Sources: Wolves offer max deal
With just days before the start of training camp, the Minnesota Timberwolves are making a final push to acquire restricted free-agent guard Eric Bledsoe in a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns, sources told ESPN.com.
The Wolves are offering Bledsoe the four-year, $63 million maximum level contract that he has been seeking, sources said, but because of cap restrictions, the only way he can join the team as currently constructed is through a sign-and-trade deal. Bledsoe and the Suns have been in a stalemate all summer after the team offered him a four-year, $48 million deal in July.
This is a renewal of talks that have stretched over the past several months. The teams had discussions involving a Kevin Love trade that would involve Bledsoe but never made serious traction on a deal.
The Wolves, who acquired No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins after trading Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers last month, see Bledsoe as a strong running mate to their new franchise player and have made some aggressive offers to Phoenix to try to get them to accept a deal.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11553530/minnesota-timberwolves-offer-eric-bledsoe-max-contract-sign-trade-phoenix-suns