The 2014 NBA Free Agency Rumors & Predictions is on its last pages and one story that eventually ended well was Eric Bledsoe's. He scored a triumph by signing close to the max contract with Phoenix and his strategy of holding out eventually paid dividends.

While it's a clear win for Bledsoe, did the Phoenix Suns end up as losers in this scenario? Not exactly, as experts would point out, the Suns did not have much of an option.

From Grantland:

"The Suns had offered Bledsoe a fair four-year, $48 million deal, but in the end, with him poised to take the one-year qualifying offer and bolt this July, the team came up on both years and average annual salary. That double would seem to be a defeat for Phoenix, and the deal is an emphatic win for Bledsoe and his agent, Rich Paul."

However, they also state that losing Eric Bledsoe is a bigger defeat. First of all, the salary cap is projected to rise substantially, so the money impact will be softened. Second, Phoenix is not a destination for superstars. They realized that during the summer when the Suns made a strong push to acquire LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony or both of them together. Despite having a great point guard and a promising head coach, the Suns came up empty.

It is therefore imperative for the Suns to keep their own superstars, or in Bledsoe's case, potential superstars.

Grantland also points out Bledsoe's fit with Suns' coach Jeff Hornacek's system:

"Maybe there aren't "point guards" in Jeff Hornacek's go-go system. Maybe there are just "guards" who can pass, dribble, and shoot from long range, and maybe you want a ton of them - especially when two, Dragic and Bledsoe, have proven they can defend wing players if need be."

Bledsoe fits well with the Suns and Hornacek's system also highlights Bledsoe's strengths. Critics will point out Bledsoe's injury record, but the fact that the Suns were willing to offer a four-year deal means they are not exactly worried for the long-term. This was something that agent Rich Paul read correctly. If the Suns are willing to offer four years, extending another guaranteed year would not be an issue.

All's well that ends well for the Phoenix Suns. The explosive Eric Bledsoe will lead the charge in the next five years.