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Eric Bledsoe Reacts to Potentially Being Traded Again
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The LA Clippers sent Eric Bledsoe to the Portland Trail Blazers to open up trade deadline week; however, the possibility of Bledsoe being dealt again remains present. When asked about this possibility on Monday, Bledsoe said, "It's up in the air. I'm being professional. Come in and do my job like I always have, see where it goes."
Bledsoe, who did not miss a single game with injury as a member of the Clippers, is currently being held out for what the team is calling an achilles injury. It is reasonable to speculate that the injury itself is less of a factor in his absence than the possibility of another trade; however, it is impossible to know that for certain.
While it was an up and down second stint with the Clippers for Bledsoe, he did show his utility at times as a capable backup point guard, which could be appealing for a team trending in a different direction than the Trail Blazers are. Making $18M this season, Bledsoe could also be the key financial piece in a package that brings back a contract of similar value; however, it seems unlikely that Portland would entertain such offers, considering their current focus on shedding salary.
If Portland is unable to find a trade partner for Bledsoe, keeping him past the deadline is far from a disaster. The veteran guard is owed just $3.9M next season, making him the type of player Portland would be looking to target in the trade market anyways. If a team were willing to part ways with a young player or draft choice in combination with another expiring deal for Bledsoe, then Portland could be intrigued; however, in the likely event that such an offer is never presented, the Blazers would have no issue staying put.
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