Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe (aka, Mini LeBron) just managed to accomplish what few before him have ever done: get Suns owner Robert Sarver to open up his checkbook and pay a potential star player. After years of penny pinching and giving away draft picks for nothing, Sarver backed up the Brinks truck after the two sides broke the proverbial bread (thanks, perhaps, in some small part to the actual LeBron James), agreeing on a 5-year, $70 million option-free deal that will keep Bledsoe in the desert for a very long time. Though, all credit should probably go to Bledsoe’s agent, Rich Paul, who wasn’t satisfied with the Suns’ initial extension offer of four years and $48 million, and waited until the other side finally broke. Also, by locking in Bledsoe, the Suns avoid the doomsday scenario of losing both he and Goran Dragic, who can opt out of the final year of his contract next summer. Both point guards would almost certainly command max offers on the market, regardless of their free agent status.
Restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe has reached agreement with the Suns on a 5-year, $70M extension, league source tells Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) September 24, 2014
There are no options in the Bledsoe deal, league source tells Yahoo Sports. Straight five year deal.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) September 24, 2014
Still, the signing is a big risk for Phoenix, who just invested $70 million in a guy with an injury history (Bledsoe missed half of last season with a knee injury). If they lose Dragic, the next man up is the newly-acquired Isiah Thomas, who is a nice player, but would have big shoes to fill to reach a level the one-two punch of Dragic and Bledsoe currently provide.
[Yahoo]
