The Phoenix Suns are planning to trade some of their veteran players, including Eric Bledsoe, Jared Dudley, and center Tyson Chandler. According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Suns will listen when interested teams call for Bledsoe, who is coming off the best season of his career. Last season, he averaged career-bests of 21.1 points and 6.3 assists per outing. However, Bledsoe has two years and almost $30 million remaining on the five-year, $70 million deal that he signed with the Suns in 2014. Dudley has two years and almost $20 million left from the three-year, $30-million contract that he signed in 2016.
Chandler, for his part, is expected to earn $26 million from the remaining two years of his four-year, $52-million deal with the Suns.
Lowe added that the Suns are also exploring the possibility of trading Dudley and Chandler but there is no timetable or urgency to part ways with them. While Chandler and Dudley are not options offensively for the Suns, they are known for their defensive impact. Chander won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2012 while Dudley is an outstanding defender on the wing. The three are under contract with the Suns through the 2018-19 season. The three veterans will compete with young players like Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, Josh Jackson and Devin Booker for playing time in the coming season.
If the three are traded, the Suns could rebuild around these young players.
Bledsoe was mentioned in Irving trade
In the offseason, Bledsoe’s name was mentioned several times in the trade involving Kyrie Irving. Back then, the Cavaliers were reportedly considering trading Irving to the Suns for Bledsoe and Jackson. However, the Suns didn’t want to part ways with Jackson, whom they picked fourth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft as a possible future cornerstone of the team.
The Cavaliers instead traded Irving to the Boston Celtics
Bucks trying to unload big men
Lowe also reported that the Milwaukee Bucks are looking for a trade partner for center John Henson and power forward Mirza Teletovic to improve their cap situation. Based on preliminary discussions with other squads, interested teams are seeking a “big return” for taking on the salaries of these big men.
The Bucks are tied to long-tem deals with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Tony Snell, and Matthew Dellavedova, while Greg Monroe opted into the $17.8 million option for the 2017-18 season. Antetokounmpo signed a four-year, $100 million extension with the Bucks, with a base salary of $22.4 million in the coming season.
