The Phoenix Suns intend to move away from the Eric Bledsoe drama once and for all, but their steep asking price is scaring away suitors. Five teams are believed to be in the hunt for the former Kentucky standout, including the Portland Trail Blazers who are off to a solid start this season.
The Blazers have already racked up three wins in five games and are looking like a legit playoff contender this year. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum continue to be a dynamic tandem in the backcourt, while big man Jusuf Nurkic provides the Blazers with an inside presence on both ends of the floor.
However, there are still holes Portland needs to fill to survive the brutal Western Conference playoff race. Outside the trio of Lillard-McCollum-Nurkic, the Blazers do not get much production from their bench. Evan Turner has been playing the best version of a team “glue guy,” but the team undoubtedly needs that second wave of offense while the starting lineup sits on the bench.
The Bledsoe trade
Trading for the Phoenix Suns point guard is a high-risk, high-reward coup if ever the Blazers make a push for him. When healthy, Bledsoe can produce 17 points and 7 assists per game and gives Portland another dynamic scoring threat in a small-ball offense. The downside of this deal is Blesoe might not fully accept a backup role after becoming a starter in Phoenix.
A disgruntled player always creates tension in the locker room and disrupts the team’s chemistry.
If Portland feel Bledsoe’s upside outweighs the cons, a trade for the Suns star is very much feasible. The Blazers have several young talents that would pique Phoenix’s interest, including high-upside forward Noah Vonleh. The former No.
9 pick is on the final year of his rookie contract and is set to hit the market next summer as a restricted free agent. Packaging Vonleh with another forward Meyers Leonard and some picks (a couple of second-round picks, maybe) could be enough to get the job done.
Melo’s explanation
Carmelo Anthony had an opportunity to form a formidable trio with Lillard and McCollum but eventually decided to accept the trade that sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
When asked by New York Times’ Marc Stein why the Portland deal never happened, the All-Star small forward said the trade wasn’t ideal for him logistically.
“We had a fair bit of discussion about Portland,” Stein said of his interview with Melo. “He did say that it meant a lot to him how badly those guys wanted him. I think it really was the distance (that caused him to not be interested)."
Anthony is enjoying another strong year away from the Big Apple. He’s averaging 24.8 points on 46 percent field goal shooting with 4.0 rebounds in 35 minutes per game for the 3-2 Thunder.
