The Phoenix Suns are shopping an Eric Bledsoe trade ahead of the NBA draft this year and teams like the LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat could be interested in making a move for the guard and this comes as rumors have swirled about trades with DeMarcus Cousins and the number two overall pick on Thursday night.
The Suns signed Bledsoe to a five year contract last summer worth $70 million and over this season the team traded away both Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas. The team opened the year with the three guards as their main centerpiece on offense, but things did not work out too well, as the team dealt Dragic to Miami and Thomas to the Celtics. After those moves it appeared Bledsoe would be the player the team wanted to build around, but reports have him getting shopped.
According to the Sporting News, Sean Deveney reports that the Suns are shopping Bledsoe in deals heading into the NBA draft on Thursday night. The team has talked with the NY Knicks about a deal and Deveney reports that the team is "likely to continue" shopping Bledsoe if they do not pull off a trade before the draft. The team likely wants to shed some salary as they rebuild and Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Suns could be a sleeper option for Kevin Love in free agency.
Bledsoe is coming into the summer after a strong season while averaging 17 points and over six assists per game and he could be an attractive option for the Knicks. The Lakers and Celtics have been engaging in trade talks heading into the draft with names like DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart getting thrown around and they could be in the mix for Bledsoe as well. The Knicks are considering trading out of the fourth spot in the draft, as they are hoping to get D'Angelo Russell or Jahlil Okafor, but there is a chance those players will be gone by the time they pick.
Deveney writes that the deal with the Knicks likely would include the number four overall pick for the number 13 pick in the first round along with Bledsoe. The Knicks reportedly are interested in players like Trey Lyles, Cameron Payne and Frank Kaminsky in the draft and those players would likely be available in the middle of the first. The team is considering its options and there is a chance they pull off a deal before the draft. The Knicks could remain in the mix f Bledsoe does not get moved during the draft on Thursday.
The Suns were mentioned over the summer as a dark horse for Love and now that he has opted out, he could be an option for Phoenix. The team is likely going to have to wow Love with an offer, as many expect him to re-sign with the Cavaliers or jump to the Lakers/Celtics as a free agent. The Suns have a young roster and if they move Bledsoe the team likely is looking for a high draft pick. The Knicks would fit the bill, but for any deal to happen the team has to wait until the Knicks select in the draft to officially make a move, as New York traded its first round pick for 2016 already.