The Portland Trail Blazers made a big move at the NBA trade deadline last season, clearly showing that they were heading towards a future rebuild by trading Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Portland got a number of players in return from Los Angeles, one of which was veteran point guard Eric Bledsoe.
Bledsoe didn’t play for the Trail Blazers upon his arrival last season, suffering from an Achilles injury during his time in Portland.
The Trail Blazers have made their decision on Eric Bledsoe heading into the 2022-23 NBA season, and it appears that he will not be with the team next season.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Trail Blazers plan to waive Bledsoe before his $19.38 million contract for the 2022-23 season becomes fully guaranteed.
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
That will make Bledsoe a free agent, and a number of teams already appear to be interested in the 32-year-old point guard.
Bledsoe has been a solid contributor throughout his career. But he may be regressing ever so slightly, averaging only 9.9 points per game last season in 54 games with the Clippers. That’s his lowest points-per-game average since his third season in the NBA.
Despite this, Bledsoe can certainly still be a valuable contributor to a contending team if he is put in the right situation. And if he’s fully recovered from his injury woes, he could be one of the most sought-after veteran free agents for teams looking to round out their bench heading into next season.
