Eric Bledsoe has remained on the free agent market all offseason and now the Phoenix Suns and the guard have come to an agreement on a five year deal and this comes after the Timberwolves looked at a sign and trade deal with the Suns by offering a max contact and it also comes as teams like the LA Lakers, NY Knicks, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics all could have interested in signing him Bledsoe if he made it to free agency next summer.
According to ESPN.com, the Suns and Bledsoe have agreed on a five year deal that is worth $70 million after the two sides battled over the length of the contract and money this summer. The Suns signed Isaiah Thomas in a sign-and-trade deal with the Kings as one of their major moves in free agency that could one day lead the team to potentially afford to trade Goran Dragic at some point, as the Indiana Pacers are interested in him, but right now that looks unlikely.
The Suns are coming into the offseason after a surprising year in the west and they just missed the playoffs and ended up with a lottery pick instead to add to their young core. According to ESPN.com, Thomas signed with the team after a career year with the Sacramento Kings on a four year, $28 million deal and the contract will end up being a sign and trade. Thomas averaged 20 points and six assists last season for the Kings and the ESPN report says that Sacramento will also get a $7 million trade exception along with the rights to Alex Oriakhi, who was picked in the second round in 2013.
The Suns were expected to make moves in free agency this offseason. The Suns came into the offseason as one of the top teams with cap space and now they have used some of that and according to Pro Basketball Talk, the Indiana Pacers are interested in trading for Goran Dragic and now that could pick up steam after Thomas was signed.
The Pacers are looking to upgrade from George Hill and they think that Dragic fits their system well alongside players like Paul George, David West and Roy Hibbert. Last season the Pacers lost in the eastern conference finals for the second season in a row and they should remain one of the best in the conference with their team mostly intact from last year. Lance Stephenson is a free agent and even with LeBron James coming back to the division, the team should be well suited for another deep playoff run.
The Suns now have three very good point guards on their roster along with Thomas and that could lead to a move and the team also signed PJ Tucker to a new deal. ESPN.com reports that Tucker signed a three year deal worth $16.5 million and that is another solid deal for the team that adds to the young core of Archie Goodwin and Alex Len. The team had enough cap space to sign someone like LeBron James, but the team didn't attract a mega free agent and now they have Thomas coming in and they are also likely keeping Bledsoe.
