The One And Only Offseason Thread 4

[Qwigglez]

Even when we initially traded for Bledsoe I didn't think he'd be around too long. I thought we traded for him so we can include him in another package for a legit superstar.

[JTrain]

I am getting the feeling Bledsoe just does not want to be in Phoenix and that is what is really going on. It is not about him thinking he is worth a max contract. He is demanding it because he knows for a fact the Suns will not give it to him and he is trying to force his way off the team. I believe if he was a restricted free agent for the Lakers and they offered him the same contract the Suns have, he would jump on it. For whatever reason, I think he does not want to be a Phoenix Sun. It is like the only way he will put up with staying in Phoenix is if he gets an offer he cannot refuse, which is the 5 year, 84 million dollar max. Otherwise, he just wants to leave.

My opinion echoes yours. I think he has a small list of teams he really wants to play for and while the Suns isn't one of those teams, he'd still be happy to play for us but it would be have to be at a premium. I think he's indifferent when it comes to playing for Phoenix but since Phoenix isn't one of the teams he really wants to play for, he wouldn't play for less than max.

Or at least, that's the way Rich Paul is selling it.

I'm leaning towards this theory being true. Others seem convinced he just wants the most money and could care less about where it is or what the team is like. That seems hard to buy. I know money is a major concern but I doubt it is the only one. Would he play in North Korea for $16M?

[JTrain]

I am getting the feeling Bledsoe just does not want to be in Phoenix and that is what is really going on. It is not about him thinking he is worth a max contract. He is demanding it because he knows for a fact the Suns will not give it to him and he is trying to force his way off the team. I believe if he was a restricted free agent for the Lakers and they offered him the same contract the Suns have, he would jump on it. For whatever reason, I think he does not want to be a Phoenix Sun. It is like the only way he will put up with staying in Phoenix is if he gets an offer he cannot refuse, which is the 5 year, 84 million dollar max. Otherwise, he just wants to leave.

Honestly he has never embraced phx. It's been obvious to me since day one, phx isn't where he would "like" to be but if he gets paid he would "accept" it.


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Remember when Dragic came up on him with the lightsaber? Everyone else loved it and he just smiled and looked back down. His reaction was so underwhelming that Dragic had to say "Dude... Star Wars".

http://www.instagram.com/p/lQURqIxQAs

[JDLAW]

Broussard says it is so - so it must be! Why has it not happened? Paul's only other client Kevin Seraphin has taken the QO already. What is keeping Bledsoe from doing so right now?

Answer - He does not want to. He does not want to play for $3.7M next year, especially when there is at least $48M on the table.

I have no idea whether Bledsoe loves PHX or not, nor do I care. He and his agent know that he is going to be here at least for a year if not longer because Bledsoe is not free to choose his place of employment.

I do know from experience in negotiating many settlements to lawsuits that is is hard to walk away from a huge offer when there is a real risk you might never get that opportunity again. Bledsoe has only earned about $4.5-5M in his career. With the Suns offer He will earn ten times that over the next 4 years if he takes the offer or negotiates something slightly better. Alternatively, he could also take the QO and find the market is no kinder to him next year, which would mean he would never make up the loss. He could take the QO and have a devastating injury which might mean he will never earn more than the QO. Or he could blow-up and earn a max. The problem with being an unrestricted FA is that the market is sometimes truer that for a RFA where a team has to overpay to make the incumbent team flinch and that market might not be kinder to him than it currently is.

I will predict that, if he puts up the same #s next year that he did this year, he'll find the market to be about where it currently is and all he will have done is to forego about $8.3M for the right to earn $12M with another team. If he pouts and is a bad guy, his market value will be less. I will also predict that he is likely to be shut out of season awards like the all-star team because coaches are no very forgiving of this behavior. He will have to be lights out better than his competition and the team will have to be winning at a substantial rat for him to get any consideration.

I have no idea whether Broussard has new insight into Bledsoe from Paul's camp or he is repeating old crap, but this leaking of dissatisfaction for the purpose of injecting emotional pressure into the negotiation to gain leverage is frankly juvenile and desperate and unlikely to affect anything. The Suns are not going to get drawn into this and have been more than fair - even to the point where they have left the door open to negotiating the deal further. They have not issued a drop dead or final offer.

The fact is that, other than a few fanboys and media fanboys, the public is not supportive of Bledsoe and his agent's demands. Coro's article which quotes others from around the league has to sting and perhaps this is Paul's counter - leak more disgruntlement to a sympathetic media whore like Broussard.

The second fact is that Paul cannot afford to have Bledsoe take the QO. When an agent has miscalculated as badly as Paul has, he might do anything to save face and protect his business - even if it means giving poor advice to his client. But if Bledsoe takes the QO, it will be seen as a major failure on Paul's ability as an agent. Competing agents will point out to new recruits that Paul was unable to negotiate a contract for either of his "non-max" players and they defaulted to taking a QO. They will point out that Paul can handle Lebron but everyone else is subject to loss money and prestige as Paul learns the business of being an agent. Paul needs a successful end to this negotiation. But in order to have one, he needs to redefine what is a success. Taking the QO will never be viewed as that or be viewed as being in Bledsoe's best interests. Given the public perception of the situation, if he can negotiate a few more shekels from the Suns and maybe get a few incentives he will be able to say he was successful, even if he did deliver a max contract to Bledsoe.

