The Phoenix Suns may look at an Eric Bledsoe trade in the future if things go south this season, as TJ Warren emerged as a Summer League surprise and the team also signed back Brandon Knight to an extension and this comes as Devin Booker has also played well and could push to get consistent minutes along with Tyson Chandler in the starting rotation.
The Suns were an active team this offseason in signing back Knight and adding Chandler and they are hoping to be in the mix in the west this season. The team did not have things go according to plan last year, as the Suns ended up trading Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas and did not make it into the playoffs. The team pushed hard to sign LaMarcus Aldridge and now they are hoping that a combination with Bledsoe, Knight and Tyson Chandler can get the team back to winning.
The Suns reportedly shopped Eric Bledsoe at the NBA draft, offering the guard in a deal with the New York Knicks. While the team did not go through with the deal, Sean Deveney at the Sporting News reported about the offer and said that sources told him that the Suns could "continue shopping Bledsoe in the future depending on how the season goes. The Arizona Republic reported that coach Jeff Hornacek denied that the Suns are looking to trade Bledsoe and that may be true now, but there is a chance he could be traded this season.
The Suns would have a replacement in Knight, who signed the same five year deal worth $70 million that Bledsoe got last year. Things did not work with Bledsoe, Dragic and Thomas and now the team is hoping for a better result with Bledsoe and Knight. Last season Bledsoe was very productive with 17 points and 6.1 assists per game and he stayed healthy, playing in 81 games for the first time since he was a rookie. If the Suns falter this season and disappoint again, Bledsoe could come up in trade talks at the deadline. The Suns could end up being a surprise team in the west, but if they falter again it could result in some trades.
The team has some young talent coming in and players like Devin Booker, TJ Warren and Alex Len and those players could get more time with Marcus Morris and Gerald Green gone. Green signed with the Heat and Morris was traded and now Warren gets a chance to step up. Warren played well in the summer league and he comes in after averaging six points and 2.1 rebounds last season in 40 games. Warren had 31 points in his last Summer League game and he scored at least 22 points in three straight games.
Summer League success does not always translate into NBA success during the season, but the Arizona Republic reports that the team has been "encouraged" by the play of Warren and Booker this summer. Booker is on the depth chart behind Bledsoe and he comes in looking to contribute as a rookie. Booker had 31 points in a summer league game and he shot well from three point range overall during those games. Booker has to work on his defense and his close range offensive game, but he has the chance to be a rotation player for the Suns.
Check here for more on the Phoenix Suns offseason moves and more on the trade interest in Bledsoe.
