The Portland Trail Blazers will waive veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe before his contract becomes guaranteed. He did not play for the team last season due to Achilles tendon pain after being traded there from the Los Angeles Clippers. There are expected to be several teams interested in the veteran point guard once he clears waivers. Bledsoe has proved himself to be a reliable point guard coming off the bench. He could help a team gain a better position in the standings and could be a valuable asset in the NBA Playoffs.
The Portland Trail Blazers plan to waive guard Eric Bledsoe ahead of his guarantee date approaching, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Entering his 13th NBA season, several teams are expected to pursue Bledsoe as a free agent.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 6, 2022
Last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Eric Bledsoe averaged 9.9 points, 4.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 42.1 percent and a three-point percentage of 31.3 percent. Bledsoe has plenty of value and will likely look for a team that he considers an NBA Finals contender. First, he will have to clear waivers which he is expected to do later this week.
Eric Bledsoe will leave a $3.9M dead cap hit for the Blazers unless they stretch him.
I’ve got them $3.7M over the luxury tax with 14 players. A cost-cutting move could come at some point to get them back below the threshold. https://t.co/bENM4VVte0
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) July 6, 2022
According to reports, there will be several teams that will show interest in Eric Bledsoe once he hits the open free agent market. There aren’t many teams with cap space left, so he may have to be open to taking a deal for the minimum if he wants to contend for a championship this upcoming season.