[JTrain]

I have no idea whether Bledsoe loves PHX or not, nor do I care.

You lost me there.

[Sunsdeuce]

Even when we initially traded for Bledsoe I didn't think he'd be around too long. I thought we traded for him so we can include him in another package for a legit superstar.

That's exactly what I thought. I thought Ryan Mcd was looking at a bigger superstar target. That's the vibe I got from Ryan Mcd because he was loading up on assets last season. It was talked about how good of an asset Bledsoe is and he could be used later in a bigger trade.


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[JDLAW]

I have no idea whether Bledsoe loves PHX or not, nor do I care.

You lost me there.

I am sorry, how did I lose you? it is a pretty simple statement. Did i leave a word out or something?

[bigfoot]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

[JTrain]

I have no idea whether Bledsoe loves PHX or not, nor do I care.

You lost me there.

I am sorry, how did I lose you? it is a pretty simple statement. Did i leave a word out or something?

I should have used a different phrase. I meant I stopped agreeing there rather than I got confused there. I definitely do care if he likes it here. I like the thought of everyone wanting to be here and being a big happy family.

[JDLAW]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

Like your thoughts, but it is a little heavy on the bonuses that can be readily achieved. Second and third team selections can be cut and 2nd team all defense can be cut. Cut the $1.5 first all-nba team to $1M. Instead give $1M for DPOY and $1M for MVP and $1M for playoff MVP

[JDLAW]

You lost me there.

I am sorry, how did I lose you? it is a pretty simple statement. Did i leave a word out or something?

I should have used a different phrase. I meant I stopped agreeing there rather than I got confused there. I definitely do care if he likes it here. I like the thought of everyone wanting to be here and being a big happy family.

OK I see your point. I just do not care at this point, but I think if he signs, eventually he finds a home here.

[lilfishi22]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

I'm OK with this. After year 1, all incentives are deemed likely or unlikely by the league. I'm not sure what their deeming criteria is but with the glut of quality PG's in the league and in the West, I think his best chance of earning the money is to be playing out of his mind. I'd also put in a incentives for 65+ games played.

[bigfoot]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

Like your thoughts, but it is a little heavy on the bonuses that can be readily achieved. Second and third team selections can be cut and 2nd team all defense can be cut. Cut the $1.5 first all-nba team to $1M. Instead give $1M for DPOY and $1M for MVP and $1M for playoff MVP

I think MVP, DPOY, and playoff MVP would be very hard to reach. Durant and Lebron have a lock on the MVP for the next few years. DPOY usually goes to a center who rebounds and blocks shots. I'm not sure if a point guard has ever won DPOY. Playoff MVP might be tough but could be replaced with taking team to conference finals $500K and NBA finals $1M. Overall I think you work the max for Bledsoe through incentives that should be achievable if he excels this year. I would be very happy with all-defensive and all-NBA teams. That means the Suns would be getting national attention and likely be deep in the playoffs.

[Christine-In-AZ]

JDLAW,

Here you go again, dousing out the torches for yet another once-a-week "let's burn the greedy Suns hating bastards" rabble-roust.

You're just no fun.

You should give the restless (bored) villagers at least half a day to blow off a little steam before throwing a little reality on their fires.

[JTrain]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

I'm OK with this. After year 1, all incentives are deemed likely or unlikely by the league. I'm not sure what their deeming criteria is but with the glut of quality PG's in the league and in the West, I think his best chance of earning the money is to be playing out of his mind. I'd also put in a incentives for 65+ games played.

Unlikely means not achieved the year before. Unless the league vetoes it and says the year before was an anomaly, at which point they can classify it as likely.

[SunsFanSSOL]

Maybe Bledsoe is still mad about this: http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-bas ... ic-bledsoe

[King4Day]

Broussard says it is so - so it must be! Why has it not happened? Paul's only other client Kevin Seraphin has taken the QO already. What is keeping Bledsoe from doing so right now?

Answer - He does not want to. He does not want to play for $3.7M next year, especially when there is at least $48M on the table.

I have no idea whether Bledsoe loves PHX or not, nor do I care. He and his agent know that he is going to be here at least for a year if not longer because Bledsoe is not free to choose his place of employment.

I do know from experience in negotiating many settlements to lawsuits that is is hard to walk away from a huge offer when there is a real risk you might never get that opportunity again. Bledsoe has only earned about $4.5-5M in his career. With the Suns offer He will earn ten times that over the next 4 years if he takes the offer or negotiates something slightly better. Alternatively, he could also take the QO and find the market is no kinder to him next year, which would mean he would never make up the loss. He could take the QO and have a devastating injury which might mean he will never earn more than the QO. Or he could blow-up and earn a max. The problem with being an unrestricted FA is that the market is sometimes truer that for a RFA where a team has to overpay to make the incumbent team flinch and that market might not be kinder to him than it currently is.

