Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for Eric Bledsoe in 2017-18

2. Earn first All-Star selection

Mike Conley is widely known as the best active point guard to never make an All-Star Game and everyone always laments that fact, but Eric Bledsoe isn’t too far behind him in that category. The biggest problems for him have been A) staying healthy and B) a lack of team success.

The odds are clearly stacked against him on both fronts In 2017-18, the latter is unlikely to change, and if that bizarre trend of alternating between healthy and injury-ravaged seasons continues, neither will the former.

However, Bledsoe put up a career-high 21.1 points, a career-high 6.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game last year. If he can build on those numbers, be slightly more efficient from the field and from deep, pick up his defensive intensity and help lead an improved Suns team, he’ll be deserving.

The problem is, this young Phoenix team is unlikely to improve enough to warrant Bledsoe a spot with the Western Conference All-Star reserves, especially when the competition includes Stephen Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Mike Conley, Lonzo Ball and Devin Booker.

Still, as someone who’s never made an All-Star team, you can be guaranteed Bledsoe would be happy to make the cut for the first time in his age-28 season.