This is the latest in the strange free agency saga between the Suns and their point guard.
A trade sending Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers has been in the works for weeks, but that didn't stop the Phoenix Suns from making a late offer for the Minnesota power forward. Phoenix offered Eric Bledsoe to the Timberwolves in exchange for Love, according to ESPN. It's the latest twist in the ongoing free agency stalemate between the Suns and Bledsoe, who remains a restricted free agent.
Bledsoe and his camp have been firm in their request for a five-year, $85 million max contract. The Suns are offering $48 million over four years. Bledsoe has not fielded an offer from another team in free agency, perhaps because Phoenix has made it public that they'd match any offer to the point guard.
The framework for a trade sending Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett to Minnesota in exchange for Love has reportedly been agreed to for weeks. It should become official on Saturday when Wiggins is free to be traded 30 days after signing his rookie contract. The Wolves will reportedly also receive 76ers forward Thaddeus Young in the deal, and will send a first-round pick, guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to Philadelphia in return.
The 24-year-old Bledsoe is reportedly poised to accept the one-year qualifying offer from Phoenix if he's not given a max contract. That would make Bledsoe an unrestricted free agent a year from now. The point guard is coming off the best season of his career for a 48-win Suns team, averaging 17.7 points and 5.5 assists per game. Bledsoe does have a history of knee injuries, which could be scaring the Suns away from a long-term financial commitment.