Does Brandon Knight's New Contract Put Eric Bledsoe on Suns' Trade Block?

It might not have been the summer's most anticipated pact, but it was pretty momentous if you care about the Phoenix Suns' fate. 

Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that, "Brandon Knight has reached agreement on a five-year, $70 million contract extension with the Phoenix Suns, league sources told Yahoo Sports."

The deal shouldn't come as a surprise after the organization landed Knight via trade midway through last season. Phoenix presumably imagined him to be more than a rental in the wake of trading away guards Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic. 

The busy Suns also reached a four-year agreement with free-agent center Tyson Chandler and still found time to meet with Portland Trail Blazers All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge on Wednesday. So the roster probably isn't finalized just yet, and one of the outstanding questions is whether guard Eric Bledsoe remains a fixture in the organization's outlook.

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Just days ago, the prospect of trading the Kentucky product was floated by none other than ESPN's Marc Stein:

Sporting News' Sean Deveney similarly reported in June that, "The Suns have been dangling Bledsoe in trade offers this offseason and are likely to continue to do so after the draft if Bledsoe is not moved this week, sources confirmed."

Now, courtesy of NBA.com's David Aldridge, there's word that such a deal is out of the question:

With conflicting reports, there's room for legitimate discussion about the organization's plans. And that conversation should begin with the most recent (and germane) evidence, namely the fact that Bledsoe was among the players who helped court Aldridge on Wednesday, according to AZCentral's Paul Coro:

In his column on the matter, Coro added, "Bledsoe's inclusion in the meeting is another indication that the Suns are not looking to include Bledsoe in an Aldridge sign-and-trade deal, the latest in a series of off-base trade rumors regarding Bledsoe." 

Were Bledsoe legitimately on the trade block, it's hard to imagine the franchise bringing him along. Things can change quickly in this business, but one suspects general manager Ryan McDonough already has a pretty firm grasp on who's a keeper at this point. Anything could happen as the organization approaches February's trade deadline, but there's little sense in speculating so far in advance.

For now, Bledsoe is likely staying with the Suns. 

Note that Deveney—one of the writers originally floating the trade rumor—subsequently suggested that such a move was anything but automatic:

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But trading Bledsoe, according to league sources, will not prove to be easy for Phoenix. "There was a reason," one general manager told SN, "that no one wanted to give him that ($70 million) contract last year. I think you still have to worry about his health. I think you worry about how coachable he is, too."

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Difficult doesn't mean impossible, but even the imaginative McDonough may struggle to find a taker in short order. Much as this franchise likes to wheel and deal, the market has the final say here.

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Beyond logistical problems and circumstantial evidence, there just doesn't seem to be much logic behind dealing Bledsoe at this juncture. The Suns didn't quite make the playoffs last season, but that's hardly Bledsoe's fault.

The 25-year-old filled the stat sheet on a nightly basis, averaging 17 points, 6.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 34.6 minutes per contest last season. Better yet, he played in 81 games after losing about half of the previous season to injury. Concerns about his durability may well persist in some circles, but it's hard to argue with the five-year veteran's ability to flat-out produce.

Production may not be everything, but there's been no evidence that Bledsoe is particularly problematic in terms of chemistry or locker-room dynamics. And there's not yet any firm reason to believe he and Knight are incompatible in that backcourt.

While it's a small backcourt in absolute terms, Bledsoe and Knight are at least somewhat capable of guarding larger players. The former is tough as they come, and the latter boasts a nearly 6'7" wingspan. In many respects, they're both combo guards, and they could well prove perfect complements to one another.

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In any event, Phoenix's front office is probably inclined to see how it goes rather than doing anything too hastily. Knight only played in 11 games for the Suns after a late-season injury prevented him from aiding the club's playoff push. That's not nearly enough of a sample size to fairly evaluate his ability to play with Bledsoe.

In theory, they should fit into head coach Jeff Hornacek's preference for an up-tempo, quick-striking offense. Knight and Bledsoe are both versatile playmakers capable of scoring from all over the floor. That perimeter prowess could well be instrumental in attracting Aldridge or—at the very least—another premier free agent, as noted by Wojnarowski:

Even without another standout addition, the organization has undergone an overnight upgrade by bringing Chandler into the fold. He'll bring the kind of toughness and consistency that 22-year-old Alex Len is still working on. Indeed, Chandler's ability to mentor the younger center is a valuable contribution in its own right, to say nothing of what the 32-year-old's leadership will mean to the locker room at large.

Why make a trade now, before we've seen how this squad plays out? It might be premature to close the door on further deals, perhaps even one involving Bledsoe. But now isn't the right time. There's enough talent on this roster to make a run in the West, and the big question is whether that talent jells.

Only time and close observation will make that determination definitively—not the NBA rumor mill.

A full training camp with Knight (and now Chandler) in the mix should help, especially as far as Bledsoe is concerned. It may take some time for Bledsoe and Knight to develop rhythm together and find the right mix of ball-handling and off-ball responsibilities. That's not an insurmountable challenge by any means, but some patience may be in order.

Trading Bledsoe prematurely would also send a complicated message to a roster that's largely overachieved in each of the last two seasons. This is a time for continuity, not an admission of defeat.