The Suns Thread

[Axel]

I'd love to see the Suns resign Tim Thomas, but I wonder if they'll have more bodies in the frontcourt than they can find playing time for. Marion, Kurt Thomas, Diaw, Amare, Tim Thomas, and James Jones seems to be a bit too deep to keep everyone happy. I think the Suns are going to have to cut someone out.

I think the Suns would be better off signing a veteran PG than drafting a rookie. They're going to have one of the lower picks in the first round, so the chance of getting someone really good is unlikely. Most people think the Suns will contend for a championship next year, and if they want to win it all, I think they're going to need a proven backup TRUE point guard. Get rid of House, and find someone who can run an offense rather than just shoot 3pt shots.

[shadowgrin]

I wonder if they'll have more bodies in the frontcourt than they can find playing time for. Marion, Kurt Thomas, Diaw, Amare, Tim Thomas, and James Jones seems to be a bit too deep to keep everyone happy. I think the Suns are going to have to cut someone out.

C: K. Thomas
PF: Amare
SF: Marion
T. Thomas and Jones will still get significant time since Kurt isn't getting any younger and will probably play lesser minutes.
Diaw's playing time isn't a problem since he can be used to play any position in the Suns rotation.

[Dro]

There's one factor that complicates the Suns' offseason interests: Sarver doesn't want to have to pay luxury tax. Therefore, salary cap is an issue for us.

Next year, Amare's extension kicks in, leaving the Suns at about $62 million (I believe the cap is around $63 million). Grant and Burke have player options...assuming they decide to opt out, that leaves the Suns at around 59.5 million. That doesn't leave much for Tim Thomas, plus the two first rounders. So there are three scenarios as I see it:

1. Let Tim Thomas go

2. Re-sign Tim Thomas, trade draft picks for future picks

3. Trade Kurt Thomas to open up cap room (we would probably have to package a draft pick with him) and re-sign Tim Thomas.

I would prefer the Suns to just let TT walk. Amare Stoudemire personally picked out Kurt Thomas to play alongside him. Plus, Kurt would be a solid big man off the bench...something the Suns could have used during these playoffs.

[Colin]

With the roster as is you've got a starting center and PF with a good backup (Amare and 1 of the 3, with the other 2 off the bench.) And you've got Marion at SF with James Jones off the bench. Kurt Thomas isn't going to be able to play that many minutes with him getting older. You pretty much have to re-sign Tim Thomas unless he wants a huge deal. And he seems to really want to play for the team, so I don't know how much of a problem that is. Things sure would be easy if Kurt's contract was up within the next 2 years.

One question though, how long does Tim Thomas get money from Chicago for? Or is that time already up.

[Dro]

With the roster as is you've got a starting center and PF with a good backup (Amare and 1 of the 3, with the other 2 off the bench.) And you've got Marion at SF with James Jones off the bench. Kurt Thomas isn't going to be able to play that many minutes with him getting older. You pretty much have to re-sign Tim Thomas unless he wants a huge deal. And he seems to really want to play for the team, so I don't know how much of a problem that is. Things sure would be easy if Kurt's contract was up within the next 2 years.

One question though, how long does Tim Thomas get money from Chicago for? Or is that time already up.

It would be great if Tim would accept a one-year deal...forcing him to play for a new contract and giving us the option to let go of him whenever. Unfortunately, I don't see him accepting any less than 3 years. I just don't see us being able to keep both Thomas' (Thomases, Thomas's?).

Keep in mind, this offseason won't be the same as previous offseasons...D'antoni is going to be calling the shots.

BTW, this was Tim Thomas' last year of getting money from CHI...a cool $14 mil.

[rongotai]

Unfortunately, I don't see him accepting any less than 3 years. I just don't see us being able to keep both Thomas' (Thomases, Thomas's?).

Agreed we will most likely only be able to keep one of them but keeping towo is possible, Getting rid of Kurt Kurt though will be tough with his contract and I havn't heard of much teams being interested in him.

As for other Suns news Rondo is moving up on my list to be our 21st Pick but Im also a little concerned that with Sene's draft price rising we may need to draft him with our 21st pick

[Dean]

With the season opening pretty close now, i thought we should revive our Suns thread (This is the first one i came across, i think we have another one too).

Realistically, i think we/phoenix have a pretty damn good shot at the championship.

So we will get our boy Colin to change the title, and let the discussions begin.

[---]

Is anyone here watching Suns vs LAC??? Steve Nash is hilarious

[Zoom]

What's Steve Nash doing?

And someone should change the title of this thread!

[---]

Oh.. check out Sportscenter tonight, Its to hard to explain

[Dean]

Will do
Disappointing against the lakers too

[---]

Dean, heres a link to the Nash face

http://www.sendspace.com/file/k2d92e

sendspace is down at the moment so it wont work right now, just wait till sendspace is back up

[Dean]

Oh sweet, i appreciate it, since it turns out i missed Sports Center..
Thanks for helping a Nashty fan out

[---]

The Nash link is up

Not the original length, but definately just as funny second time round

[rongotai]

Yea I nearly fell of my chair watching it last night lmao

[Axel]

That pic was hilarious... too bad I dont know how/dont have the programs to shrink it down into a .gif file for my avatar... *hint hint*.


