Should we go after Eric Bledsoe?

PistonPride · Post #1 » by **PistonPride** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:18 pm

I think we have the cap space to throw a max at Bledsoe and also sign Monroe. I don't trust Jennings and Bledsoe looks like he is going to be a star. Additionally The suns are probably going to go after Greg so this could be a good counter. I know the suns are probably going to match but we should at least try to offer the max, right? We might even be able to do a Monroe for Bledsoe swap which would make us much better in my opinion.

sc8581 · Post #2 » by **sc8581** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:49 pm

PistonPride wrote:I think we have the cap space to throw a max at Bledsoe and also sign Monroe. I don't trust Jennings and Bledsoe looks like he is going to be a star. Additionally The suns are probably going to go after Greg so this could be a good counter. I know the suns are probably going to match but we should at least try to offer the max, right? We might even be able to do a Monroe for Bledsoe swap which would make us much better in my opinion.

Bledsoe>Monroe and we can't offer Bledsoe the max unless we renounce the rights to Moose first.

Blkbrd671 · Post #3 » by **Blkbrd671** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:51 pm

Bledsoe is less proven and in a contract year, we should be wary of players playing well in contract years when they have a history of underachievement. Our problem is not our PG position, our problem is that our best PF is playing the 3

sc8581 · Post #4 » by **sc8581** » Sun Dec 22, 2013 11:55 pm

Blkbrd671 wrote:Bledsoe is less proven and in a contract year, we should be wary of players playing well in contract years when they have a history of underachievement. Our problem is not our PG position, our problem is that our best PF is playing the 3

Jennings is a big problem too though, his defense and inconsistency on offense hurt the team quite a bit.

Post #5 » by **Snakebites** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:13 am

I don't think we can pay both, not with Drummond to commit to in a few years.

If we renounce Billups at the end of the year (presumably we will), we'll be sitting at a cap figure of 44.4 million. The salary cap this year is 58 million. Even if you assume a slight bump we'll be at the salary cap after offering Bledsoe a max deal, and will have to go over the cap by about 5 mill or so to ink Monroe, plus we'd still have a roster to fill out.

I don't think they'll be willing to go over the cap like that with Drummond still to commit to down the road, even considering Smith's contract will be off the books by then.

If we were to trade Monroe I think looking at a player like Bledsoe might become a viable option, but we'd need a bigger sample size than what we have now to even consider that kind of commitment.

princeofpalace · Post #6 » by **princeofpalace** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 12:27 am

Unless we are planning on getting rid of Jennings, then no we should not even think about Eric Bledsoe

sc8581 · Post #7 » by **sc8581** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:11 am

The Suns were willing to give Eric Gordon the max so I doubt they would let Bledsoe get away from them.

rmfc · Post #8 » by **rmfc** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:12 am

Bledsoe is my #1 pick from the list of realistic available options in the summer.

Blkbrd671 · Post #9 » by **Blkbrd671** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:14 am

sc8581 wrote:
Blkbrd671 wrote:Bledsoe is less proven and in a contract year, we should be wary of players playing well in contract years when they have a history of underachievement. Our problem is not our PG position, our problem is that our best PF is playing the 3

Jennings is a big problem too though, his defense and inconsistency on offense hurt the team quite a bit.

He has shown quite a bit of promise, has run this team how we have needed. Is eric Bledsoe much of a improvement? maybe.....defensively. My point is , is Bledsoe a upgrade and if so how much? is it really worth the risk to give up a asset in moose on the chance that Bledsoe continues to play well beyond getting paid ?

Post #10 » by **Snakebites** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:15 am

^Those of us who are of the position that this team cannot move forward with Drummond/Smith/Monroe are probably looking at this entirely differently than you are.

Blkbrd671 · Post #11 » by **Blkbrd671** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:22 am

Snakebites wrote:^Those of us who are of the position that this team cannot move forward with Drummond/Smith/Monroe are probably looking at this entirely differently than you are.

You lost me snake, I am on the fence of how we can move forward with our big 3 . If we aren't, why are we going to trade Moose(PF) for a pg? its neither a position of need nor a substantial acquisition to justify not addressing a position of need in SF.

Post #12 » by **Snakebites** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 1:45 am

I think Bledsoe could be a huge upgrade over Jennings.

I don't know that he is yet, I'd need to see more. We aren't yet at the stage (though we'd like to be) where we're looking for a final piece. I'm just thinking about ways to make the team better. If that means trading Jennings down the road, maybe that's a path worth considering.

I guess I don't view it as a given that either Jennings OR Monroe are necessarily part of our future. The only player I'm sold on in that regard is Drummond, and beyond that I'm not really committed to anyone else, nor do I think that our core as currently constructed is in any way shape or form something that can be remolded or modified into a contending team. I still think it needs to be remade.

