Eric Bledsoe / Lakers

[alldayeveryday]

I wanted to know everyones thoughts on the possibility of coach Calipari being the next Lakers HC? The reason I ask is even though the Suns can match any offer, would Bledsoe enjoy playing with his old coach?

(Of course playing in a big market is an obvious thought but also the fact of how the Lakers will re-build *Lakers don't usually re-build* their team)

Not trying to stir the pot but figured it was a general question that could have some lead to it.

Cheers.

[JDLAW]

Calipari is not leaving Kentucky and Suns are not going to let Bledsoe go to the Lakers. The Lakers could sign him to an offer sheet, but if anyone thinks the Suns would not match and lose him for nothing to the Lakers, they are living in a fantasy world.

This really does not appear to be a scenario worthy of discussion.

[alldayeveryday]

Everyone has their opinion and nonetheless I respects yours.

Again, not trying to make a big deal out of this but figured it would be nice to hear opinions of others.

Next Lakers coach odds via: @BovadaLV
Byron Scott - 7/2
Kevin Ollie - 7/2
Tom Thibodeau - 4/1
John Calipari - 4/1
Derek Fisher - 15/2

[DirtyDez]

I wouldn't mind them offering Bledsoe 4/48 or something like that but I can't see them wanting to add significant salary until the following summer. They won't sign him to an offer-sheet just to tie up the Suns cap space.

[NaturalBuns]

I don't think the suns are letting bledsoe go no matter what the price.
McD seems like a loyal guy and he's been public about keeping Bledsoe.


Though if for some reason they don't it would be funny we would possibly give them two PGs
In a trade when it looked like we lost but if Bledsoe has issues with that knee or just gets overpaid

2 strikes for LA.

[JDLAW]

Everyone has their opinion and nonetheless I respects yours.

Again, not trying to make a big deal out of this but figured it would be nice to hear opinions of others.

Next Lakers coach odds via: @BovadaLV
Byron Scott - 7/2
Kevin Ollie - 7/2
Tom Thibodeau - 4/1
John Calipari - 4/1
Derek Fisher - 15/2

It is amazing how Tom Thibodeau is 4-1 odds to be the Laker coach when he is under contract and is unlikely to be fired by the Bulls.

You seem to be an intelligent poster. Can you think of one reason that the Suns would allow their best or second best player (depending on your point of view) to go to the Lakers a division rival for nothing in return when the Suns have control of the situation by virtue of their right to match any contract? It would have the effect of making Lakers better, making the Suns worse and making the Lakers 2015 draft choice, which the Suns own , worse.

Teams just are not this irrational.

[alldayeveryday]

Everyone has their opinion and nonetheless I respects yours.

Again, not trying to make a big deal out of this but figured it would be nice to hear opinions of others.

Next Lakers coach odds via: @BovadaLV
Byron Scott - 7/2
Kevin Ollie - 7/2
Tom Thibodeau - 4/1
John Calipari - 4/1
Derek Fisher - 15/2

It is amazing how Tom Thibodeau is 4-1 odds to be the Laker coach when he is under contract and is unlikely to be fired by the Bulls.

You seem to be an intelligent poster. Can you think of one reason that the Suns would allow their best or second best player (depending on your point of view) to go to the Lakers a division rival for nothing in return when the Suns have control of the situation by virtue of their right to match any contract? It would have the effect of making Lakers better, making the Suns worse and making the Lakers 2015 draft choice, which the Suns own , worse.

Teams just are not this irrational.

The type of franchise the Suns have been since the Cotton days have always been about having players who want to play here and if not we've been able to get value in our return. By no means am I stating that Bledsoe doesn't want to be part of the Suns future but crazier scenarios have developed in the NBA to some stature. Our own board after reading through multiple game threads and different topics have brought up the 'expressions' if you want to call it of Bledsoe's in-game plays and/or public speaking such as him not 110% stating he wants to play here. Yes, I understand that this could be the work of his agent informing him to keep everything as a closed doors mentality and gives them the advantage in negotiations.

You have a valid point and agree completely with you. It does seem like a crazy scenario but that's why we're fans of the team(s) and the NBA in general.

[Sunsdeuce]

They have odds for who is going to be the lakers next coach. I'm surprised our coach isnt on ur silly list. Lol. First thing I see that is wrong is Tom thibodeau is on ur list but he is under contract and bulls ready said don't bother to the lakers. Secondly, the lakers are not where everyone wants to play anymore. Example being Dwight Howard. Nobody wants to play with the aging gimpy ball hog Kobe. Kobe is the only star in the league that makes players around him worse. And he needs superstars around him to make him effective. Bottomline is the lakers just aren't attractive to players right now and they are at least 3-5 years until they are considered good again.