Colin, what are you waiting for!? Hurry up and change the title.

[Dro]

Since this thread is here, I'm going to post it here instead of making a new thread...

Suns close to signing Jalen Rose
By Jerry Brown, Tribune
November 2, 2006

Apparently piqued by the opportunity to play in the Suns' up-tempo system, veteran Jalen Rose was on the verge of signing a one-year deal with the Phoenix Suns Thursday night.

NBA sources said the deal would likely be completed by the end of the night. The 33-year-old Rose would earn the NBA minimum salary of $1.178 million — $744,551 of which would be paid by the Suns and the rest coming from a league fund created for that purpose.

Rose was also looking hard at Miami, but sources said the Heat was also offering only the NBA minimum (they could have offered as much as $1.7 million and stayed under the NBA's tax threshold).

While the Heat play a more structured, half-court style, the Suns like to run and so does Rose. Rose's agent, Arn Tellem, also represents Tim Thomas -- who signed a minimum deal with the Suns last year and turned it into a four-year, $24 million deal with the Clippers in the off-season.

At 6-foot-8 and 225 pounds, Rose has played point guard, shooting guard and small forward — which fits in with Phoenix's penchant for interchangeable parts. He averaged 20 points or more three times in his career and 18.5 points a game as recently as the 2004-05 season.

And the deepest team in the league just got deeper. I really love this signing because it gives us another veteran in the backcourt. When Barbosa and Banks are in the backcourt at the same time, something looks like it's missing. Maybe Rose can change that. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him playing SF quite a bit with his size.

[Colin]

Jesus, give me one day to change the name.

And Jalen is a bit of a bitch, but then again, so is Tim Thomas....

We'll see how this works out.

[rongotai]

Agreed when we got TT I was like WTF is going on

If we do get Jalen it shall be very interesting to see where he fits in the rotation.

[Axel]

Well, the Suns finally got a win, but it was a pretty ugly win all things considered. Good to see a lot of hustle for rebounds and loose balls, they out rebounded the Grizzlies by 10.

A lot of questions are still unanswered about the bench though. Marcus Banks is utter garbage and he gets paid a lot. I can't believe they got this guy while someone like Marcus Williams was passed up in the draft. He's averaging more turnovers than assists, shooting horrible, and the offense dies everytime he goes into the game. With Diaw struggling, and Barbosa more of a SG, who is going to back up Nash (again)? It'll be interesting to see if the Suns go after someone else if they can't integrate Banks into the offense...

[Dro]

We were up by 30 something points, until D'Antoni emptied the bench in the 4th quarter. That unit with Piatowski, Burke, Banks, and the Jonses got outrebounded and outplayed and ended up blowing a huge lead. The starters had to come back in the finish the job.

But, our rotation is excellent. Amare is back, scoring 25 and boarding 14 in only 24 minutes! And we now have a 5-day rest...niiiiiiiice!

[Colin]

Even without Nash the Suns played a great game against Philly. Amare was in absolutely fantastic form. He had a couple vicious put-back dunks, numerous hard drives resulting in a trip to the line for the 3-point play, and this one spinning reverse lay-up...damn. Surprisingly Marcus Banks played absolutely fantastic. Put up 17 points while nailing some nice jumpers, drove the lane well and got to the line, played the point very well and set up his teammates, and on top of it he was matche dup wtih AI on defence some of the time and fared well. Shawn Marion was ghost on offence, but played solid d an AI for most of the game. And Barbosa ended up with 26 and 10. Although it seemed kind of quiet, I was surprised hsi stats were that high at the end of the game.

Philly really seemed out-coached in this game. In the second-quarter they made a great run, 15-0 or 16-0 to tie it or take a one-point lead or something. That was led by Willie Green who was driving like crazy and putting it in the hoop. But they went away from that. When Chris Webber was in the game he looked good, hitting high post jumpers and hooks in the post, yet he played something like 20 minutes? If you're losing by 15 or whatever, why not try him out again? Kind of silly.

Negatives from the game...not much. Jalen Rose's shot was really flat. Looked like crap.

Next up: Utah.

[kinokong]

amare looks like he's making a nice recovery... hope he can keep it up

[theflash02]

Oh! HE will.. He will.. People just think that AMARE is not living up to the hype of the comeback because people EXPECT TOO MUCH from him.. AMARE before he got injured averaged only 9+ RPG at 35MPG.. And now.. After injury.. Hes gettin 10.5RPG at only 25MPG.. People just expect too much from him that they don't see the little improvements going on with ma main man AMARE..

OH! And another one.. People EXPECT AMARE to bring back the EXPLOSION.. Thats all!! If he brings back the explosiveness.. Even if he has 1RPG.. People would say that he has already lived up to his comeback hype.. STUPID PEOPLE..

[Dro]

SHOOT ME IN THE EYES