The Phoenix Suns are still hoping to keep Eric Bledsoe despite signing Isaiah Thomas and expressing interest in Zoran Dragic, and reports indicated that the team will open negotiation with the free agent guard again.
Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors reported that the Suns and Bledsoe have yet to meet face-to-face over the past several weeks because negotiations are being channeled through Bledsoe's agent, Rich Paul.
"Bledsoe's not involved directly, by all accounts. He hasn't been in Phoenix since the season ended, and he hasn't talked to the team since then, either. It's all going through agent Rich Paul," Myron wrote.
Bledsoe, who averaged 17.7 points to go along with 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game last season, previously turned down a four-year deal worth $48 million, which was the same deal Kyle Lowry signed with the Toronto Raptors earlier in the offseason.
The 24-year-old guard is reportedly eyeing a maximum deal worth $85 million for five years. And with a little help from Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, Bledsoe might get the deal that he is looking for.
"I know LeBron implored the Suns to "break bread," but since LeBron is Paul's client, it came off as a PR stunt," Myron wrote. "I think Phoenix would like to negotiate, and I think they'd come up at least a little from four years and $48MM. I think the Suns and Paul will revisit the issue and strike an 11th hour deal for the long-term."
Meanwhile, Myron also reported that the San Antonio Spurs are considered as the favorite to land Ray Allen, but the team, along with the Chicago Bulls, is not in a good position to sign the veteran shooting guard.
"I had the Spurs as the leader in this race for a while, but they're clearly preparing for him not to come," Myron wrote. "The Bulls make sense, though their deal with E'Twaun Moore is a signal that they don't think he'll go there, either, even though they left the door open a crack by only guaranteeing half of Moore's salary."
With the Spurs and Bulls currently out of the picture at this point, the Cavaliers have a good chance of signing Allen, but the 39-year-old reportedly wants to play for a veteran coach.