PistonPride · Post #13 » by **PistonPride** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 2:36 am

Don't think Jennings will ever become viable as even an above average starter he just doesn't have the ability to score efficiently over long stretches of time. I think he might work out as a off the bench 6th man, if he gets put into a role where he is not the focal point of our offense and is just there to create points we can ride his hot streaks and still be able to put him back on the bench subsequently. Bledsoe's progression looks lie he is going to be a star and I hope we can get rid of Josh and bring him and Greg back. If Bledsoe is too much or Pheonix matches I think we should look at Patty Mills from the Spurs I think he could be a breakout star if he gets a starting role, kind of like Bledsoe this year

Natopher · Post #14 » by **Natopher** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:08 am

I'd love to get Bledsoe, but I don't think it's possible. Phoenix isn't going to trade him and I don't see them not matching any contract thrown at him. Unfortunately, we missed our chance at Bledsoe earlier this summer.

LessCheeks13 · Post #15 » by **LessCheeks13** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:21 am

First post, been parsing the boards for a couple of months, good, sharp group of guys to talk some Pistons about, I've been a Piston fan the majority of my life, learned a lot from parsing this board, and I need something to take my mind off of this Lion's disaster second half of a season. I've heard more Dallas Cowboys comparisons than my ears can take, and it's mainly because the truth hurts.

Let me first off start by saying I like Jennings more than expected, I was worried about his decision making, and while that is not perfect, a Piston being able to create some space for himself to score is a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately, the job of our point guard is to create space for others as well and I don't think he has quite taken complete advantage of having those three up front.

Another complaint I have is the offensive complacency towards the end of games when the ball is in Jenning's hands. I don't know if this is his fault, or the playcalling (or lack there of), but I feel less picks are occurring, especially off the ball, until 9 seconds left on the shot clock when the lone on-ball P&R occurs. It may coincide with defensive intensity increasing down the stretch, but regardless, it shows Jennings or Cheeks or someone's lack of ability to make adjustments in certain situations as other teams do. Kind of worrying.

Sorry for rambling on but as you can tell it's a night of frustration, so with all that being said, I think that Eric Bledsoe would be an improvement, but I don't know enough about him to get technical. I know he is a little bull, strong, athletic, pesky defender, and from what I've heard, an improved shooter. What I don't know about him is his court vision or ability to sense plays or space developing. Jennings just seems to like to dribble through space not create it for others, but can rack up assists because he draws so much attention(but certainly improving, especially from last year). He's dangerous, but I don't think he's as capable as someone like Ty Lawson, that can make others around him dangerous with smart decisions. So if Bledsoe can do that, and there is a chance that he is available, I think making a push for him would not be a bad idea.

Once again, sorry for rambling on but its been too long of reading posts and not being able to partake. I truly look forward to posting with you guys, and hearing what you guys have to say. I've already learned a lot just from parsing!!

Post #16 » by **Snakebites** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 3:34 am

Natopher wrote:I'd love to get Bledsoe, but I don't think it's possible. Phoenix isn't going to trade him and I don't see them not matching any contract thrown at him. Unfortunately, we missed our chance at Bledsoe earlier this summer.

A fair point, and you're probably right. This is a largely hypothetical discussion, and maybe there's no point in having a hypothetical discussion.

DetroitDon15 · Post #17 » by **DetroitDon15** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:09 pm

Snakebites wrote:
Natopher wrote:I'd love to get Bledsoe, but I don't think it's possible. Phoenix isn't going to trade him and I don't see them not matching any contract thrown at him. Unfortunately, we missed our chance at Bledsoe earlier this summer.

A fair point, and you're probably right. This is a largely hypothetical discussion, and maybe there's no point in having a hypothetical discussion.

I agree with you as well. Jennings isn't my favorite player but he is serviceable.

momed11 · Post #18 » by **momed11** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:52 pm

Bledsoe would be ideal. Than we can remove jennings and have one of the most explosive/athletic teams in the nba with bledose, smoove, and dre. In an ideal world we give the suns moose for bledsoe, and somehow land deng as well.

Q00 · Post #19 » by **Q00** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:51 pm

Sorry, but if we have max money to spend, we better be offering it to a superstar like Carmelo, not Eric Bledsoe.

Especially when we already have a guy making 8 mil/yr at that position producing like an all-star.

I had interest in Bledsoe before getting Jennings, but there's no need for him now, and he certainly isn't worth a max contract when you are getting the same production out of Jennings for half the price.

Post #20 » by **Snakebites** » Mon Dec 23, 2013 9:59 pm

Q00 wrote:Sorry, but if we have max money to spend, we better be offering it to a superstar like Carmelo, not Eric Bledsoe.

Especially when we already have a guy making 8 mil/yr at that position producing like an all-star.

I had interest in Bledsoe before getting Jennings, but there's no need for him now, and he certainly isn't worth a max contract when you are getting the same production out of Jennings for half the price.

Well, if you're going to take that attitude we may as well go for Lebron. Aim for the stars....

I mean, the A namers aren't going to sign with us.