Are you ready for Eric Bledsoe to be traded already? Join the club.
Unfortunately, though, the Phoenix Suns don’t appear to be in any rush.
For one, they would have moved him by now if they were worried about footing the bill for a player they weren’t using—or refusing to even have around the club. But mostly, general manager Ryan McDonough is on record as saying the team hasn’t glued a sell-by sticker to its point guard, per AZ Central’s Scott Bordow:
McDonough said by text message Monday that he had no timetable for a potential Bledsoe trade. It’s been speculated that Phoenix could wait until Dec. 15, when players who signed as free agents in the offseason are eligible to be traded.
“We are open to doing a deal whenever the best offer presents itself,” McDonough said. “Any other comments or thoughts from me would be pure speculation at this point.”
Most of us probably don’t want to hear that the Suns aren’t close to a deal. The way this whole thing has unfolded, beginning with a tweet, inferred the need for a speedy resolution. But McDonough is taking the smart approach here.
Bledsoe’s trade value isn’t getting any lower. He’s not playing, and the team has banished him. Moving him now would force them to take a bath in a market that hasn’t been kind to All-NBA-player returns, let alone price tags for fringe stars.
By waiting, however, the Suns increase the likelihood that playoff hopefuls and fringe contenders get more desperate leading into the trade deadline. While that won’t make all the difference in the world, it could allow Phoenix to extract an additional pick or prospect out of the talks. And when you’re the Suns, a squad that isn’t actively trying to win basketball games, you have the flexibility to remain patient. You might as well exercise it until you’re absolutely certain the best take-it-or-leave-it offers are on the table.
