The Phoenix Suns are trying to sign LaMarcus Aldridge as a free agent after bringing in Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight on deals in free agency and this comes as the team has shopped an Eric Bledsoe trade and they could continue doing that this summer, as the NY Knicks, LA Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics could be interested in the guard.
The Suns are coming into the offseason with a number of moves they can make, as they reportedly shopped an Eric Bledsoe trade at the NBA draft. According to ESPN.com, the team has already agreed to deals with Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight, while the Suns reportedly are in the mix for LaMarcus Aldridge after meeting with the free agent forward. According to NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns "have legitimately closed the gap" on Aldridge and they are one of the likely finalists that he is choosing to sign with.
Aldridge reportedly is favoring the San Antonio Spurs, but Yahoo Sports reports that the Suns, Mavericks, Lakers and Blazers are in the mix. The Lakers reportedly are not likely signing Aldridge, as he did not get all that impressed in their pitch meeting, but the opposite happened in Phoenix. The team had signed Chandler just before the meeting and that put them right in the mix for Aldridge. Woj reports that the team will have to make some moves to sign Aldridge to a deal and that could include trading Eric Bledsoe.
According to CBS Sports Ken Berger and the Arizona Republic's Paul Coro, Aldridge is "seriously considering" the Suns along with the Spurs and the team likely now has to just wait and see what Aldridge does. Greg Monroe is off the market and more players will continue signing and Aldridge is the next major domino to fall. Chandler agreed to a four-year, $52 million deal with the Suns before the team met with Aldridge and they also have agreed to a deal with Knight. While the Knight move doesn't mean Bledsoe will be traded, the team may have to make a move if they want to get Aldridge.
Aldridge is likely looking at a deal worth over $20 million per season and that means the Suns need to clear out some space. The team reportedly shopped Bledsoe to the Knicks at the draft and Sean Deveney of the Sporting News reports the team could continue looking for a deal this summer. Knight just signed a five year deal worth $70 million and that's the deal that Bledsoe signed last year. The team now could move Bledsoe after signing Knight as a way to clear space for Aldridge.
Bledsoe averaged 17 points and six assists last season and it looked like the team would build around him over Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas, as the Suns traded those players at the deadline. Now the team could deal Bledsoe after signing Knight, as Knight is slightly younger and could have more upside. The team wants to sign Aldridge or another major free agent, but the market is dwindling. The team could have been in the mix for Greg Monroe and if they miss on Aldridge, they could trade for Roy Hibbert.