Eric Bledsoe contends Suns are using rules against him

[QUOTE]Eric Bledsoe's first public comment as a restricted free agent was also his first public sign of displeasure with the Phoenix Suns.

Appearing at a streetball event Saturday in his hometown of Birmingham, Bledsoe told Birmingham station WBRC-TV, "I'm letting my agent Rich Paul handle it. You know, I understand the Phoenix Suns are using restricted free agency against me but I understand that."

Bledsoe apparently is referring to how he remains unsigned after nearly four weeks of free agency. The Suns have the ability to sign Bledsoe or match any other team's offer sheet. No other team has signed Bledsoe to an offer sheet and only Philadelphia, which does not appear to be a suitor, has the salary cap space to make him the maximum-salary offer that he desired.

The Suns made Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million offer that matches what Kyle Lowry, the free agency market's other top point guard, signed to remain with Toronto as an unrestricted free agent. The Suns are the only team that can give Bledsoe a five-year contract and that could be worth up to $84 million, leaving open the possibility that Bledsoe's camp could desire a sign-and-trade. The flip side of the market is that restricted free agents like Gordon Hayward (four years, $63 million) and Chandler Parsons (three years, $46 million) received top dollar in free agency.

However, the Suns want Bledsoe to return after seeking him in a trade a year ago and creating a system that features him and Goran Dragic together. Having two playmakers together gives the Suns an uptempo system that also prevents defenses from overloading a strong side in half-court sets.[/QUOTE]

Well seems like Bledsoe and Suns are having issues. Even if the Suns manage to sign Bledsoe up for what they want him for, will Bledsoe be happy with the team and play his heart out? I don't see Bledsoe being happy in Phoenix if this drags out.

Would you like to see the Suns raising the offer to please the man, or stand their ground and offer him for what's he's worth.

Things seem to be getting tricky.

With Isiah, he's expendable.. I wouldn't mind a S&T for the right situation. Otherwise the Suns are smart to let another team sign him to a 4 year and match it.

Till this point Bledsoe had shown himself to be a "me-first" type of guy, off and on the court.

I can't deny he really is a talent that the Suns can excel having, but at this point even if he settles for less he won't be committed to the team and will likely be a locker room distraction. He be playing for his own stats, for that moment he becomes unrestricted to get paid.

Some doubted the Suns for getting Isaiah, me included.
Guess the Suns were rooted to their stand to not signing Bledsoe to the max and had already foreseen this to happen.

This can bite us in the future if Bledsoe turns out to be elite i.e second coming of the JJ situation. But whatever the case, It's better to hold onto players who want to play in Phoenix. Gonna watch how the Suns move next.

[QUOTE=highwhey]S n T for MONROE?? [/QUOTE]

This is what I was thinking, I think Bledsoe's value is higher than Monroe though, so maybe if they through in a draft pick? I would be all for that

It's Anti Hero, got bant for posting some minor NSFW shit.. even though there's a babe thread full of worse... Anywho..

I like the Monroe idea, or any other good Center/PF or even SF..

I think the Suns would have probably paid Bledsoe the max but when Isiah fell in their laps for dirt cheap... Dragic and some others are coming up for contracts next season too, this will help to keep the team intact.

As far as JJ, it did suck for him to leave. It probably/did ruin the chances to compete for a title.. but ATL got handcuffed to that awful contract for years. If we had won a title and had to pay his ungodly money it'd have been worth it, if not.. probably better he forced his way out.

[QUOTE]By all accounts the Suns will match such a deal if necessary, even if it limits what they can do in the future.

There also appears to be little interest on behalf of the Suns in working sign-and-trade deals involving Bledsoe because the two-playmaker system worked so well last season.[/QUOTE]

[URL="http://fansided.com/2014/07/23/eric-bledsoe-rumors-phoenix-suns-little-interest-trade/"]Link[/URL]