Bledsoe and Suns reach 5 year, $70 million deal

[Shem]

Are you saying that Bledsoe finally caved to take the max contract that he was holding out to take? Seriously?

Are you seriously saying that he got "the max he was holding out to take" when he in FACT, did NOT get a max contract?

Really? Since when is 5/70 the same thing as "the 5/84 he was holding out for"?

WTF mate?

Other people might dance through your hoops, but it's obvious that you are just flooding this argument with pure bs to hide your ridiculous starting premise that wasn't even true to begin with.

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized. I've already explained to how Bledsoe won with his current deal. He got way more overall money than what the Suns wanted to give him because they had more to lose than Bledsoe did in this process. Bledsoe was going to get a big pay day no matter who he played for which means he wins.

[Shem]

They never said this dude. Sarver said that was simply a starting point, how can you not understand that?

Because what you're saying is BS. Just like he said the negotiation table was open. If so, why the silence all summer. And why all the multiple reports that the damage might be irreparable:

http://www.chatsports.com/nba/a/Eric-Bl ... 0-203-2930

http://www.nationofblue.com/2014/07/eri ... CkWWFcRSCA

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2151 ... ly-breakup

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/07/29 ... of-future/

It doesn't add up.

It's like talking to a brick wall.

When the facts don't add up to what you're trying to sell, I become a brick wall in any debate. But keep going in circles and I'll show you how strong this brick wall is.

Lol, you give me 4 BS links from unreliable websites all referencing the same article from Chris Haynes formerly of CSN Northwest, someone I'm sure you're familiar with.

Familiar. That's an understatement. I'm friends with the guy and fantastic person. He even helped me personally track down a friend I lost contract with in the '90's a couple of years ago. He's a very credible person given that he's been right on many thing he's reported on. He's very good at what he does.

You do realize that article was most likely put out there by Bledsoe's agent, Rich Paul. Gambo pretty much owned Haynes in an article: http://arizonasports.com/41/1755048/An- ... ic-Bledsoe

But back to your agent making you look bad. Now some puppet writer from Comcast named Chris Haynes writes an article so slanted toward your side that you would believe that your agent wrote it himself. An article that talks about your relationship with the Suns being ruined and close to irreparable and the Suns undermining your value and how you are angered. Wow, did your agent pay this clown to write this or just pay him to print it? I mean he can't honestly believe what he is writing.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/494643018062774272[/tweet]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2014/ ... oenix-suns

Since then, Chris' life appears to have changed. A month after breaking the Bledsoe/Paul point of view in negotiations, Haynes got himself a prime gig covering Rich Paul's Cavaliers in Cleveland. I am guessing the Northeast Ohio Media Group appreciates Haynes' connections inside the Cavs players and pseudo front office.

Another indication that he's got a great relationship with the players, Damian Lillard took time out from Team USA to congratulate Haynes on his new job.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/487633918640652290[/tweet]

Yeah, I know. I've talked with him about it. You don't get a job like that unless you're good.

Seems to have a pretty tight relationship with Rich Paul, and interesting how he's now covering Rich Paul's Cavs. Why Paul put that article out there, I don't know. Probably to entice other teams to offer Bledsoe a max contract in hopes the Suns with their now "rocky" relationship with Bledsoe wouldn't match.

Again, you don't get his new job unless you're good. And those tight relationships get you information... real information, not things some people want to hear in their fairyland. I do find it amusing that you were so in the loop Chris' new job and such. He must have really gotten under your skin. "Nothing offends like the truth!" LOL

[SunsFanSSOL]

Because what you're saying is BS. Just like he said the negotiation table was open. If so, why the silence all summer. And why all the multiple reports that the damage might be irreparable:

http://www.chatsports.com/nba/a/Eric-Bl ... 0-203-2930

http://www.nationofblue.com/2014/07/eri ... CkWWFcRSCA

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2151 ... ly-breakup

http://www.sheridanhoops.com/2014/07/29 ... of-future/

It doesn't add up.


When the facts don't add up to what you're trying to sell, I become a brick wall in any debate. But keep going in circles and I'll show you how strong this brick wall is.

