Suns GM on matching any offer for Bledsoe: 'I think our answer to that is yes'
The Phoenix Suns probably haven't seen as much of Eric Bledsoe as they would have liked.
Acquired in the offseason in a three-team trade that was expected to have secured the team their "point guard of the future," Bledsoe has been limited to just 24 games due to injuries. While he's been very good - he was averaging 18 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals - the team also happens to be 14-13 without him, surviving with borderline-All-Star Goran Dragic at the helm.
Still, the Suns were 16-8 with Bledsoe, and he and Dragic showed they can share the backcourt together effectively. That's important, because Dragic has two more years and $15 million left on his deal; before, it looked like Phoenix may have to choose between the two, but that no longer seems the case.
Bledsoe, meanwhile, is a restricted free agent this summer, so figuring where he fits into the team's future is an immediate concern. The Suns will have the right to match any offer sheet Bledsoe signs on the open market, giving them a big leg up on other teams (they can also offer more years and annual salary, since they own his Bird Rights).
It sure sounds like that's an advantage the team plans to leverage this summer. Asked if the team would match "any offer" Bledsoe might receive, Suns general manager Lon Babby declined to use a poker face:
"I think our answer to that is yes, that we know enough about Eric as a player. Even more importantly, we've lived with him now for almost a year as a person. We like everything about him. Like him as a teammate, like him as a representative of our franchise and everything that he stands for.
"He's got a tremendous future."
Another benefit the Suns may have is a knowledge advantage when it comes to Bledsoe's health. Where other teams may balk, Phoenix knows exactly what they'd be investing in.
Sorry, Bledsoe fans outside of Phoenix. It doesn't sound like he's going anywhere.
[Dap: EOB]