Whats with the Phx Suns?

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by urban analysis therapist

But he was also paying roughly that much, minus a few million ($20 million vs. $15 million), to Shawn Marion. And Sarver was responsible for neither Shaq's nor Marion's contracts - he just happens to be paying for them.

The Shaq trade was done for one reason, and one reason only: to beat San Antonio by fixing their low-post 'weakness' and overcoming that supposed last hurdle. We all know how that turned out....

See....Sarver may be cheap and stupid, but he also wants a winning team and a championship. Unfortunately, cheap and stupid isn't the way to get that elusive championship. Sarver has let up on the cheap part just a tad, but hasn't let go of the stupid part - with Kerr's 'guidance', he's paying that Dragic guy a ridiculous sum to play Nash's backup. Too bad: he could have had Rajon Rondo for roughly the same price.

Here is my simple view.
He paid huge salaries to guys that were incapable of playing Defense. That ate up his cap room. The high-tempo score-fests of the regular season made many Suns players look better than they really were with nice puffy stat lines. Then post season would roll around and the Spurs would slow down the tempo and

[urban analysis therapist]

Originally Posted by freefall

5 mil is a lot to Sarver - he let Kurt Thomas go to save 1.5 mil.

Kurt Thomas was going to be paid $8 million in 07-08. I'm not sure where you got the 1.5 million from - that was probably the salary of the late first round draft pick had they kept that pick.

Here's what it says in Wikipedia (not the most reliable source, but it will do:

..... Thomas, along with the Suns' first-round draft choices in 2008 and 2010 was traded by the Suns to the Seattle Supersonics in exchange for a conditional second-round draft choice and an $8 million trade exception.

Originally Posted by Mathguy

Here is my simple view.
He paid huge salaries to guys that were incapable of playing Defense. That ate up his cap room. The high-tempo score-fests of the regular season made many Suns players look better than they really were with nice puffy stat lines. Then post season would roll around and the Spurs would slow down the tempo and

The Suns improved enough until they were able to match the Spurs somewhat evenly in the '07 playoffs. They were one Stoudemire-Diaw suspension from having a chance to beat the Spurs. You can say whatever you want about the Suns system, but you must still admit the vastly improved how they played against the Spurs compared with how they played against them in the '05 playoffs.

Unfortunately, Kerr and Sarver decided to completely f*ck around with team's identity - were they a defensive-minded half-court team, a defensive-minded 7-seconds-or-less-team, or what? Kerr didn't know what he was doing, Porter was doing his own thing and looked like he couldn't give a rat's ass about the team and rest of the organization, and the team itself was totally demoralized from its lack of true identity and its uncertainty of what was going to happen next.

While I admit I supported Kerr for shaking things up in the Marion-Shaq trade (FYI - Marion looked terrible before the trade, and was sucking the life out of the team with his dour attitude and lifeless play), his decisions before and after the trade were simply horrendous. He inadvertently turned a title-contender into a rebuilding lottery team, albeit one that can still make the playoffs.

[freefall]

Originally Posted by urban analysis therapist

Kurt Thomas was going to be paid $8 million in 07-08. I'm not sure where you got the 1.5 million from - that was probably the salary of the late first round draft pick had they kept that pick.

Here's what it says in Wikipedia (not the most reliable source, but it will do:



The Suns improved enough until they were able to match the Spurs somewhat evenly in the '07 playoffs. They were one Stoudemire-Diaw suspension from having a chance to beat the Spurs. You can say whatever you want about the Suns system, but you must still admit the vastly improved how they played against the Spurs compared with how they played against them in the '05 playoffs.

Unfortunately, Kerr and Sarver decided to completely f*ck around with team's identity - were they a defensive-minded half-court team, a defensive-minded 7-seconds-or-less-team, or what? Kerr didn't know what he was doing, Porter was doing his own thing and looked like he couldn't give a rat's ass about the team and rest of the organization, and the team itself was totally demoralized from its lack of true identity and its uncertainty of what was going to happen next.

While I admit I supported Kerr for shaking things up in the Marion-Shaq trade (FYI - Marion looked terrible before the trade, and was sucking the life out of the team with his dour attitude and lifeless play), his decisions before and after the trade were simply horrendous. He inadvertently turned a title-contender into a rebuilding lottery team, albeit one that can still make the playoffs.

Kurt was easily worth the 8 mil. Now they even screwed up the Shaq trade - why didnt they grab Brad Miller? He at least can stand up to Yao and Shaq - Wallace is like a little midget out there with other centers.
The Suns need to get the old palyers back. What did the Shaq experiment do? they wasted 2 of their best years and it ends up being Marion for Wallace - hooray.

[AliveandWell]

I think there are two major problems with the Phx Suns. One is that the team does not believe in playing defense to stop others from scoring. Defense wins championships and unless they can fix that problem, they will always have problems. Another mistake they made is signing Shaquille O' Neal who is way past his prime, 37 years old, and he is just too old. Shaq is now with Cleveland. Also Phx does not even have an effective backup center. They have no one like Andrew Bynum whose prescence alone can make a big difference to a team.

[KRAMERCAT]

I actually am looking forward to watching the Suns this year. They have some good young players who are hungry - Dudley, Lopez, Amundson to go along with Amare, Nash, Barbosa, Richardson, Hill - should be a fun year.

[Rob Allen]

A lot of us in Portland were sad to lose Channing Frye to the Suns and we wish him well, except when they play the Blazers.

[KRAMERCAT]

Originally Posted by Rob Allen

A lot of us in Portland were sad to lose Channing Frye to the Suns and we wish him well, except when they play the Blazers.

I would take Fry over Shaq any day. What he gives up in 'power' he more than makes up for with hustle and team play.