Lol, you give me 4 BS links from unreliable websites all referencing the same article from Chris Haynes formerly of CSN Northwest, someone I'm sure you're familiar with.

Familiar. That's an understatement. I'm friends with the guy and fantastic person. He even helped me personally track down a friend I lost contract with in the '90's a couple of years ago. He's a very credible person given that he's been right on many thing he's reported on. He's very good at what he does.

You do realize that article was most likely put out there by Bledsoe's agent, Rich Paul. Gambo pretty much owned Haynes in an article: http://arizonasports.com/41/1755048/An- ... ic-Bledsoe

But back to your agent making you look bad. Now some puppet writer from Comcast named Chris Haynes writes an article so slanted toward your side that you would believe that your agent wrote it himself. An article that talks about your relationship with the Suns being ruined and close to irreparable and the Suns undermining your value and how you are angered. Wow, did your agent pay this clown to write this or just pay him to print it? I mean he can't honestly believe what he is writing.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Gambo987/status/494643018062774272[/tweet]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2014/ ... oenix-suns

Since then, Chris' life appears to have changed. A month after breaking the Bledsoe/Paul point of view in negotiations, Haynes got himself a prime gig covering Rich Paul's Cavaliers in Cleveland. I am guessing the Northeast Ohio Media Group appreciates Haynes' connections inside the Cavs players and pseudo front office.

Another indication that he's got a great relationship with the players, Damian Lillard took time out from Team USA to congratulate Haynes on his new job.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/487633918640652290[/tweet]

Yeah, I know. I've talked with him about it. You don't get a job like that unless you're good.

Seems to have a pretty tight relationship with Rich Paul, and interesting how he's now covering Rich Paul's Cavs. Why Paul put that article out there, I don't know. Probably to entice other teams to offer Bledsoe a max contract in hopes the Suns with their now "rocky" relationship with Bledsoe wouldn't match.

Again, you don't get his new job unless you're good. And those tight relationships get you information... real information, not things some people want to hear in their fairyland.

Don't you not understand where that information is coming from? RICH PAUL = BLEDSOE'S AGENT. And as I said, Rich Paul (BLEDSOE'S AGENT) is his source. Paul has an agenda in getting that story out there, he's not doing it as a favor. I'm not doubting that what he's reporting is what he's heard, I'm doubting (as have others) the legitimacy of the information he was told. Even Sarver said he doesn't feel their relationship is like that. What that BS article was was another failed negotiation tactic by #Klutch Sports. I said earlier:

Why Paul put that article out there, I don't know. Probably to entice other teams to offer Bledsoe a max contract in hopes the Suns with their now "rocky" relationship with Bledsoe wouldn't match.

.

Bledsoe and Paul's whole angle was "the Suns are using restricted free agency against me." By planting that story, maybe they thought teams would look at it and say "Hey, the Suns probably don't want an unmotivated, mad Bledsoe on the team. Now we can offer him that max contract and not fear having it matched!" If that was their intention, it didn't work out so well.

I do find it amusing that you were so in the loop Chris' new job and such. He must have really gotten under your skin. "Nothing offends like the truth!" LOL

Yes, I am "in the loop", as are all the Suns fans you have addressed in this thread. We've been following this Bledsoe situation daily for the past 5 months, can you say the same? So when you come at us with some BS, act like a know it all, and refuse to admit your ignorance, of course people are going to call you out on it.

[SunsFanSSOL]

Are you saying that Bledsoe finally caved to take the max contract that he was holding out to take? Seriously?

Are you seriously saying that he got "the max he was holding out to take" when he in FACT, did NOT get a max contract?

Really? Since when is 5/70 the same thing as "the 5/84 he was holding out for"?

WTF mate?

Other people might dance through your hoops, but it's obvious that you are just flooding this argument with pure bs to hide your ridiculous starting premise that wasn't even true to begin with.

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized.

As you're doing with that misleading quote from David Aldridge?

[i505]

Are you saying that Bledsoe finally caved to take the max contract that he was holding out to take? Seriously?

Are you seriously saying that he got "the max he was holding out to take" when he in FACT, did NOT get a max contract?

