Report: Eric Bledsoe met with Suns before season, requested trade

Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe met with the team and expressed his desire to be traded before the regular season, according to John Gambadoro of ArizonaSports.com

Sunday afternoon Bledsoe tweeted “I don’t wanna to be here.”

“Bledsoe wanting out is not new – has nothing to do with Earl firing,” Gambadoro then wrote. “He met with team about wanting to be traded right before season started.”

Gambadoro’s report comes on the heels of Phoenix’s decision to fire head coach Earl Watson just three games into the 2017-18 season. Watson was entering his second full season at the Suns’ helm after he replaced Jeff Hornacek, who was fired 49 games into the 2015-16 campaign. Last year, Watson led the Suns to a 24-58 record.

In late 2017, the Suns’ front office decided to shut down veterans Bledsoe, Tyson Chandler, and Brandon Knight, as Phoenix tanked to the No. 4 overall pick in this summer’s draft where they selected Josh Jackson.

Through three games this season the Suns were 0-3 and have the worst defense in the league. They’ve allowed opponents to score 128.7 points per game and 116.6 points per 100 possessions — both league-worsts by a healthy margin.

Assistant Jay Triano was named interim coach.

Bledsoe has reportedly been mentioned as a possible trade piece in NBA circles since the draft, when his name was dropped along with a report from ESPN’s Chris Haynes that the Nuggets and Suns had discussed a trade that centered around point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and the No. 14 pick, which Denver later traded to Utah in a draft-night deal. ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote in early October that “the Suns will surely listen if and when suitors call for Eric Bledsoe.”

After a three-way point guard competition between Mudiay, Jamal Murray, and Jameer Nelson that lasted from training camp through the day of Denver’s regular-season opener in Utah, Murray — who’ is recognized by many as Denver’s future at the point guard position — started the Nuggets’ first two games. The 20-year-old scored eight points on 2-6 shooting (2-5 3FG’s) in Denver’s opener against the Jazz but struggled Saturday against the Kings and tallied just two points on 1-9 from the field. Across two games he’s dished out four assists to four turnovers.

Backing Murray up is Mudiay, who scored eight points in Denver’s opener and reached double-figures off the bench versus Sacramento. After two seasons where turnovers plagued the 6-foot-5 point guard, Mudiay has given the ball away just twice across the Nuggets’ two matchups.

Veteran Jameer Nelson was waived last week to make room for Denver to sign Richard Jefferson. Nelson has since signed with New Orleans and made his Pelicans debut Sunday when he scored five points, handed out five assists, played 24 minutes off the bench and was on the floor to close the Lakers out for a seven-point win.

Denver (1-1) hosts John Wall, Bradley Beal, and the Washington Wizards Monday night at Pepsi Center. The Wizards are coming off a 115-111 win over the Detroit Pistons on Friday.