Although Eric Bledsoe and his agents thinks he deserves a massive contract extension, he’ll soon realize that what the Phoenix Suns have been offering is as good as it’s going to get for him, at least in this NBA off-season.

The Suns have made an offer worth $48 million over four years to the restricted free agent. Bledsoe, despite his reputation and demands, hasn’t done much in the NBA as of yet. He was a backup through his first three seasons in the league and last year was his first as a starting player. He averaged 17.7 points per game, quite impressive, but managed to stay healthy for just half the seasons.

The only team that can give Bledose an offer sheet with more money are the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, the Sixers might be a team that players will want to play for again in a year or two, but that’s not happening right now, and the Sixers aren’t very likely to commit any kind of money to anyone but their own building projects at the moment.

So what are the options for Bledose? Taking the offer from the Suns and end what is almost turning into a feud between the sides, even though both of them are saying it’s “just business”, or take a one-year qualifying offer which means making a lot less money than he would have been if he’d accepted the long-term deal, but it’ll give him a window to unrestricted free agency in 12 months, which might not be such a bad idea.

The Suns surprised everyone with their impressive season in 2013-2014, narrowly missing the playoffs. They didn’t get the opportunity to make a big free agency signing – no one would sit down with them, but they remain a young and promising team that will be taken more seriously this season. Keeping Bledose is a big part of those plans, and eventually, he’ll realize that there’s nothing better for him out there, or at least that is what the team’s owner, Robert Sarver is thinking.

We think it’s a fair offer. I think you could argue, you know, I mean some would say it’s maybe a little high; some would say it’s low. What’s fair is important to us, and also important to him — him and his agent. It’s not necessarily us to determine what he thinks is fair; it’s him to determine that.  think Eric’s a great guy. And he’ll be happy here when he gets here, whether that’s for one year or for four years or five years. I think his agent’s trying to do the best job he can, too. And I have a pretty good relationship with his agent. It’s just part of the process. I wish it would have been resolved earlier, but it is what it is.

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