Really? Since when is 5/70 the same thing as "the 5/84 he was holding out for"?

WTF mate?

Other people might dance through your hoops, but it's obvious that you are just flooding this argument with pure bs to hide your ridiculous starting premise that wasn't even true to begin with.

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized. I've already explained to how Bledsoe won with his current deal. He got way more overall money than what the Suns wanted to give him because they had more to lose than Bledsoe did in this process. Bledsoe was going to get a big pay day no matter who he played for which means he wins.

Somebody is blowing something here and it isn't me (you're either blowing a simple math problem or just blowing smoke). You said that he got the deal he wanted, when the facts of this whole thing are:

Fact - Bledsoe/Paul asked for 5/84. That is 16.8 mil per year.
Fact - The Suns offered 4/48. That is 12 mil per year.
Fact - They settled on 5/70. That is 14 mil per year.

What is 14 mil per year closer to Shem? 12 or 16.8?

Can you do this very simple math problem or not? If you could, you'd see that both sides met almost exactly in the middle, or if you want to get technical, slightly towards the Suns side of the middle.

With that in mind, please do try to continue convincing people that the Suns "caved" and "Bledsoe got his max". It is quite amusing.

[lilfishi22]

Shem, you don't seem to follow logic, but you seem to take Woj's word as gospel so try follow this. Oh and if you think my insinuation that you don't follow logic is insulting to you, by all means, report me.

But please, give it a go
1st bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe since the start of FA. Who does he say is unwilling to negotiate and unwilling to budge from a max deal?
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508027194816593920[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508029598794522624[/tweet]
2nd bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/513081892103782400[/tweet]
In case you it's tl;dr then, here's the quote

Phoenix is willing to let Bledsoe sign a $3.7 million qualifying offer before training camp and become a free agent in July 2015. Phoenix could still offer Bledsoe the most lucrative contract on the market next year.

The Suns offered Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million contract in July, but Bledsoe's representatives insist that the guard's value is a full maximum contract. There's been minimal communication between Bledsoe's representatives and Suns officials since the franchise's offer in July.

Bledsoe's representatives with Klutch Sports, Rich Paul and Mark Termini, were unable to find a consequential offer sheet to force the Suns into matching a deal. Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders has been represented by Termini for much of his coaching career.

3rd tweet from Woj
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514607825688231936[/tweet]

Bledsoe failed to find a maximum contract offer on the restricted free-agency market, and his reps spent most of the summer unwilling to negotiate off the $12 million annual salary the Suns had offered in July.
Minnesota tried to engage the Suns in sign-and-trade talks for Bledsoe in the past week, but those never gained traction.

Getting to the good part now. Hope you're still following

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514872462430183424[/tweet]
Bledsoe traveled to Phoenix to meet with the Suns. Not the other way around. You don't travel to Phoenix to NOT negotiate unless you're going there with lowered demands.

So to your keys points

1. Wolves spooked the Suns into negotiating with Bledsoe. - Wrong. The Suns have always opened a line of communication with Bledsoe, it was just he who was unwilling to negotiate. The Suns also had no interest in making any deal happen with Wolves because they had nothing to deal.

2. The Suns caved to Bledsoe's demands - Wrong. Bledsoe held out for close to 3 months unwilling to talk any deal that didn't spell out MAXIMUM OFFER. But close to the expiry of the QO, he and his team FLEW to Phoenix to negotiate down from his max demands.

[SunsFanSSOL]

Shem, you don't seem to follow logic, but you seem to take Woj's word as gospel so try follow this. Oh and if you think my insinuation that you don't follow logic is insulting to you, by all means, report me.

But please, give it a go
1st bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe since the start of FA. Who does he say is unwilling to negotiate and unwilling to budge from a max deal?
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508027194816593920[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508029598794522624[/tweet]
2nd bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/513081892103782400[/tweet]
In case you it's tl;dr then, here's the quote

Phoenix is willing to let Bledsoe sign a $3.7 million qualifying offer before training camp and become a free agent in July 2015. Phoenix could still offer Bledsoe the most lucrative contract on the market next year.

