5 reasons the Phoenix Suns should avoid a Kyrie Irving trade
5. Suns don’t need to trade Eric Bledsoe
In another, more competitive era of Suns basketball, Eric Bledsoe would be appreciated more than he currently is. Coming off another career-best season in which he averaged 21.1 points, 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game and was perfectly healthy for the second time in the last three years, his status as Phoenix’s best player is undeniable.
However, given his history of knee problems and his age (he’ll turn 28 in December), the best time for the Suns to trade Bledsoe would be now. He doesn’t fit #TheTimeline, his trade value will never be higher than it currently is, and after years of faithfully toiling away for bottomfeeder Suns teams, a trade to a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers — to play with a fellow member of Klutch Sports, his friend LeBron James — would reward his loyalty with the chance to contend for a title.
In nearly every trade rumor involving the Suns over the last few months, Bledsoe’s name has come up. He’s their best trade chip if the young cornerstones remain off limits and in a Kyrie Irving trade package, his contract and skill-set represent the first building block.
Starting point for Cleveland re: Kyrie should be a top 20 PG, young wing on a rookie contract plus a good first.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 21, 2017
That doesn’t mean the Suns have to trade Bledsoe, though.
Bled clearly fits the criteria of a top-20 point guard, and he only missed one game before the front office shut him down for the final 15 of the season in a blatant tank job. Though he wasn’t terribly efficient this year with .434/.335/.847 shooting splits, he’s the best available point guard the Cavs could reasonably expect in a Kyrie swap.
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That being said, as much as it would benefit #TheTimeline for the Suns to trade Bledsoe for Kyrie Irving or move him in another deal for a new franchise point guard, they don’t have to do so.
Bledsoe and Devin Booker developed a strong rapport down the stretch last season, and though Tyler Ulis impressed during his limited time as a starter, he probably tops off as a high-end backup. Kyrie would be a tremendous get for the Suns’ rebuild, but it’s worth noting that Bledsoe is still the better fit for this team.
Irving won’t turn 26 until next March, so he clearly fits with #TheTimeline, but even that two-year age gap shouldn’t overshadow how similarly injury-prone Kyrie is, how underwhelming he is defensively or how trading Bledsoe only makes sense for a long-term fixture at the point guard spot. As we’ll cover soon, Kyrie Irving might not be that player.