I will predict that, if he puts up the same #s next year that he did this year, he'll find the market to be about where it currently is and all he will have done is to forego about $8.3M for the right to earn $12M with another team. If he pouts and is a bad guy, his market value will be less. I will also predict that he is likely to be shut out of season awards like the all-star team because coaches are no very forgiving of this behavior. He will have to be lights out better than his competition and the team will have to be winning at a substantial rat for him to get any consideration.

I have no idea whether Broussard has new insight into Bledsoe from Paul's camp or he is repeating old crap, but this leaking of dissatisfaction for the purpose of injecting emotional pressure into the negotiation to gain leverage is frankly juvenile and desperate and unlikely to affect anything. The Suns are not going to get drawn into this and have been more than fair - even to the point where they have left the door open to negotiating the deal further. They have not issued a drop dead or final offer.

The fact is that, other than a few fanboys and media fanboys, the public is not supportive of Bledsoe and his agent's demands. Coro's article which quotes others from around the league has to sting and perhaps this is Paul's counter - leak more disgruntlement to a sympathetic media whore like Broussard.

The second fact is that Paul cannot afford to have Bledsoe take the QO. When an agent has miscalculated as badly as Paul has, he might do anything to save face and protect his business - even if it means giving poor advice to his client. But if Bledsoe takes the QO, it will be seen as a major failure on Paul's ability as an agent. Competing agents will point out to new recruits that Paul was unable to negotiate a contract for either of his "non-max" players and they defaulted to taking a QO. They will point out that Paul can handle Lebron but everyone else is subject to loss money and prestige as Paul learns the business of being an agent. Paul needs a successful end to this negotiation. But in order to have one, he needs to redefine what is a success. Taking the QO will never be viewed as that or be viewed as being in Bledsoe's best interests. Given the public perception of the situation, if he can negotiate a few more shekels from the Suns and maybe get a few incentives he will be able to say he was successful, even if he did deliver a max contract to Bledsoe.

This was a great post

[paulpressey25]

When an agent has miscalculated as badly as Paul has.

I know the perception on this board is that Paul has "miscalculated". That may or may not prove out in the end, but right now I do not think you can make that claim.

The Suns have $48 million on the table and Sarver in that interview that was in the wiretap this morning said he's willing to negotiate higher from that point. Now if Paul is trying to hold out for 5/$80 and won't budge, yes that is a miscalculation. But if he is ultimately willing to come down to 4/$63 or even 4/$58, he's done an ok job in getting his client an extra $10 million by simply waiting this out 60-90 days.

Personally I still think Paul has to get the same deal Gordon Hayward got to save face, but this situation is a long way from over. There is still a ton of time before things get serious in October.

Also I believe that if Bledsoe does take the QO, he can be traded by Suns next year, however Bledsoe has to approve the team he's traded to.

[Cutter]

The Suns could give Bledsoe the max as follows

$12M base
500K for 2nd-team all defense
$1M for 1st team all defense
500K for 3rd team all NBA
$1M for 2nd team all NBA
$1.5M for 1st team all NBA
$1M for all-star selection

Should Bledsoe be 1st team all defense, 1st team all NBA, and an all-star he would get $15.5M.

Let him earn the max.

Like your thoughts, but it is a little heavy on the bonuses that can be readily achieved. Second and third team selections can be cut and 2nd team all defense can be cut. Cut the $1.5 first all-nba team to $1M. Instead give $1M for DPOY and $1M for MVP and $1M for playoff MVP

I think MVP, DPOY, and playoff MVP would be very hard to reach. Durant and Lebron have a lock on the MVP for the next few years. DPOY usually goes to a center who rebounds and blocks shots. I'm not sure if a point guard has ever won DPOY. Playoff MVP might be tough but could be replaced with taking team to conference finals $500K and NBA finals $1M. Overall I think you work the max for Bledsoe through incentives that should be achievable if he excels this year. I would be very happy with all-defensive and all-NBA teams. That means the Suns would be getting national attention and likely be deep in the playoffs.

I agree Bigfoot. I don't think the league is trembling in fear that Bledsoe is going to hog all of the elite NBA awards. It is entirely legitimate to expect max level players to compete for or win major recognition awards.

[lilfishi22]

I'm OK with this. After year 1, all incentives are deemed likely or unlikely by the league. I'm not sure what their deeming criteria is but with the glut of quality PG's in the league and in the West, I think his best chance of earning the money is to be playing out of his mind. I'd also put in a incentives for 65+ games played.

Unlikely means not achieved the year before. Unless the league vetoes it and says the year before was an anomaly, at which point they can classify it as likely.[/quote]Thanks for the explanation.