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Reggie Jackson and Eric Bledsoe Trade Talks
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated06 Nov 2023
The Detroit Pistons offered a package including point guard Reggie Jackson and a first-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for guard Eric Bledsoe, a league source told Basketball Insiders.
Phoenix turned down the proposal, Basketball Insiders has learned.
Jackson, 27, has averaged 16.4 points, 6.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 28.8 minutes per game for Detroit. Jackson leads the team with a 22.4 PER and is second in scoring. He’s owed $16 million this season and $35.1 million combined over the following two seasons.
Detroit’s interest in acquiring Bledsoe was first reported by the New York Times. According to ESPN, Phoenix would prefer a third team to take on Jackson in any potential deal involving Bledsoe.
Although Detroit’s first proposal wasn’t enough for Phoenix to pull the trigger, a third team can be added with those same pieces to complete the trade equation at another time.
Bledsoe was offered to the New York Knicks for No. 8 overall pick Frank Ntilikina and center Willy Hernangomez, as reported by Basketball Insiders. In addition, the Denver Nuggets and Suns discussed a trade package including former No. 7 overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay and forward Kenneth Faried for Bledsoe, as reported by Basketball Insiders.
The Milwaukee Bucks have also reportedly expressed trade interest in Bledsoe.
Bledsoe expressed his frustration publicly in a tweet following a 0-3 start and the firing of head coach Earl Watson.
I Dont wanna be here
— Eric Bledsoe (@EBled2) October 22, 2017
Bledsoe spoke with general manager Ryan McDonough and owner Robert Sarver privately several weeks before the tweet. During that conversation the desire for a change was expressed, a league source told Basketball Insiders.
Bledsoe told McDonough he was at a hair salon with a woman and the tweet wasn’t related to the Suns. McDonough didn’t believe Bledsoe’s story and told the media the 27-year-old guard “won’t be with us going forward.”
Eric Bledsoe’s explanation for “Dont wanna be here” tweet, per McDonough: He was at a hair salon. “I don’t believe that to be true,” GM said pic.twitter.com/U4vODTUADO
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) October 23, 2017
Since the incident, Phoenix has gone 4-1 without Bledsoe and improved its record to 4-4 overall under interim coach Jay Triano.
Bledsoe, 27, is owed $14.5 million this season and $15 million next season.
Pistons offered a package including Reggie Jackson and a first-round pick to the Suns for Eric Bledsoe, a league source told @BBallInsiders.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 2, 2017
