The Phoenix Suns is reportedly willing to give up Eric Bledsoe and Dragan Bender in order to acquire Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are also reportedly willing to throw in their first round pick to make the deal work.
Many trade rumors have been surrounding Irving since he announced that he no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James and this report is the latest.
What the details are
Initially, Suns said that they are not willing to give their Miami 2018 first round pick but Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN said in a podcast that insiders revealed the Phoenix Suns are now willing to give that up.
Suns also did not want to lose Bledsoe and it is unclear why that changed now.
According to Sports Illustrated, although Suns would throw in Bender, Bledsoe, and a first round pick, they will not trade Josh Jackson and Devin Booker in any deal even if it is not with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What Cavaliers would get out of this deal
Bledsoe has been one of the best point guards in the league but he missed 67 games for the past two NBA seasons. Last season, he averaged 21.1 points and 6.3 assists before he suffered from knee soreness. It is unknown if Cavaliers would take the deal.
Bender, on the other hand, is only a rookie but was the number 4 pick back in 2016. The 19-year-old 7’1” has potential and many are intrigued on what he could bring to the table.
Yahoo Sports reported that Bender might not be a good fit for the Cavs because playing alongside Tristan Thompson, Channing Frye, Kevin Love, James, and Jeff Green could possibly not give him enough playing time for him to be developed and eventually be an asset to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Irving did not include Suns in his possible destination
Irving has two more years for his contract with the Cavs and when asked about the possible teams he wants to join, he only mentioned the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, and Minnesota Timberwolves. However, because Irving has a no-trade clause, the Cavs can choose which team he should be traded to.
Phoenix Suns acknowledged that they will probably not win any championship in the next seasons but they are willing to sacrifice the losses in order to build their team and lay down a foundation.
Do you think the Cleveland Cavaliers will trade Irving to the Phoenix Suns? What are your thought regarding Bledsoe and Bender possibly joining the Cavs? Let us known in the comments below!