The lakers just aren't attractive to free agents anymore! It's a hard truth that lakers fans will deny because they refuse to accept it.

I don't understand why you would even want to tie up the lakers cap space with Bledsoe. Your GM really screwed up signing Kobe to that ridulous contract. So you basically would have Kobe and Bledsoe and a bunch of role players and maybe a hasbeen gasol. That is just not smart management. Mitch Kup has been a below average GM since the gasol trade and I don't think the lakers have a good future until he is gone.

But hey Cheers!

[JDLAW]

Everyone has their opinion and nonetheless I respects yours.

Again, not trying to make a big deal out of this but figured it would be nice to hear opinions of others.

Next Lakers coach odds via: @BovadaLV
Byron Scott - 7/2
Kevin Ollie - 7/2
Tom Thibodeau - 4/1
John Calipari - 4/1
Derek Fisher - 15/2

It is amazing how Tom Thibodeau is 4-1 odds to be the Laker coach when he is under contract and is unlikely to be fired by the Bulls.

You seem to be an intelligent poster. Can you think of one reason that the Suns would allow their best or second best player (depending on your point of view) to go to the Lakers a division rival for nothing in return when the Suns have control of the situation by virtue of their right to match any contract? It would have the effect of making Lakers better, making the Suns worse and making the Lakers 2015 draft choice, which the Suns own , worse.

Teams just are not this irrational.

The type of franchise the Suns have been since the Cotton days have always been about having players who want to play here and if not we've been able to get value in our return. By no means am I stating that Bledsoe doesn't want to be part of the Suns future but crazier scenarios have developed in the NBA to some stature. Our own board after reading through multiple game threads and different topics have brought up the 'expressions' if you want to call it of Bledsoe's in-game plays and/or public speaking such as him not 110% stating he wants to play here. Yes, I understand that this could be the work of his agent informing him to keep everything as a closed doors mentality and gives them the advantage in negotiations.

You have a valid point and agree completely with you. It does seem like a crazy scenario but that's why we're fans of the team(s) and the NBA in general.

I knew you were an intelligent and thoughtful poster. Your perception that he has not come out and said anything is probably best explained by agent advice. After all, to get additional salary, he has to have some sort of leverage, which RFA frequently do not have, and that means an offer sheet. It is very seldom that prized restricted free agents change teams, but it has happened. The last one I recall was about 10 years ago - Joe Johnson in a sign and trade with ATL. I do not think lightening strikes twice here.

I disagree with some of my colleagues; I believe the Lakers are a destination franchise, but not for all. I think they need to move on from the past Kobe era. He dominates the landscape too much there. It is very similar to what the Packers had to do - move on from Favre. It is hard to do, but it has to be done. The choice of next coach will be a huge signal as to whether the Lakers are ready to do that or not.

[LukasBMW]

If the Lakers land a top pick OR trade their top pick + garbage for Kevin love, it makes sense for them to sign Bledose as they would be right back in the game:

Bledsoe
Healthy Kobe
Who Cares
Lottery pick or Kevin Love
Gasol stays because DAntoni has left

The dangers of the Lakers throwing a high offer to Bledsoe and forcing the suns to match is real.

[JDLAW]

Your Love - Bledsoe- Kobe scenario does not really work under the salary cap. Good try though.

[alldayeveryday]

They have odds for who is going to be the lakers next coach. I'm surprised our coach isnt on ur silly list. Lol. First thing I see that is wrong is Tom thibodeau is on ur list but he is under contract and bulls ready said don't bother to the lakers. Secondly, the lakers are not where everyone wants to play anymore. Example being Dwight Howard. Nobody wants to play with the aging gimpy ball hog Kobe. Kobe is the only star in the league that makes players around him worse. And he needs superstars around him to make him effective. Bottomline is the lakers just aren't attractive to players right now and they are at least 3-5 years until they are considered good again.

The lakers just aren't attractive to free agents anymore! It's a hard truth that lakers fans will deny because they refuse to accept it.

I don't understand why you would even want to tie up the lakers cap space with Bledsoe. Your GM really screwed up signing Kobe to that ridulous contract. So you basically would have Kobe and Bledsoe and a bunch of role players and maybe a hasbeen gasol. That is just not smart management. Mitch Kup has been a below average GM since the gasol trade and I don't think the lakers have a good future until he is gone.

But hey Cheers!

The silly list wasn't created by me. It's a sportsbook twitter account that aligns with majority of other sportsbooks including those in Las Vegas.

