NBA Trade Rumors: Eric Bledsoe Is Now A Member Of The LA Lakers After Jeremy Lin Trade To The Phoenix Suns! Kobe Bryant Excited Over The News?

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Now that the NBA free agency 2014 frenzy is over and stars like Kevin Love has finally found a home in the Cleveland Cavaliers, the spotlight is now on Eric Bledsoe. The Suns budding star has yet to find security this off-season due to his dispute with the Phoenix Suns. It looks like the only negotiation happening now is the Suns looking for a trade partner, most likely a team desperate for a star that is willing to facilitate.

According to NBAhoopsworld, It would be in the best interest of both Bledsoe and the Suns to facilitate a sign and trade agreement instead of Bledsoe taking the qualifying offer. If the former Kentucky Wildcat takes the QO, he will only take $ 3.7 million which is a far cry from the $12 million the Suns were offering him, all the more for the max contract that he's asking for. For the Suns, they will lose Bledsoe to unrestricted free agency next year with nothing in return.

An anonymous GM said:

"It's now a question of leverage. Bledsoe is a great player but he is not irreplaceable and he has an injury history. That would tilt the odds in the Suns' favor. But the Suns were so close to the playoff picture last year, they don't want to get derailed with an awkward situation. So they would rather trade Bledsoe for a player they could use and move on."

For the team that would want to trade for Bledsoe, they should be ready to pay the max contract-$ 64 million over 4 years. Who else can do that but top market teams.

Enter the Lakers, but here's the big question: who can they offer to match Bledsoe's contract? For the salaries to match, one of either Steve Nash or Jeremy Lin must be a part of the trade. From Lake Show Life: "In order to make the salaries match, the Lakers need to use Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin in trade. The Lakers are out of cap room. According to the Basketball Insiders Phoenix Suns page, the Suns have $19.9 million available since Eric Bledsoe isn't signed."

While it would be a heartwarming return for Steve Nash (his jersey most probably would be hung in a Phoenix Arena), he is on the twilight of his career and the Suns really want to run and compete. Lin would be a great fit. But the Suns will not take Lin alone, and it is rumored that they would ask for a frontline player-either Jordan Hill or Julius Randle. The Lakers would probably do their best not to give up Randle, so they can send Hill back to Arizona (his alma mater). It is also possible that the Suns will also ask for the draft pick the Lakers fleeced from the Houston Rockets (first round protected 2015-probably in the 20s).

The Hoops World has reported that Kobe Bryant is excited to play with Eric Bledsoe as he allegedly said that Jeremy Lin isn't a good fit for the team.

Is Eric Bledsoe worth all those assets (Lin, Hill and draft pick)? Sound off in the comments section below!

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