Eric Bledsoe and Phoenix Suns Agree to New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction
The Phoenix Suns acquired Eric Bledsoe in 2013 from the Los Angeles Clippers in an offseason trade with the intention of making him a cornerstone player.
On Wednesday, the sides agreed to an extension, proving the Suns view Bledsoe as a fundamental piece they can build around heading into the future. Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported the details:
The Suns provided comments from Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Labby, who spoke about the deal:
"I learned long ago that it doesn’t matter how stormy the sea is as long as the ship comes in and today we are thrilled that the ship has come in and Eric will remain a Sun for a long time,” said President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby. “He will be an integral part not only of our basketball team, but our Phoenix community.
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The team also passed along comments from Bledsoe:
"Lon, Ryan and the Suns have shown confidence in me, and I am looking to take that responsibility and help our team get better from last year and position ourselves to win an NBA championship,” said Bledsoe. “It’s why I came back to Phoenix. All summer, I knew that I really would be most comfortable coming back to Phoenix because of the great fans, my Suns teammates and our coaches. I am very happy it was able to work out this way.
Bledsoe took to Instagram to show his signing:
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With Bledsoe making less than $3 million this past season, he was clearly in line for a big raise. The Suns invested heavily to ensure they didn't miss out on keeping him in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
Upon deciding against signing Bledsoe to an extension prior to the October 2013 deadline, Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby suggested that the organization wanted to see how well Bledsoe progressed before making a commitment, according to Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic:
"Both sides are trying to make projections on what Eric’s performance and new role are going to be. Those projections are not necessarily precise and, from the Suns' perspective, it needs to be considered from the context that Eric will be a restricted free agent in the summer, which gives us matching rights. In the end, it seemed prudent to wait until July. In the meantime, we will be rooting for Eric to have a great season.
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The University of Kentucky product showed flashes of brilliance while with the Clippers, but he was never able to truly break out due to the fact that he was stuck behind all-world point guard Chris Paul on the depth chart. Bledsoe stepped out of CP3's shadow and established himself as a star in his own right during the 2013-14 season, however.
Although knee surgery caused Bledsoe to miss roughly half the season, he was incredibly productive when on the court. He posted career bests across the board with 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per contest. He hit nearly 48 percent of his shots from the field, which is an impressive feat for a guard who isn't afraid to spot up and shoot.
Even though Bledsoe missed 39 games, his defense was so impressive that he received votes for the NBA All-Defensive Team, per Coro:
There is no question that Bledsoe will be a huge part of the Suns' continued progression since he has a penchant for making those around him better. That is the hallmark of a great point guard, and Bledsoe will have every opportunity to become an elite player.
The Suns are a good fit for the combo guard, as head coach Jeff Hornacek places plenty of emphasis on offense but also allows Bledsoe to flash his skills defensively as well. With a backcourt of Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, Phoenix has the pieces in place to become players in the Western Conference.
Bledsoe has all the tools necessary to be a perennial All-Star, and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the expectations this contract will create.
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