Report: Sacramento Kings may be interested in Eric Bledsoe trade

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly about to sign Brandon Knight to a five-year, $70 million deal and move Eric Bledsoe out the door, less than a year after giving Bledsoe a similar deal. It’s an interesting choice, if for no other reason than Bledsoe is the better player. But there are concerns about Bledsoe’s long-term health (he’s had a couple of knee surgeries) and how well he will play within a team system. Clearly the Suns have made their choice.

What team might be interested in Bledsoe?

How about the Sacramento Kings, pairing Bledsoe with his old Kentucky running mate DeMarcus Cousins. It’s one possibility, reports Sean Deveney at the Sporting News.

The Kings, one source said, are expected to express interest in Bledsoe. While Sacramento has been buried in rumors involving center DeMarcus Cousins, a league executive said the Kings have been far more focused on improving the point guard position. The Kings started Darren Collison at the position, but would like to move him into a backup role. And if Sacramento keeps Cousins, bringing in his former Kentucky teammate and good friend surely would help to keep him happy.

Whatever happens with Bledsoe, expect it to happen later rather than sooner.

“I would expect that to be a situation that you would be OK with extending into the late summer,” the league executive said. “There is no hurry and you have to know someone is going to be out there looking to make a move once the dust settles.”

The Kings are looking for a point guard who can quarterback George Karl’s up-tempo system, and Bledsoe has potential there. He averaged 17 points and 6.1 assists a game with the Suns last season, and he had the highest PER of any player on the roster at the end of the season.

However, the Kings may be looking hard at Ty Lawson, who is likely on his way out of Denver. George Karl has some interest in a lot of his former Nuggets players (from a team that won 57 games, but a few years ago).

As noted above, expect this to take some time to play out, but the Kings are at least one team to watch.