To be king for a day.
The Phoenix Suns are hoping to be the one’s presenting the crown later this summer to the most complete player in basketball if LeBron James opts out of his final year with the Miami Heat and hits the open market.
Sure, it’s a long shot and people close to LBJ have repeatedly said he will stay in South Beach for at least another year but the Suns believe they can join James’ short list if they keep rising star Eric Bledsoe on Planet Orange. The 24-year-old guard battled injuries to have a breakout season, averaging just under 18 points, five assists and nearly four rebounds a game. A restricted free-agent, Phoenix management has insisted they will match any offer.
The big question is: does Bledsoe want to play in Phoenix? If he does, there’s a chance James could choose to play with his close friend if he’s convinced the Suns have enough pieces in place.
“They feel like they have at least a slim shot at it because of Bledsoe,” azcentral.com Suns insider Paul Coro told Sports360AZ.com’s Brad Cesmat in a recent in-studio interview. “Bledsoe and LeBron have a close relationship. They consider themselves like brothers.”
The two first met when Bledsoe was in high school and their relationship grew closer when “EB” played at Kentucky. They share the same representation and same company in Klutch Sports Group. The two-time NBA champion put Bledsoe in his two-minute Samsung commercial which was released last October as the NBA season opened.
The 29-year-old James has entered the prime of his career and has said he wants to play for a team build to contend for a title.
