Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe are the two of the biggest names left on the trading floor in the NBA, but it doesn't look like we are going to see them going anywhere any time soon.
Saturday saw, as expected by most, the big deal involving Andrew Wiggins and Kevin Love go down, and it seems like that is going to be the last major trade for this NBA offseason.
It's no secret that Monroe and Bledsoe are tired of playing for their teams, the Detroit Pistons and the Phoenix Suns, but a rival GM has told the Sporting News that there is 'no reason' to for the potential free agents.
The fact that both players will be unrestricted free agents next year has cooled off any potential trades this year.
"I think any one of us would be wary of getting involved in a trade for either player," the GM told SN. "Their teams overvalue them in terms of making trades, they don't want to give them away for nothing. There's no reason to give up significant assets for players who probably will be available next summer. That doesn't mean a deal can't get done, but it is complicated."
Both Monroe and Bledsoe are said to want deals in the range of five years and the maximum dollar amount, somewhere close to $80 million. Bledsoe has been offered four years and $48 million by the Suns, which he turned down, and Monroe denied a report he was offered five years at $60 million by Detroit.
Unfortunately for the two, other teams are, not eager to dish out that kind of money while also giving up players this year, when they can wait until the players are unrestricted next year.
If there is no trade coming their way, Bledsoe and Monroe would have to sign the one-year qualifying offer, presented before the start of free agency in order to make potential free agents restricted for the last year. Bledsoe's offer comes in at around $3.7 million for next season, and Monroe's is around $5.5 million.
The benefit to taking the qualifying offer is that they will become unrestricted free agents after the upcoming season, and they will control their own destiny at that point. The risk is injury or a drop in performance, of course, because the qualifying offer is just one year, with no security. If they play poorly or get hurt, it could affect how much they are offered when UFA comes around.
