and that they would be offering a max contract. The Suns were not interested and now Phoenix is looking to get a deal done ahead of training camp.
Yahoo Sports first reported the news and they wrote that Bledsoe and the Suns have been making "progress" on a deal over the past two days. Bledsoe had been looking for a five year deal at the max, while the Suns had offered four and a little more than half of what Bledsoe was asking for. The Suns were concerned about his injury history and this comes after Bledsoe missed half the season last year and in his final year with the Clippers.
Bledsoe is a very talented played, but the Suns backed themselves up if they couldn't sign him by bringing in Isaiah Thomas and drafting Tyler Ennis. It appeared that Bledsoe could take the qualifying offer to become a free agent next summer, but now it's looking more likely that the two sides get a deal done. Bledsoe was not happy with the Suns earlier in the summer, but now that it's late in the game both sides want to get a deal done.
Bledsoe and the Suns have been at odds regarding his contract this summer, as he has been asking for five years and a max contract, while Phoenix has offered him four years and less than the max money. Bledsoe has dealt with injuries over the past couple years with the Clippers and the Suns and he missed nearly half the season last year in Phoenix. According to ESPN.com, the Timberwolves have made a late push on Bledsoe, offering a max contract in a sign and trade deal at four years and worth $63 million, but so far the Suns have rebuffed the offer.
The Wolves have been aggressive this offseason and after trading Kevin Love for Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, the team also added Thaddeus Young from the 76ers. The team has Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine and they could be on the way up with all that young talent. The Wolves now are working on a deal for Ricky Rubio and while the sides are not yet close, they are talking and that could lead to an extension for the guard. The Wolves and the Suns have young talent on their teams and they both could be in the mix in the bottom of the west this year for a playoff spot.