With so much happening around the league, we’ve decided to do updates on all NBA happenings. This — or Around the League — has been done before on Fully Clips, but without a category. Now officially categorized, you as readers can keep up with each post if you choose.
Now in the dog days of the off-season — camp is right around the corner — there isn’t much going on in regards to player personnel, but here are some of the latest moves which includes a signing that could cause former Clippers point guard Darren Collison to lose his starting point guard position in Sacramento.
Eric Bledsoe signs 5-year, $70 million
Valley of the Suns
The. Wait. Is. Over.
After a summer of posturing, trade rumors, odd negotiation tactics, and whatever else was provided during the Bledsoe-Phoenix Suns standoff, Bledsoe, agent Rich Paul, and the Suns have agreed to a deal worth $70 million over the next five seasons.
It’s a fine deal considering Bledsoe’s talents and projected ceiling at this point. Following in foot steps of Russell Westbrook, Bledsoe bludgeons opponents with his athleticism on both sides of the ball. Like Westbrook, Bledsoe isn’t an excellent shooter nor is he a consistent playmaker, but he plays his position (point and shooting guard) well.
There are some issues, mainly injury, but if Bledsoe can be 80 to 90 percent of who he was last season while avoiding injuries — let’s hope he doesn’t become Eric Gordon 2.0 — over the course of his contract, this is a good deal.
Now, with the band back together plus some, it’s time to see if this Phoenix team has what it takes to make the playoffs.
Ramon Sessions signs with Sacramento
In a “where did this come from” ordeal, the Sacramento Kings and point guard Ramon Sessions have agreed to a one-year deal for $4.2 million deal by use of the bi-annual exception.
A solid point guard, Sessions remaining on the market this late speaks a lot to the point guard market in the NBA — it’s deep and good talent will get lost in the shuffle as long as the talent pool remains this way.
No one knows what Sacramento has planned. They let a top-12 to 15 point guard walk away only to sign two mediocre ones to take his place. The first mediocre in Darren Collison? There’s no true talent gap between he and Sessions — Collison’s the better shooter, Sessions is pretty much better at everything else. Yet somehow, Collison’s making twice as much as Sessions.
If history tells us anything, Collison will be coming off the bench mid-season while Sessions — or second-year guard Ray McCallum — is starting.
Andray Blatche, Jordan Crawford head overseas
Wiz of Awes
Times are a changing. Five to seven years ago, Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford would’ve been signed early in free agency due to their ability to score the ball. Now? They’re headed to China because of their oft-immature and inefficient manner.
This isn’t the end of their NBA careers, but it’s one hell of a sign for any young player currently dealing with maturity issues. And if you don’t think maturity is the issue, at least in Blatche’s case, the former Brooklyn Nets forward is the only player out of 41 to average 11 points on 47 percent shooting and 5 rebounds per game and not be signed with a NBA team for the 2014-15 season.
With Crawford, his trivial free agency draws bigger questions. All throughout the league, there are guards whose biggest strengths are scoring: Jamal Crawford, Nick Young, Jerryd Bayless, etc. etc. Crawford, while not as good as the those players, fits that mold.
The window is still open for an in-season return. With the CBA season ending in March, the two will have a chance to re-join the NBA. Will there be suitors? No clue, but with teams realizing who they are and having a grasp on what’s ahead, some team could give them a second chance.