The Suns offered Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million contract in July, but Bledsoe's representatives insist that the guard's value is a full maximum contract. There's been minimal communication between Bledsoe's representatives and Suns officials since the franchise's offer in July.

Bledsoe's representatives with Klutch Sports, Rich Paul and Mark Termini, were unable to find a consequential offer sheet to force the Suns into matching a deal. Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders has been represented by Termini for much of his coaching career.

3rd tweet from Woj
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514607825688231936[/tweet]

Bledsoe failed to find a maximum contract offer on the restricted free-agency market, and his reps spent most of the summer unwilling to negotiate off the $12 million annual salary the Suns had offered in July.
Minnesota tried to engage the Suns in sign-and-trade talks for Bledsoe in the past week, but those never gained traction.

Getting to the good part now. Hope you're still following

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514872462430183424[/tweet]
Bledsoe traveled to Phoenix to meet with the Suns. Not the other way around. You don't travel to Phoenix to NOT negotiate unless you're going there with lowered demands.

So to your keys points

1. Wolves spooked the Suns into negotiating with Bledsoe. - Wrong. The Suns have always opened a line of communication with Bledsoe, it was just he who was unwilling to negotiate. The Suns also had no interest in making any deal happen with Wolves because they had nothing to deal.

2. The Suns caved to Bledsoe's demands - Wrong. Bledsoe held out for close to 3 months unwilling to talk any deal that didn't spell out MAXIMUM OFFER. But close to the expiry of the QO, he and his team FLEW to Phoenix to negotiate down from his max demands.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8EMndSFFMk[/youtube]

[MilotheSlayer]

Here:



http://www.nba.com/2014/news/features/d ... s-bledsoe/

Please note I've already posted this before. But it seems you Suns fans are only reading my direct replies to you and just ignoring everything else I say. It's funny how all of you are doing this as far I can see.

Yeah, the Suns caved. Please go in denial and try to take the argument to another place and then come back to it while going in circles like your other fellow Suns fans. I'm very curious to see how far you're all going to take this.

Yes I have read the articles and responses you and the other posters have made. I normally like to do research and have what I say make sense before posting. I just don't think we'll see eye to eye on the whole 'caving' part. (which is fine) I would agree with you if the Suns had said that they were only going to offer Bledsoe the 4/48 or else they'd be fine with him taking the QO.
However it was Bledsoe who had stated it was the max or else he would take the QO. And at the end of the day he didn't get the max and he didn't take the QO. Now did he do a good job of negotiating and compromising a fair deal for himself? Yes. But in no way do any of your articles that you post show me that it was the Suns who 'caved' to Bledsoe's demands of a max contract.

But the Suns offering a 5 year contract along with all the guaranteed money with no out clauses is the best contract he could get because no other team could offer that. That's $70 million in guaranteed money and 5 years. No other team could beat that, even if Bledsoe became a UFA next season if he had signed the QO. And again which started this argument in the first place when I said it's funny that this offer came soon after the Wolves showed interest in him. Because before that, the Suns weren't backing down and from the reports, it was the what they offered or nothing at the time and so Bledsoe walked out and they never talked until recently.

What I don't understand from you and others why it's such a big deal that the Suns caved in with their original offer after saying it's 4 years and $48 million only? But it's interesting how far you're all taking this.

Its not that big of a deal to me. Its just that the Suns literally never said its the 4/48 offer or nothing. The front office has been saying all summer long that they would be willing to negotiate with Bledsoe and when Bledsoe finally came back to the table a week before camp they struck a mutually beneficial deal. Suns didn't have to pay Bledsoe the max and Bledsoe got 5 years of guaranteed money. A healthy Bledsoe is well worth the max and if he is injury ridden the rest of his career the Suns are only paying him 2mil more a year.

[Shem]

Are you seriously saying that he got "the max he was holding out to take" when he in FACT, did NOT get a max contract?

Really? Since when is 5/70 the same thing as "the 5/84 he was holding out for"?

WTF mate?

Other people might dance through your hoops, but it's obvious that you are just flooding this argument with pure bs to hide your ridiculous starting premise that wasn't even true to begin with.

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized.

As you're doing with that misleading quote from David Aldridge?

