2014 NBA Free Agency Rumors & Predictions: Greg Monroe To Phoenix? Suns’ Negotiations With Bledsoe Deadlocked! ‘The Moose’ Still Available But Pistons May Demand Sign And Trade

The 2014 NBA Free Agency Rumors & Predictions are nearing the homestretch. Most of the top players have found their homes, and of the few remaining players, the top two would be Greg Monroe and Eric Bledsoe.

It would be intriguing if they actually end up together. From Fansided:

"The Suns are an unexpected contender in the Greg Monroe sweepstakes considering their focus on signing restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe.  But Phoenix Suns negotiations with their point guard have stalled and the recent signing of Sacramento Kings point guard Isaiah Thomas could mean the Bledsoe is on the way out.  That would leave enough cap space for the Suns to make Monroe a top of the market offer and steal him out from under Stan Van Gundy."

The negotiations are stalled because the Suns have offered a 4-year/ $ 48 million contract but apparently Bledsoe is holding out for 5 years/ $80 million. The Suns aren't quite ready to name Bledsoe as their full-on franchise player and they seem to be correct-no offer sheets have emerged for the star point guard and it's unlikely any team will offer anything close to $ 16 million/year he's asking for.

Greg Monroe is another case of restricted free agents not receiving offer sheets. It was expected that after LeBron James, Carmelo and the other big names have signed, offers will flood for the power forward/center.

Apparently his agent has already aired their demands for a max contract and teams are being prudent. The Suns might focus their sights on Monroe as reported. But the Pistons have the cap space to match whatever the Suns throw at them. It's likely they will ask for assets in return for letting Monroe go (Suns have a ton of first rounders). Meanwhile, Eric Bledsoe would have to play out this year and wait to become an unrestricted free agent next year. These are the terms from USA Today:

"Bledsoe could play out his contract, earning $3.7 million before forcing a trade or walking away after the 2014-15 season. But for a guy coming off surgery - his second procedure on the same knee in just over three years - it would take incredible fortitude to leave nearly $50 million on the table."

If Phoenix gives in to the max offers of both players (which they can) they will be tied up with Bledsoe and Monroe as their main guys in a cutthroat Western Conference and may be forced to let Goran Dragic walk next year..something they would not, and should not do.