Phoenix Suns: 10 potential Eric Bledsoe trades

8. New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are a team that should be interested in Eric Bledsoe, given that their $126 million point guard (Jrue Holiday) is playing thoroughly underwhelming basketball and will be relegated to the 2-guard spot once their other point guard (Rajon Rondo) returns.

A backcourt of Bledsoe, Holiday, Rondo, Ian Clark and E’Twaun Moore would either force another trade or make life difficult for head coach Alvin Gentry, but it’s pretty clear the Pelicans need more talent to snag a much-needed playoff spot out West.

Bledsoe would not only represent a step in the right direction, but his connection with former Kentucky teammate DeMarcus Cousins might help New Orleans re-sign him…thereby keeping another Wildcats alum, Anthony Davis, happy with his current situation.

In the process, the Pelicans could even get Omer Asik‘s albatross contract off the books, at the mere cost of Cheick Diallo and a future first round draft pick.

On Phoenix’s end, there’s not as much to like here. They lose Bledsoe, get no replacement in the backcourt, add Asik to a center spot that already includes Tyson Chandler and Alex Len, and have yet another raw 4/5 to worry about developing in Diallo.

However, Diallo and that first round pick could either help with the youth movement or serve as additional trade chips for the Suns, both of which could be valuable returns given how far Bledsoe’s value has depreciated.

Unfortunately, the Pelicans may prefer to ride it out with a healthy Rondo and Holiday rather than push for a super-Kentucky reunion, and Phoenix may not be as willing to take on ugly contracts after T.J. Warren‘s extension. Diallo has looked bad in his time on the court and the value of a first-rounder — which NOLA might not even offer — would be banking on a Pelicans implosion.

That’s a tough prospect as long as they have Anthony Davis on the roster, even with New Orleans’ inability to build a team around him.