Suns Next Year: Change of Strategy?

They can't add a defensive shot blocking Center and still keep up their run & gun, 3 point shooting offense. You're looking for a 7 footer to run like a guard, block like Shaq, and hit 3's like Reggie. Maybe Kirilenko in a few years, but Utah has stated there isn't a player in the league they would trade AK for. Maybe Gasol, he has no 3 range but can run & score...but to get someone as good as Gasol, Phoenix is losing Marion at a minimum if not more.

If they do find that magical player that can block shots like Delambert on defense and run, penetrate, and hit 3's like Q-Rich on offense, and they can get him for one of their bench players like Barbosa, i'm sure their problems would be over. But that's basically asking for a Barbosa-LeBron trade...ain't gonna happen.

amare is fine..
they pretty much need another shawn marionesque defensive player

D'Antoni believes that the run-and-gun offense and small lineup can win it all for the Suns. Unless he is abruptly fired or resigns, there will not be a major change. The key for Phoenix is to re-sign its best perimeter defender, Joe Johnson, a RFA who will surely have a lot of suitors (Cleveland anyone?). After that, there may well be a change in defensive strategy or a greater emphasis on the defensive end in camp and practice. However, there is only so much d'Antoni can do without adding new players. He cannot teach QRich, Jim Jackson, Steve Nash, Amare, Walter McCarty, and Barbosa to play defense in a single offseason. The younger players probably could work on their defense, but we should not expect a huge improvement. I'm sure PHO will be looking for some new additions to the squad, from another big to a potential replacement for Joe Johnson.

I actually believe that PHO would be well served to work with Steven Hunter this offseason. He's athletic, long, a good shotblocker and defender, but he has one of the worst pairs of hands in the entire league. His inability to catch the ball cost him a couple points in almost every game he played. If he could also develop a hint of a jump shot from about 14'...

i agree with sticking with hunter and developing him further...

actually barbosa is a pretty good defensive player. those long arms combined with his quickness could be devastating for opposing pg's.

amare has the tools to be a great defender and rebounder, so at least there's hope there

richardson definitely needs to work on an in between game...

Well its true that they do need to play some defense other than relying on their offense. Like most of the times, they would just let a team score because they knew they would be able to match the score on the other end which is what they don't need. Hopefully they'll work on defense 90% of the time in training camp since they already know they can put the ball in the hoop. If you notice, you rarely see D'Antoni calling plays on the sideline because they rely on the Nash/Amare pick n roll and outside shooting to go along with offensive rebounds and putbacks. That's their entire game so he needs to work on some defensive stuff. I really don't think they need a switch, but it wouldn't hurt if they added a shot blocker/good rebounder. The fact that they may lose Joe Johnson this off-season is also the key, so if they want to keep him, they need to give him the big bucks.

I agree. If every player on that team makes a committment to playing better 'D', the Suns could be champions. Thing is, you have to WANT to play defense. Do their guys have that mentality?

The reason why Marion was unable to score at will was because of Duncan defense or maybe it was just knowing that he was going against the best PF and he got chickened out and was scared to shoot the ball - this is called intimidation which by the way Jordan mastered during his tenure in the NBA.

Does Suns need someone like Jeff Foster?

A guy like Foster might work out, but I doubt Indiana will be letting him go.

The reason why Marion was unable to score at will was because of Duncan defense

Not really. Bowen was guarding Marion during the series. Duncan guarded Marion in game 4 & 5

Yeah, Bowen was shadowing him for quite a bit. I'm guessing he tired him out. Duncan wasn't on him a lot of the time.

I'm thinking that if they can aquire a good center in the offseason (that can run as well), they could put him in at center and switch Amare to PF. Then they could have Marion come off the bench and go to SF or even SG to play big and be able to grind it out in the post. But the chances of them getting a good starting center is low, so they could at least get a good backup to give a starter a rest or a backup center to come in and bump Amare+Marion up.

Consider also that Amare was putting up 26 shots per game in the series and Nash was attempting around 18 attempts per game, 7 above his regular season average. Even with the fast-paced style that the Suns like to play, that's less attempts for Marion. Not that that's the only reason, but he didn't really have the same opportunities - 9 shots per game during the WCF compared to 18 per game in the second round.

