The New York Knicks were one of the four teams that are currently pursuing Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe, according to NBA insider Ian Begley of ESPN New York. The 27-year-old Bledsoe is at the center of trade chatter after posting a message on Twitter, suggesting that he wants a trade out of Phoenix.

While Bledsoe’s “I don’t wanna be here” tweet broke the Internet on Sunday, the player’s desire for a fresh start isn’t new to the Suns’ management and people close to him. In fact, the point guard had already asked for a trade even before the start of the season but he was eventually convinced to give the Suns’ rebuilding effort another chance.

However, Bledsoe’s patience finally reached its limit after the Suns dropped their first three games of the season, two of which were 40+ point blowouts at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Trying to address the situation right away, the Suns relieved Earl Watson from his head coaching duty and promoted Jay Triano as interim coach on Sunday. The Suns also decided to keep Bledsoe from the team until they find him a new home. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN confirmed that Phoenix has already engaged trade talks with several teams with the hope of moving Bledsoe as soon as possible.

Bledsoe to Big Apple

The Knicks’ interest in Bledsoe is somewhat intriguing since they already have plenty of depth at the point guard spot.

Although Ramon Sessions, Jarret Jack and Ron Baker aren’t on the same level as Bledsoe, upgrading the point guard spot isn’t necessarily a priority for the Knicks right now especially after drafting Frank Ntilikina, whom the organization views the team’s point of the future.

But with Kristaps Porzingis’ extension eligibility looming in the picture, the Knicks are racing against time to surround him with a quality supporting casts.

Ntilikina has the physical tools to become an elite two-way guard, but it may take 3 to 4 years before he reaches his full potential.

When healthy, Bledsoe is capable of dropping 16 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds a night. The prospect of reuniting with former coach Jeff Hornacek also bodes well for Bledsoe, who enjoyed a career year under his mentorship.

Potential trade package

The Bledsoe trade presents an opportunity for the Knicks to finally get a borderline All-Star point guard, and at the same time, address their salary cap problem. New York has been trying to unload the contracts of veterans Joakim Noah ($17 million for the 2017-18 NBA season), Courtney Lee ($11 million) and Kyle O’Quinn ($4 million), but teams were asking additional assets before they agree to any deal. The Suns don't have the leverage to demand a complementary piece, though they will still demand a quality return for Bledsoe.

Of the three vets mentioned, Lee is considered the most "tradable" because of his reasonable deal and reputation as a two-way player. A straight-up swap involving Bledsoe and Lee looks to be a win-win deal for both teams, with the Suns getting a reliable veteran and the Knicks acquiring a potential cornerstone playmaker.
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