Eric Bledsoe (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed JR Smith hereby ending all the offseason questions for the team. Some trades may develop during the season, though.
The Cavs still has a vacancy at back-up point guard position and even with JR Smith, the shooting guard position is shaky with Iman Shumpert not really a long-term option.
There are still players of interest for their team and one of them could be Eric Bledsoe of the Phoenix Suns as mentioned by Neil Johnson in ESPN Insider.
"For instance, they could try to move Bledsoe -- who has a connection with LeBron -- to Cleveland, where he would boost the Cavs given their lack of depth and talent at guard. Maybe a third team can make this a reality."
While most of the rumors have Brandon Knight as the trade bait, Bledsoe can bring back a better catch. Also, Bledsoe can switch at both guard positions better so he can play alongside Kyrie Irving. Finally, as Bradford Doolittle of ESPN Insider mentioned, Bledsoe stands in the way of Devin Booker.
"If Booker is the future star then I'm not sure he and Bledsoe coexist over the long term. So I'd see Booker paired with a 3-and-D guy to be named later -- or maybe Archie Goodwin -- with Knight and Ulis coming off the bench and Bledsoe elsewhere once his trade value is reestablished."
Bledsoe could bring back the 3-and-D guy but the third team role could be played by the Boston Celtics. Sports Illustrated team blog Hardwood Houdini surmised that a Kevin Love trade may have been a pipe dream for the Celtics last summer, but "this doesn't mean the Celtics should give up, as past seasons have shown, Love doesn't necessarily fit in Cleveland, and if Boston can't land another star this offseason, Love could still be the answer."
The trade would have the Suns sending Eric Bledsoe and a draft pick to Cleveland and Alex Len to the Celtics as the legitimate center they have been searching for. The Cavs send Kevin Love to the Boston Celtics and get Amir Johnson back.
The Celtics send Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart to the Phoenix Suns in this trade link.
This is one possible trade that could address each team's needs. The Suns will have a 3-and-D wing and added perimeter defender and clear up the logjam for Booker. The Cavs will have a solid back-up for Irving who can also play alongside him, not to mention another Rich Paul client. The Celtics get their superstar (Love) and a young prospect center to work on.