He wasn't getting the ball at all. And when he did, he missed, he lost the ball...everything bad happened to Marion in the WCF.

Crazy thought... would they trade Marion for an actual PF? What they get most out of Marion is rebounding & defense. This team already has tons of scoring options.

More importantly...when they resign Joe & Amare, that will be 4 players making more 10+ million a year...no way phoenix can handle that. Who do you lose of the mega-contracts: Amare, Nash, Joe Johnson, Marion.

Surely they wouldn't be re-signing Joe Johnson for $10+ million per year. But like most teams that are amongst the NBA's elite, they can afford to be over the cap as they don't need to acquire any big pieces to complete their championship puzzle.

Just hope that none of the guys suddenly have an ego attack!

Surely they wouldn't be re-signing Joe Johnson for $10+ million per year. But like most teams that are amongst the NBA's elite, they can afford to be over the cap as they don't need to acquire any big pieces to complete their championship puzzle.

Wouldn't they? Hmm i honestly don't know, i thought i read the contract will be in that neighborhood. I can see a team bawking at signing that much for a SG, but Joe Johnson is a legit SF at 6' 7" 230 lbs, a strong defender, and still very young with an upside. He's Phoenix' 2nd largest player out there, with only Amare being larger. I think he's going to get a contract like a young up & coming SF with a deadly 3 point range and ability to play 3 positions. Sound like anyone we know?

If I were Cavs I would do anything to aquire this guy. Is very possible that they'll do that and in this case Suns are screwed. Suns CANNOT have another player with max contract. That would mean 4 (!) players with big time paychecks for a team in a medium market. Where would they find money for their bench?

What bench?

What bench?

Ha, that is true. But they need to find at least 1 or 2 more semi-decent bench players to give their starters a some short breathers.

Wouldn't they? Hmm i honestly don't know, i thought i read the contract will be in that neighborhood. I can see a team bawking at signing that much for a SG, but Joe Johnson is a legit SF at 6' 7" 230 lbs, a strong defender, and still very young with an upside. He's Phoenix' 2nd largest player out there, with only Amare being larger. I think he's going to get a contract like a young up & coming SF with a deadly 3 point range and ability to play 3 positions. Sound like anyone we know?

Anything's possible, I would have thought most franchises would avoid paying too many players that amount of money per year. But like I said, elite teams don't need the cap space to contend for the top free agents. They need bits and pieces, not cornerstone players.

Phoenix is going to stay put... They will sign Amare and Joe to extensions and get some bench guys with the mid-level-exception, but the rest of the team will probably stay put.

They almost got it... Amare is taking off very nicely and Marion is a superb player with his ability to get above the rim and shoot it from further out. Marion is only 6'7" tall and clearly under sized for the power forward slot. But they don't lose defense or rebounding due to him being so damn good at what he does.

I think things will be very quiet in Phoenix this summer. They'll work hard to play better defense next season without compromising their running game by getting a "true" center... Why did "---" the true word is because the only true center left is Shaquile O'Neal... He's got some game back to the basket, but most of the other wanna-bees are just that wanna-bees and get to play at the high level due to their size...

Amare-Marion-Quentin-Joe-Nash will continue... They basically need one or two more decent bench guys to boot...

If Phoenix does some trading, it will be with the bench guys... Trust me on this one.

Hmmm...you don't think it's possible to upgrade Quentin? Especially if you have JJ?

suddenly having possibly deng and more cap space seems better then having Q hehe

maes.. interesting idea about trading Marion for a PF. marion has many intangibles and i'm not sure they are easily replaceable. any suggestions for who though??

I'm very dubious about that rumor of Marion going, the Phoenix ownership have been offered lots of trades for him in the past but are in love with them (as am i).

The rumor was for one of the premier Centers, Curry or Delambert. If they keep Amare at C i can see them being interested in Chandler...he's the one guy where Phoenix wouldn't really lose any defense or rebounds if they lost Marion, just shooting, but they gain a legit 7' shot blocker with a phenomenal attitude.

I dunno...Phoenix can really do anything about now because every player in the L wants to play either for them or Miami.

i think if the bulls were going to trade chandler or curry to the suns, they'd be targeting joe johnson, not shawn marion. just a hunch