Although they didn’t make Cavaliers All-Star Kyrie Irving‘s specifically curated list of preferred destinations, the Suns have come up as a potential landing spot for the disgruntled point guard. Details of a supposed Phoenix offer have come to light, an azcentral report writes.
The Suns are said to have offered the Cavaliers Eric Bledsoe, Dragan Bender and a first-round pick, the article says, attributing the initial report to an ESPN radio station in Minnesota.
It’s not hard to see why the Cavaliers didn’t immediately accept the offer. While Bledsoe is a serviceable veteran guard, his injury history only reduces his already limited value (relative to Irving, that is).
Further, 19-year-old Bender was quite raw during his first NBA season and wouldn’t likely impact the Cavaliers’ chances of contending with the Warriors next season.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- After a sinus operation, Pistons center Andre Drummond is breathing easier, sleeping better and growing less tired on the court. Rod Beard of the Detroit News documents the big man’s offseason, noting that the soon-to-be 24-year-old has taken trade rumors to heart.
- When the Pacers let Kevin Seraphin go, they freed up more cap space, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. His contract would have become guaranteed on August 1.
- Although it’s hard to truly gauge the Paul George trade, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has had a successful offseason since, Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star writes. Unfortunately, he suggests, the franchise may have been better off temporarily bottoming out.
Marks doesn’t imply the Seraphin release was to gain cap space. He just relayed the new number with his salary off the books. My guess is this more about roster spots: avoiding 16 guaranteed salaries for fifteen roster spots.
You’re right. It’s a rather anticlimatic bullet point compared to the rest. I’ve cleaned up the wording.
I actually suggested that exact Phoenix proposal in an earlier article.
And I predict a quick Cavs refusal, and hopefully, a moving on to other trade partners. Suns are obviously a dead end.
I must say though, that if the Suns knew Bledsoe’s knees were shot, they would offer more… so he must be in decent shape.
Seems the reason the Suns keep popping up is that no one else is really offering anything better. Without Kyrie coming out and saying he would sign an extension with the team that traded for him (if he approves of the team), I don’t think they will get any much better offers.
Wish I could see who might be getting talked about for trading. I suspect the reason the Suns talk is public is that James and Rose worked out with Bledsoe.
If the Pistons had kept kantavious Pope they might have had an interesting package. Not sure what happened there.
Broken down Bledsoe, bust Bender and a protected pick lol. Good luck with that.
While it is way too early to call Bender a bust, he is a high reward, high risk prospect. This offer shows just how much the Suns value Irving. I think Bledsoe, Warren, Chandler and Miami’s 1st rd picks for Irving and Shumpert is the best the Suns should offer.
1. Bender stinks.
2. Not getting Irving for Bledsoe and spare parts. Not happening.
3. Phoenix enjoy another 25 win season.
1. He was the youngest player in the league last year. Waaaaay too early to make that conclusion.
2. Probably not, but I don’t expect Cleveland will get much better offers from other teams. I think teams have learned it just doesn’t work out very well trading a large package to get one player let alone one who is only under contract for another couple of years.
3. Possibly, however would have probably won 28-30 last year if they wouldn’t have sat many of the veterans the last month + of the season. They were really starting to play well. But even with Irving probably wouldn’t win much more than 35 anyway, just not worth it.