It has been exactly one month since the start of costless agency, and Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe are still on the costless agent market. Both players are restricted costless agents, which is understandably reasonable as to why they do not have contracts yet, but it is still absolutely shocking that it has taken them this long to find a new deal.
Monroe and Bledsoe should have been off the market weeks ago. So what’s the hold up? Obviously, as mentioned above, both players are restricted costless agents, which is forcing opposing teams to stay away, knowing that the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns would likely match their respective offers.
Another huge factor is that both players are seeking a maximum contract. Hence pushing rival teams from placing a bid on the two. As previously reported, the Suns offered Bledsoe a four-year, $48 million deal, but he is asking for five years, worth $80 million.
At this stage of costless agency, not many teams have that kind of money to offer to Bledsoe or Monroe. Thus, the Suns are using Bledsoe’s restricted costless agency against him. However, Phoenix’s strong refusal to give Bledsoe what he wants is creating friction between both sides, to the point where the Suns are dangerously close to losing him.
In Detroit, Monroe and the Pistons are at odds as well. Both sides are far from reaching an agreement due to Monroe’s demand for a max contract. In fact, Monroe is irritated and does not want to return to Detroit because negotiations with the Pistons are not proceeding too well, according to Adrain Wojnarowski of Yahoo.
Both Bledsoe and Monroe are aware of the amount of cash Chandler Parsons and Gordon Hayward received this off-season. They are basing their needs off of that. However, it’s not like Bledsoe and Monroe are subpar players. They are actually extremely talented and young.
Eric Bledsoe averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game last season. He is young, athletic, quick, and incredibly strong for a point guard. He has tremendous upside and potential. The only concern is Bledsoe’s health, which last season he was sidelined for 39 games due to a knee injury. Otherwise, he is extreme talent.
Meanwhile, Greg Monroe averaged 15.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals last season. He had a mild drop off in his numbers from the season prior, but Monroe still possess a solid mid-range shot and mid-post game and is a stellar rebounder. Only 24-years of age, Monroe has plenty room for improvement just like Bledsoe.
At this point, only a handful of teams, aside from the Suns and Pistons, can give Bledsoe and Monroe a max contract – the Philadelphia 76ers, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, and Milwaukee Bucks. However, all those teams would much rather pull off a sign-and-trade for either of them to unload some unwanted salaries instead.
Since all sides are not making any progress with a new contract, a sign-and-trade may become the ultimate answer for Eric Bledsoe, Greg Monroe, and their respective teams. A sign-and-trade would interest more teams since it would give other teams over the salary cap the luxury to unload some contracts.
Nevertheless, despite being restricted costless agents, it is extremely outrageous that high caliber players such as Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe are still available.