New York Knicks Trade Rumors: Draft Pick For Eric Bledsoe Of Phoenix Suns?
Recent New York Knicks trade rumors have linked the team to a possible deal with the Phoenix Suns. A Knicks trade rumor indicates that Eric Bledsoe and the No. 13 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft could be offered in exchange for the Knicks’ No. 4 overall selection. The Knicks own that No. 4 pick, but with three players the team wants expected to already be off the board, there have been various reports that the team is willing to deal the pick. Now several places are reporting on a possible Knicks deal with the Suns, likely stemming from an online chat that NBA analyst Chad Ford hosted on ESPN.com back on Wednesday (June 17).
During that chat, Ford addressed how the Suns may be more enamored with Brandon Knight than Eric Bledsoe moving forward. When pressed about what the Suns might be willing to offer, a deal including Bledsoe and the No. 13 pick as a starting point made sense to him. It might also be something the Knicks seriously consider if Phil Jackson feels Bledsoe would work well with Carmelo Anthony. While there is no indication that either team has broached this topic, the rumor has been building in the last 36 hours.
Maybe the reason that these New York Knicks trade rumors are resonating as true is that the team has routinely dealt picks and young players to acquire veterans. That’s how the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony away from the Denver Nuggets and put the franchise in the position it currently resides. With a lot of salary cap space to play with, the Knicks could certainly afford the contract Bledsoe was given. Bledsoe is under contract through the 2018/19 NBA season, with an escalating salary of $13.5 million for next season that increases by $500,000 each year. It’s not a question of money, but rather whether the Knicks want to trade that high pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
As previously reported on the Inquisitr, Knicks team president Phil Jackson has a lot of work to do in the NBA offseason. There are several free agents that have already expressed interest in signing with the franchise, and Jackson has a lot of money to spend. It will be very interesting to see which players want to come play for Jackson and with Carmelo Anthony. There will likely be countless New York Knicks trade rumors with just a week until the 2015 NBA Draft takes place. The franchise holds an important spot in the draft order that could be used to improve with youth or to acquire players in a deal.
[Image Source: Scott Halleran/Getty Images]