Toronto Raptors Reportedly Interested in Eric Bledsoe


The list of suitors for LA Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe is long, and according to ESPN, the Toronto Raptors (along with the Orlando Magic) are one of the teams with significant interest in the young guard. The talks are reportedly still at the exploratory stage: “The Raptors have been openly shopping forward Andrea Bargnani for months and would try, sources say, to include Bargnani in any deal for Bledsoe, which wouldn’t necessarily dissuade the Clippers, given their longstanding need for a big man who can stretch the floor. But sources add that Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan is the Raptor most likely to tempt the Clippers, which falls in line with L.A.’s interest in Arron Afflalo in their Bledsoe talks with Orlando. Some rival executives believe that the Raptors are prepared to part with DeRozan — recipient of a $40 million contract extension last October — in the wake of Rudy Gay’s arrival and the front-office change that ushered out Bryan Colangelo (who authorized DeRozan’s new deal) and ushered in Masai Ujiri. Magic general manager Rob Henigan acknowledged to local reporters after Thursday night’s draft that Orlando “may revisit” trying to trade for Bledsoe. The Detroit Pistons, sources said, have also expressed serious interest in Bledsoe, who is known to be seeking an extension with any new team before the Halloween deadline for his draft class if he’s indeed dealt by the Clippers this offseason. The Magic and Clippers have been discussing the possibility of a trade with Afflalo and Bledsoe as the principles for the better part of June. But those talks began before the Clippers’ drawn-out hiring of Doc Rivers as their new coach and senior vice president of basketball operations.”