NBA Rumors: Five Potential Trade Destinations For Eric Bledsoe Revealed
Eric Bledsoe of the Phoenix Suns is the first name likely to be traded this season, and it could happen very soon. Bledsoe has expressed his disappointment with the Suns just three games into the new season. The latest rumors have revealed that there are five potential trade destinations for the disgruntled point guard.
Bledsoe made headlines on Sunday when he appeared to indirectly ask for a trade out of Phoenix by tweeting, “I Don’t wanna be here.” According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, the Suns sent Bledsoe home on Monday, and the team is expected to trade the 27-year-old point guard very soon.
The unhappiness of Bledsoe possibly started last season when he was shut down despite being healthy and having the best season of his career. The Suns were trying to lose games as much as possible to increase their chances in the NBA Draft. However, Phoenix only ended up with the fourth overall pick, and they selected Josh Jackson.
Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders reported that the Denver Nuggets are the favorites to land Bledsoe in a trade. The two teams were close to a deal in the offseason with Emmanuel Mudiay and Kenneth Faried heading to Phoenix but it was scrapped at the last minute. But with Bledsoe totally unhappy, the Suns and Nuggets are expected to resume trade talks.
However, there are four more teams that have shown interest in acquiring Eric Bledsoe from the Suns. ESPN’s Ian Begley noted that the New York Knicks are among those teams since they have a need at point guard. Frank Ntilikina is still light-years away from being a starter while Ramon Sessions, Jarrett Jack, and Ron Baker are not long-term solutions.
Meanwhile, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that the Milwaukee Bucks are in the mix for the services of Bledsoe. The Bucks are an exciting team with a good chance to make the playoffs but they need a second star to pair with “The Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo. Reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon does not have star potential while Jabari Parker is still recovering from his second ACL tear.
The two other potential trade destinations for Eric Bledsoe are the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers, per Sam Amico of Amico Hoops. The Blazers already have two star guards in Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but having a third one could be effective in a small ball offense. On the other hand, Bledsoe started his career with the Clippers after being drafted in 2010. He played in Los Angeles for three seasons before getting traded to Phoenix in the summer of 2013. Former teammate DeAndre Jordan already started recruiting Bledsoe by inviting him to “come back home.”
Come back home bro
— DeAndre Jordan ? (@DeAndre) October 22, 2017
Eric Bledsoe to the Clippers makes sense because the Clippers recently parted ways with Chris Paul, and they need an upgrade at point guard. Milos Teodosic is currently sidelined with an injury while Patrick Beverley is better when he’s worried about the opponent’s best perimeter player rather than making plays offensively.
It should be noted that these are still just rumors at the moment. The Suns are reportedly talking with teams regarding a Bledsoe trade, and they are expected to reach an agreement soon. Bledsoe still has two years left on his contract, and he averaged 21.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.4 steals last season.
[Featured Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
