Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James said he has not reached out to point guard and close friend Eric Bledsoe since the Phoenix Suns placed him on the trading block. Aside from having the same agent, James and Bledsoe are close friends. They worked out in the offseason and James attended Bledsoe’s wedding earlier this year. According to Nikki Goel of Cavs Nation, James said he hasn’t made contact with Bledsoe since he expressed his desire to leave Phoenix. Earlier, Bledsoe tweeted “I don’t wanna be here” following an 0-3 start.

Sam Amico of Amico Hoops reported that the Suns are set to inquire about the Cavaliers’ 2018 first-round pick, which the Cavaliers got from the Boston Celtics in the Kyrie Irving trade.

However, Amico said some NBA general managers believe that the Suns will not get that pick from the Cavaliers just by trading Bledsoe and another older player. In the offseason, the Cavaliers expressed interest in trading Irving to the Suns for Bledsoe and rookie Josh Jackson. The Suns turned down the offer as they plan to make Jackson their cornerstone in the near future. The Cavaliers were also interested in shooting guard Devin Booker.

Bledsoe sent home by Suns

After his meeting with the front office Sunday, Bledsoe was sent home by the team. Suns general manager Ryan McDonough then announced that Bledsoe won’t be with the team moving forward. Even without Bledsoe, the Suns escaped with a 117-115 win over the Sacramento Kings for their first win of the season.

Bledsoe will be a welcome addition to any team as a reliable threat on offense. This season, Bledsoe is averaging 15.7 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 40.0 percent from the field.

Bledsoe’s trade hit snag

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Suns’ effort to trade Bledsoe hit a snag because of their huge asking price.

Wojnarowski reported that teams interested in Bledsoe have been unwilling to give up a “young player with significant talent” in exchange for the 27–year-old playmaker. Earlier, it was reported that the Suns offered Bledsoe to the New York Knicks for rookie guard Frank Ntilikina and big man Willy Hernangomez, per Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.

While Ntilikina and Hernangomez were used sparingly this season, the Knicks are not willing to part ways with their young players. Also, Wojnarowski said Bledsoe’s trade value has suffered lately since he expressed his displeasure over the Suns’ struggles. Aside from the Knicks, Scotto reported that the Denver Nuggets were also interested in trading Emmanuel Mudiay and other pieces for Bledsoe.
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