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The Phoenix Suns aren't going to let Eric Bledsoe get away, according to general manager Ryan McDonough. Bledsoe will become a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason and McDonough intends to give the guard whatever is necessary to keep him in Phoenix, via ESPN's Ramona Shelburne:

"Sometimes that works out and both parties think it's a good deal for them. Other times it doesn't," McDonough said. "Obviously we don't have a whole lot of money committed for the future, we don't have a lot of long-term contracts on our books. So we'll have no problem stepping up and paying Eric whatever it takes to keep him."

Whatever it takes?

"Correct," McDonough said. "Any reasonable offer."
The Suns could have given Bledsoe an extension before the start of the season, but failed to come to an agreement. At the time, he had not proven himself as a starter. Now, with averages of 18.4 points, 5.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game alongside 49.2 percent shooting from the field and 35.2 percent shooting behind the three-point line, Bledsoe has established himself as an impact player on a winning team. The 24-year-old will be in line for a sizable raise in the summer.

There was risk involved in entering the season without a long-term deal, but Bledsoe was more than prepared to show the league what he was worth, via Shelburne:

"I was telling [my agent] over the summer, if the contract doesn't happen I'm ready to play a full season," Bledsoe said. "I was confident because I'd worked hard all summer, and I knew that I was going to play a lot more than I did the last three years, so I was ready."
Phoenix could have likely saved millions by locking Bledsoe up as soon as he arrived, but as long as the team retains him McDonough should be happy with the deal that brought him there. The Suns swapped forward Jared Dudley and a second-round pick for Bledsoe and his near-all-star level production back in July.

PG: Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix Suns

The longer Phoenix keeps winning, the better their offseason trade for Bledsoe looks. The Suns enter the Christmas break at 17-10, good for the fifth-best record in the West, and Bledsoe is nestled among the very best Player Efficiency Rating performers at his position, enjoying a spot near the top of the charts alongside the likes of Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard and Tony Parker.

Both player and team qualify among the league’s most pleasant surprises, and Bledsoe is right near the top of the charts when it comes to bang for the buck production. In the final year of his rookie contract, Bledsoe is averaging 18.9 points, 6.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals while shooting 49.5 percent from the field, all while earning just $2.6 million. By comparison, the Bulls paid Derrick Rose $1.8 million per game for the 10 appearances he made prior to his season-ending knee injury.

Suns GM Ryan McDonough hasn’t gotten enough hype for plucking Bledsoe, and there’s an argument to be made that his trade for Bledsoe belongs in the same discussion as Houston’s trade for James Harden, especially when it comes to short-term results. By comparison, Bledsoe is cheaper than Harden was because of his draft order slot, the Suns are overachieving more than the Rockets did last season (so far), Bledsoe’s 21.5 PER is comparable to Harden’s 23 PER from last season, there’s little question that Bledsoe is a better two-way player (in that he actually competes on both ends), and Phoenix’s return package has been a pittance compared to Houston’s bounty for Harden.

Rockets GM Daryl Morey is credited for making one of the best trades in recent years in snagging Harden — and rightfully so — but he did part with a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, a young prospect who has blossomed into a rotation player and a lottery pick to get it done. What did McDonough pay to get Bledsoe? Jared Dudley, a 2014 second-round pick and the money owed to Caron Butler, whose contract he later ditched for two lower-cost players. As for Dudley, he has a PER of 8.9, which ranks among the worst for starters at his position. “I been playing like s—. It’s been downright embarrassing,” he tweeted earlier this month. Well then. Even if Dudley turns things around, this was a highway robbery price for a franchise building block like Bledsoe; The Point Forward gave Phoenix an “A+” for the move at the time, which may have been missing three or four “plusses” at the end of the grade.

The fact that Bledsoe will command a max-type extension next summer does dampen the excitement here just a touch, but his acquisition was a little bit like waking up on Christmas morning to find the keys to a Mercedes in your stocking. Yes, there will be expensive insurance and maintenance costs to consider down the road but that’s not exactly killing the vibe, not when you just upgraded from a Hyundai out of nowhere.

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Gorilla Warfare wrote:Anyone else think the Hornets will try to shaft us like we did to them with Gordon? Offer him way too much money to put the pressure on us and we fold like origami.

Cutter wrote:Rondo $12M per year
Curry $10M
Mike Conley $9M
Jrue Holiday $9M


If Bledsoe was on his 3rd or 4th year of elite play I would consider the max. But with only one year of high level play under his belt (assuming he keeps this up all year) it seems fair to sign him in the $8-11M range like the players listed above.

I just don't see another team paying him max money. The current CBA really punishes foolish contracts and can restrict a teams move, especially if the owner isn't willing to go into the lux tax.

nevetsov wrote:I think he'll want at least Eric Gordon type money.

Bluejay wrote:I think Orlando is the biggest threat but either way Suns will be fine.

SF88 wrote:

Bluejay wrote:I think Orlando is the biggest threat but either way Suns will be fine.

Detroit may want him too. Their fans have an entire thread on their forums dedicated to signing Bledsoe.