You keep telling yourself that. And continue to be insecure by it by fighting this good fight you think you're in to make yourself feel more secure.

[Shem]

Are you seriously saying that he got "the max he was holding out to take" when he in FACT, did NOT get a max contract?

Really? Since when is 5/70 the same thing as "the 5/84 he was holding out for"?

WTF mate?

Other people might dance through your hoops, but it's obvious that you are just flooding this argument with pure bs to hide your ridiculous starting premise that wasn't even true to begin with.

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized. I've already explained to how Bledsoe won with his current deal. He got way more overall money than what the Suns wanted to give him because they had more to lose than Bledsoe did in this process. Bledsoe was going to get a big pay day no matter who he played for which means he wins.

Somebody is blowing something here and it isn't me (you're either blowing a simple math problem or just blowing smoke). You said that he got the deal he wanted, when the facts of this whole thing are:

Fact - Bledsoe/Paul asked for 5/84. That is 16.8 mil per year.
Fact - The Suns offered 4/48. That is 12 mil per year.
Fact - They settled on 5/70. That is 14 mil per year.

What is 14 mil per year closer to Shem? 12 or 16.8?

Can you do this very simple math problem or not? If you could, you'd see that both sides met almost exactly in the middle, or if you want to get technical, slightly towards the Suns side of the middle.

With that in mind, please do try to continue convincing people that the Suns "caved" and "Bledsoe got his max". It is quite amusing.

Fact - $70 is closer to $84 million than it is to $48 million. Sounds like simple math to me.
Fact - 5 years of guaranteed money is better than four.
Fact - That 5 year $70 million contract is better than any other team could give Bledsoe this last summer or the next summer.

If you're a free agent, you want the best possible deal. The Suns wouldn't give it to him at first until later when they backed off their stance. Bledsoe did what anyone would do in that situation and take that deal.

[Shem]

Shem, you don't seem to follow logic, but you seem to take Woj's word as gospel so try follow this. Oh and if you think my insinuation that you don't follow logic is insulting to you, by all means, report me.

But please, give it a go
1st bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe since the start of FA. Who does he say is unwilling to negotiate and unwilling to budge from a max deal?
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508027194816593920[/tweet]
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/508029598794522624[/tweet]
2nd bit of Woj regarding Bledsoe
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/513081892103782400[/tweet]
In case you it's tl;dr then, here's the quote

Phoenix is willing to let Bledsoe sign a $3.7 million qualifying offer before training camp and become a free agent in July 2015. Phoenix could still offer Bledsoe the most lucrative contract on the market next year.

The Suns offered Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million contract in July, but Bledsoe's representatives insist that the guard's value is a full maximum contract. There's been minimal communication between Bledsoe's representatives and Suns officials since the franchise's offer in July.

Bledsoe's representatives with Klutch Sports, Rich Paul and Mark Termini, were unable to find a consequential offer sheet to force the Suns into matching a deal. Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders has been represented by Termini for much of his coaching career.

3rd tweet from Woj
[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514607825688231936[/tweet]

Bledsoe failed to find a maximum contract offer on the restricted free-agency market, and his reps spent most of the summer unwilling to negotiate off the $12 million annual salary the Suns had offered in July.
Minnesota tried to engage the Suns in sign-and-trade talks for Bledsoe in the past week, but those never gained traction.

Getting to the good part now. Hope you're still following

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/514872462430183424[/tweet]
Bledsoe traveled to Phoenix to meet with the Suns. Not the other way around. You don't travel to Phoenix to NOT negotiate unless you're going there with lowered demands.

So to your keys points

1. Wolves spooked the Suns into negotiating with Bledsoe. - Wrong. The Suns have always opened a line of communication with Bledsoe, it was just he who was unwilling to negotiate. The Suns also had no interest in making any deal happen with Wolves because they had nothing to deal.

2. The Suns caved to Bledsoe's demands - Wrong. Bledsoe held out for close to 3 months unwilling to talk any deal that didn't spell out MAXIMUM OFFER. But close to the expiry of the QO, he and his team FLEW to Phoenix to negotiate down from his max demands.

