BURNS

Eric Bledsoe is the key to the Phoenix Suns’ future

Jun 24, 2015, 11:28 AM | Updated: 11:29 am

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These are confusing times for Phoenix Suns fans.

After a week’s worth of praise on how the Mike D’Antoni era lit the way for the champion Warriors, the reality of what you are now is what shines bright.

The draft is a day away and looking through the available prospects is like trying to find something to watch at two o’clock in the morning.

Free agency is a week away and in LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love there are a couple of game-changing targets. When was the last time a guy like that chose the Suns? Names like that have a familiar feel. It could happen. Heck, it should happen. But it never does happen.

DeMarcus Cousins may be available. Would you even want that to happen? If you struggle to deal with the Morris twins, how on earth can you tame that headache on a daily basis? And speaking of the twins, as much as the Suns would love to move them, they’re stuck.

If you could waive a magic wand and move to the Eastern Conference (or convince the commish to do the right thing and let the best 16 teams in the playoffs), then you’ve reached the promised land. Until then, in this Western Conference, you’re running to stand still (with a nod to U2).

But nothing is more confusing than how we feel about Eric Bledsoe. Tuesday, ESPN’s J.A. Adande told Bickley and Marotta he didn’t think Bledsoe was a “franchise-type guy,” and apparently Suns fans would agree.

In a poll that certainly shocked me, on Arizonasports.com, readers were asked if the Suns should trade Eric Bledsoe this offseason.

Four out of five said yes.

Perhaps that’s residue from last summer’s messy marriage. Or it speaks to the likability issues that plagued this team all last year. Or maybe Bledsoe is simply miscast as a franchise player and he needs an Aldridge-type to be the Batman to his Robin.

But barring some kind of an unforeseen free agent haul, it seems Bledsoe holds the key to what the Suns will be next season. Either the trade chip that reinvents the franchise or the best player on a ho-hum team.

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Eric Bledsoe is the key to the Phoenix Suns’ future