Secondly it seems you've misguided me to be a Lakers fan. Suns fan always

[Sunsdeuce]

They have odds for who is going to be the lakers next coach. I'm surprised our coach isnt on ur silly list. Lol. First thing I see that is wrong is Tom thibodeau is on ur list but he is under contract and bulls ready said don't bother to the lakers. Secondly, the lakers are not where everyone wants to play anymore. Example being Dwight Howard. Nobody wants to play with the aging gimpy ball hog Kobe. Kobe is the only star in the league that makes players around him worse. And he needs superstars around him to make him effective. Bottomline is the lakers just aren't attractive to players right now and they are at least 3-5 years until they are considered good again.

The lakers just aren't attractive to free agents anymore! It's a hard truth that lakers fans will deny because they refuse to accept it.

I don't understand why you would even want to tie up the lakers cap space with Bledsoe. Your GM really screwed up signing Kobe to that ridulous contract. So you basically would have Kobe and Bledsoe and a bunch of role players and maybe a hasbeen gasol. That is just not smart management. Mitch Kup has been a below average GM since the gasol trade and I don't think the lakers have a good future until he is gone.

But hey Cheers!

The silly list wasn't created by me. It's a sportsbook twitter account that aligns with majority of other sportsbooks including those in Las Vegas.

Secondly it seems you've misguided me to be a Lakers fan. Suns fan always

Gotcha. I won't worry to much about the lakers. Their compounding mistakes.

[DirtyDez]

If the Lakers land a top pick OR trade their top pick + garbage for Kevin love, it makes sense for them to sign Bledose as they would be right back in the game:

Bledsoe
Healthy Kobe
Who Cares
Lottery pick or Kevin Love
Gasol stays because DAntoni has left

The dangers of the Lakers throwing a high offer to Bledsoe and forcing the suns to match is real.

To get Love they'd have to draft for Minnesota since they don't have picks in consecutive years. Also Minnesota would have to take back salary which LA doesn't really have. Their only real shot is getting him the following summer.

[Revived]

I'd rather overpay Bledsoe than trade him to the Lakers...unless we are getting their first round pick this season which I know even Jim Buss is too smart to do.

[Revived]

And btw would Bledsoe (aside from the money) actually want to play for Calipari? Wasn't it Calipari that stuck him as a SG even though it was obvious that he was a PG? (Though in his defense, there was no way in hell that John Wall was going to be coming off the bench for Bledsoe)

[BobbieL]

Your Love - Bledsoe- Kobe scenario does not really work under the salary cap. Good try though.

From what I can tell, Lakers probably with trying to get those three is they have zero assets to do a sign and trade so all three would have to fit under the cap. And Kobe making $25 and Bledsoe would be making at least $13 - that is tight to get Love and fill out a roster

Suns have a better chance of getting LeBron and Love than the Lakers do of Bledsoe and Love.

Suns can at least "contracts" and "draft picks" for Love so the salaries match. Len, Markieff, Marcus and Green dollar wise is basically what Love makes I think. Not saying it will happen - just saying why the lakers are in a better chance to add two superstars than the lakers.

[JTrain]

I'd love Bledsoe to be back but aren't we in kind of a bad situation with signing him? I keep hearing max contract which, if I understand correctly, is around $15.75 million next year. Is that right? For a guy that's started 78 games in his career and had a fairly serious injury this season, that seems ridiculous. Am I missing something?

[King4Day]

I think LAL will talk with Bledsoe. I hope EB is smart enough to tell Phoenix what a team he'd be close to signing an offer sheet with is going to offer.
If LAL tries doing a poison pill contract and he simply signs it, Phoenix brass likely will still match. In that case, he hurts his owns team chances at improving. I really want him to present McDonough with whatever was offered so he can say, "ok we'll match". Otherwise, he's being selfish and hurting the team he's playing for.

[JDLAW]

What kind of poison pill contract are you talking about?

Bledsoe is only eligible to sign two types of contract offer sheets with another team. The first is a conventional 4 year contract at a starting salary and 4% non-compounding raises.

The second is a 4 year contract with a starting salary and 4 % non-compounding raises with a signing bonus. The signing bonus is limited to 15% (or 20%, I do not recall the exact number) of the aggregate salary and while paid up front will be averaged over all of the guaranteed years of the contract. It does not count against an ETO year thereby further limiting the amount that can be offered and still remain in conformance with the proscribed maximum salaries he is eligible for.

For example if he were to sign a 4 year 64M contract - I am making the numbers up but they would be pretty close - and he were to take a 15% signing bonus up front, he would get $9.6M signing bonus and a salary of $12.6M the first year ($22.2M), but his cap hit would be $15M. The second year his salary would be 12.6 x 1.04 or $13.1M, but his cap hit would be $15.6. and so on through the life of the contact.