Where you travel has nothing to do with anything. That's not proof. It's very possible that the Suns called Bledsoe's agent and gave him the new offer and then told his client and they agreed. You do realize that it's tradition to sign your contract in the city you play in, not the other way around as it is easier overall to do it that way.

If I was going to sign a contract with a company at a new job, they don't bring the contract to me. I do to them just like I would to interview for the job. There are circumstances that make it so that's not 100% all the time.

It's more like the Suns reached out and said, here is the new offer - 5 years/$70 million. Bledsoe and his agent realize that they're not going to get a better offer anywhere else because it's not legal to do so. They come in and sign the contract. You're still not giving anything new, just going in circles by taking this argument at new angles. Again, the Suns compromised more than Bledsoe did. The contract offers prove that. But for some HILARIOUS reason some of you are bothered by this and this insecurity you all have is very amusing. Which is why I'm dying to see how far you'll take this.

[Zelaznyrules]

You're only blowing something out of proportion that I generalized. I've already explained to how Bledsoe won with his current deal. He got way more overall money than what the Suns wanted to give him because they had more to lose than Bledsoe did in this process. Bledsoe was going to get a big pay day no matter who he played for which means he wins.

Somebody is blowing something here and it isn't me (you're either blowing a simple math problem or just blowing smoke). You said that he got the deal he wanted, when the facts of this whole thing are:

Fact - Bledsoe/Paul asked for 5/84. That is 16.8 mil per year.
Fact - The Suns offered 4/48. That is 12 mil per year.
Fact - They settled on 5/70. That is 14 mil per year.

What is 14 mil per year closer to Shem? 12 or 16.8?

Can you do this very simple math problem or not? If you could, you'd see that both sides met almost exactly in the middle, or if you want to get technical, slightly towards the Suns side of the middle.

With that in mind, please do try to continue convincing people that the Suns "caved" and "Bledsoe got his max". It is quite amusing.

Fact - $70 is closer to $84 million than it is to $48 million. Sounds like simple math to me.
Fact - 5 years of guaranteed money is better than four.
Fact - That 5 year $70 million contract is better than any other team could give Bledsoe this last summer or the next summer.

If you're a free agent, you want the best possible deal. The Suns wouldn't give it to him at first until later when they backed off their stance. Bledsoe did what anyone would do in that situation and take that deal.

It's not simple math, it's simpleton math. Ignoring the per amount is a nice trick but it doesn't work that way in real life and given the fact you can type, it's clear you also know this. The Suns wanted the 5th year all along, they just didn't want to pay the maximum. The Bledsoe camp only wanted the 5th year if they could get the max. By the time this deal was done, the 5th year was the sweetener that allowed the Suns to move up to 14 million per. This was a win/win deal for both sides, I don't know why you keep trying to paint it as something other than what it was. It was a negotiation, both sides moved from their original offers.

[Shem]

Somebody is blowing something here and it isn't me (you're either blowing a simple math problem or just blowing smoke). You said that he got the deal he wanted, when the facts of this whole thing are:

Fact - Bledsoe/Paul asked for 5/84. That is 16.8 mil per year.
Fact - The Suns offered 4/48. That is 12 mil per year.
Fact - They settled on 5/70. That is 14 mil per year.

What is 14 mil per year closer to Shem? 12 or 16.8?

Can you do this very simple math problem or not? If you could, you'd see that both sides met almost exactly in the middle, or if you want to get technical, slightly towards the Suns side of the middle.

With that in mind, please do try to continue convincing people that the Suns "caved" and "Bledsoe got his max". It is quite amusing.

Fact - $70 is closer to $84 million than it is to $48 million. Sounds like simple math to me.
Fact - 5 years of guaranteed money is better than four.
Fact - That 5 year $70 million contract is better than any other team could give Bledsoe this last summer or the next summer.

If you're a free agent, you want the best possible deal. The Suns wouldn't give it to him at first until later when they backed off their stance. Bledsoe did what anyone would do in that situation and take that deal.

It's not simple math, it's simpleton math. Ignoring the per amount is a nice trick but it doesn't work that way in real life and given the fact you can type, it's clear you also know this.

