Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe had the definition of an up-and-down campaign during the 2014-15 season. Following up dominant performances with disappearing acts, Bledsoe is a source of anxiety for Suns fans after signing a five-year, $70 million deal with the team last offseason.
However, Suns GM Ryan McDonough points to games like Bledsoe's 34-point outburst as Houston as proof positive that there are big things ahead for the young backcourt cornerstone.
"In those games, he looks like one of the best players in the league," McDonough said recently, via AZCentral.com. "The key for him will be seeing how consistent he can be. He certainly has a bright future — 25 years old."
Without singling out Bledsoe in particular, Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek says his young guards struggled to adjust to extended roles at the NBA level.
"A point guard's responsibility is: 'How do I get my guys involved and how I do I make it easier for someone else?' " Hornacek said. "Quite honestly, we had a lot of young guys who are just trying to figure it out themselves. Another common theme from a lot of these guys was, 'Hey, it was my first year of actually playing that many minutes and a lot of times, I was just trying to figure it out myself.'
"When you look back at when we all played, there was that first year that you play all these big minutes," he added. "It is a heck of an adjustment of trying to get ready for every game. Your concern is, 'How am I going to make it through this game?' and then once that year is over, that next year is so much easier. And I think that's what will happen next year."
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