ESPN.com NBA writer Brian Windhorst on the Phoenix Suns and LaMarcus Aldridge
Jul 3, 2015, 5:24 PM | Updated: 5:34 pm
Much like at the NBA trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns have been one of the major surprises of the free agency period. The signing of Tyson Chandler and pursuit of LaMarcus Aldridge has the national NBA media watching Phoenix very closely.
ESPN.com NBA writer Brian Windhorst joined Adam Green and Jordan Byrd filling in for Bickley & Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM to discuss the moves so far.
“Surprising to me yes,” Windhorst said. “Getting Chandler and then positioning themselves to have a shot at Aldridge was something unforeseen.”
“The real difference between the Spurs offer and the Suns offer right now is the Spurs I believe can fit him in without cutting anything off,” Windhorst said.
The Spurs have lost Aron Baynes and Marco Belinelli to free agency already and could also lose Cory Joseph. They also traded Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks in order to create more cap space. However, they brought back Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green and are also expected to bring back Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.
Even if Aldridge chooses the Spurs, there’s a benefit to the entire situation for the Suns.
“Regardless of how this turns out with Aldridge I think it really announces the Suns,” Windhorst said. “Maybe they don’t get this deal done, but maybe they’re able to do another deal down the road that’s equally as impressive.”
Windhorst gave a recent example of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2010 when they had a meeting with LeBron James. The next year the Clippers acquired Chris Paul.
Windhorst also gave his input on the Eric Bledsoe situation.
“Bledsoe is highly desired,” Windhorst said. “If Bledsoe was on the market the Suns would have a lot of offers.”
Even with that in mind, Windhorst said the word is that he’s not available.
“From what I understand Bledsoe is not on the market,” Windhorst said.