More years with guaranteed money is usually the more appealing thing to players. I've been following the NBA sine the 80's and that's been a common theme that more years is better than per-season average, especially if the total worth of the contract is bigger. That's what happened here.

With Bledsoe's injury concerns, this was a no brainer. And if you saw the training camp report on NBA TV today, Bledsoe was asked about the contract situation and the anxiety over it. He responded by saying there was none and that he knew it would take care of itself and he was all smiles during that interview.

The Suns wanted the 5th year all along, they just didn't want to pay the maximum. The Bledsoe camp only wanted the 5th year if they could get the max. By the time this deal was done, the 5th year was the sweetener that allowed the Suns to move up to 14 million per. This was a win/win deal for both sides, I don't know why you keep trying to paint it as something other than what it was. It was a negotiation, both sides moved from their original offers.

To me whoever compromised more is the one who caved. And it's like I said, the Suns' offer was the best one he was going to get. Because if it wasn't, he doesn't sign that contract and would have become a RFA next offseason. And it's also like I keep saying that the Suns had more to lose than Bledsoe which is why he said he wasn't worried today.

[lilfishi22]

Where you travel has nothing to do with anything. That's not proof. It's very possible that the Suns called Bledsoe's agent and gave him the new offer and then told his client and they agreed. You do realize that it's tradition to sign your contract in the city you play in, not the other way around as it is easier overall to do it that way.

If I was going to sign a contract with a company at a new job, they don't bring the contract to me. I do to them just like I would to interview for the job. There are circumstances that make it so that's not 100% all the time.

It's more like the Suns reached out and said, here is the new offer - 5 years/$70 million. Bledsoe and his agent realize that they're not going to get a better offer anywhere else because it's not legal to do so. They come in and sign the contract. You're still not giving anything new, just going in circles by taking this argument at new angles. Again, the Suns compromised more than Bledsoe did. The contract offers prove that. But for some HILARIOUS reason some of you are bothered by this and this insecurity you all have is very amusing. Which is why I'm dying to see how far you'll take this.

Considering one side didn't want to move off the max offer for close to 3 months, anything under that max offer is a cave.

[lilfishi22]

More years with guaranteed money is usually the more appealing thing to players. I've been following the NBA sine the 80's and that's been a common theme that more years is better than per-season average, especially if the total worth of the contract is bigger. That's what happened here.

Why did the Suns push for 5 years? Bledsoe would be locked in at a lower amount then what the market at the time would dictate. Once again, at the end of the deal, that $18m would be equivalent to a $13.5m (or lower depending how high the salary cap rises) today.

With Bledsoe's injury concerns, this was a no brainer. And if you saw the training camp report on NBA TV today, Bledsoe was asked about the contract situation and the anxiety over it. He responded by saying there was none and that he knew it would take care of itself and he was all smiles during that interview.

As per McDonough

"We would not have made this commitment in terms of years or money if we had significant concerns about Eric's health," Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said. "Nobody knows Eric's medical history or where he's at better than us."

Because if it wasn't, he doesn't sign that contract and would have become a RFA next offseason. And it's also like I keep saying that the Suns had more to lose than Bledsoe which is why he said he wasn't worried today.

Except if he hadn't signed the deal then he would be playing on QO ($3.7m) and risk reinjuring he knees, or not being able to sustain the same on-court production as last year. Any number of factors could've signficantly reduced his payday next offseason. He wasn't worried because he left his agent in charge, who without doubt, would've gave Bledsoe his reassurance that Bledsoe would be getting paid either this off-season or the next.

[Zelaznyrules]

To me whoever compromised more is the one who caved. And it's like I said, the Suns' offer was the best one he was going to get. Because if it wasn't, he doesn't sign that contract and would have become a RFA next offseason. And it's also like I keep saying that the Suns had more to lose than Bledsoe which is why he said he wasn't worried today.

Well, the numbers say that Bledsoe's side compromised more. McDonough said that it was the Suns that wanted the 5th year, not Bledsoe's camp. They wanted it because of the upcoming TV contract and the anticipated salary cap increases. And the Suns weren't the only ones with a lot to lose, both sides would have lost or risked a lot if it had come down to the QO. Eric said he wasn't worried because it wasn't his job to worry, his job was to work on his game and try to improve for the next season.

I think he always knew he'd be returning to the Suns, there really was nothing to be gained going elsewhere. He's a perfect fit for our roster and he's part of a group that seems to genuinely like each other. That chemistry was vital in the Suns winning 48 games in a season that most experts predicted they'd win fewer than 20.

[SunsFanSSOL]

lilfishi22 already owned you dude, there's no saving face. You said that the Suns were the ones that were causing the delay in negotiations because they wouldn't go up on their 4/48 offer and he disproved that point with an article from your lord and savior Woj. Of course, you avoid addressing this and needlessly nitpick and some irrelevant topic instead.

Multiple people have also disproved your insane notion of the Suns caving. Now your twisting that into saying the Suns compromised more when you have no proof or clue of what the Suns intentions were, and you will never know.

This whole argument is pointless as it's just going to be you dodging the main points you made after people prove you to be wrong (as i505 has pointed out), and you finding a new insignificant thing to focus on to rile people up about in order to redirect the focus of the conversation. It's obvious by your attitude that you aren't going to admit you're wrong, so keep up the fight Mr. Keyboard Warrior.

[i505]

Somebody is blowing something here and it isn't me (you're either blowing a simple math problem or just blowing smoke). You said that he got the deal he wanted, when the facts of this whole thing are:

Fact - Bledsoe/Paul asked for 5/84. That is 16.8 mil per year.
Fact - The Suns offered 4/48. That is 12 mil per year.
Fact - They settled on 5/70. That is 14 mil per year.

What is 14 mil per year closer to Shem? 12 or 16.8?

Can you do this very simple math problem or not? If you could, you'd see that both sides met almost exactly in the middle, or if you want to get technical, slightly towards the Suns side of the middle.

With that in mind, please do try to continue convincing people that the Suns "caved" and "Bledsoe got his max". It is quite amusing.

Fact - $70 is closer to $84 million than it is to $48 million. Sounds like simple math to me.
Fact - 5 years of guaranteed money is better than four.
Fact - That 5 year $70 million contract is better than any other team could give Bledsoe this last summer or the next summer.

If you're a free agent, you want the best possible deal. The Suns wouldn't give it to him at first until later when they backed off their stance. Bledsoe did what anyone would do in that situation and take that deal.

It's not simple math, it's simpleton math. Ignoring the per amount is a nice trick but it doesn't work that way in real life and given the fact you can type, it's clear you also know this.

Bingo. He's gotta spin spin spin to come up with those "facts". Or to put it another way, compare apples to oranges.

When looking at the cap hit each year or per year pay, which is the most important part to the team, it's clear that they met in the middle. It's always funny to see somebody be so hardheaded about something that they can't just admit they made a silly and/or incorrect statement. Probably is a conspiracy theorist... exact same style of debate/thinking.

[batsmasher]

Yikes, this is still going? What's the point?

[Shem]

Where you travel has nothing to do with anything. That's not proof. It's very possible that the Suns called Bledsoe's agent and gave him the new offer and then told his client and they agreed. You do realize that it's tradition to sign your contract in the city you play in, not the other way around as it is easier overall to do it that way.

If I was going to sign a contract with a company at a new job, they don't bring the contract to me. I do to them just like I would to interview for the job. There are circumstances that make it so that's not 100% all the time.

It's more like the Suns reached out and said, here is the new offer - 5 years/$70 million. Bledsoe and his agent realize that they're not going to get a better offer anywhere else because it's not legal to do so. They come in and sign the contract. You're still not giving anything new, just going in circles by taking this argument at new angles. Again, the Suns compromised more than Bledsoe did. The contract offers prove that. But for some HILARIOUS reason some of you are bothered by this and this insecurity you all have is very amusing. Which is why I'm dying to see how far you'll take this.

Considering one side didn't want to move off the max offer for close to 3 months, anything under that max offer is a cave.

Considering one side didn't want to move off the 4 year $48 million offer. But then again I just said the Suns caved more than Bledsoe and you're still trying to pin it on Bledsoe. Keep the replies coming!