Phoenix Suns News, Suns Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary

The Phoenix Suns played Friday night without their starting point guard, Steve Nash, who was a game-time decision w/ a bruised thigh.  Despite Nash's struggles early in the season, he has been playing better as of late and is desperately needed if the Suns expect to compete in the Western Conference.  PHX's record w/out Nash speaks for itself, so it is imperative that he be a contributor and facilitator on the court for the Suns.

The Suns need the other PG/SG on the team to step up, including Leandro Barbosa, Dragic and Singletary.

The Phoenix Suns have continued to beat up on the teams they are supposed to win against, but have struggled a bit in regards to dominating those teams.  A recent victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder required a lucky miss by the Thunder and a failure (by them) to foul Steve Nash or Raja Bell w/ 9 seconds left in the game. 

Following the win over Oklahoma City, the Suns went to Minnesota on the 2nd of back-to-back road games, to face the Timberwolves, who they've struggled against the past few years.  Once again, Al Jefferson dominated Amare Stoudemire (mostly) and Shaquille O'Neal.  Fortunately for the Suns, Nash was back to his pre-2008 self and helped keep the team afloat enroute to the win.

Tonight, the Suns get ready to face the Miami Heat, a struggling franchise that is now home to a former Suns player & fan favorite - Shawn Marion.  Shawn spent his entire NBA career in PHX before being shipped to Miami in the Shaq trade.  While Marion was hustling and wowing the fans in PHX, he was disgruntled as the 3rd option for the run 'n gun Suns under Mike D'Antoni.  Now in Miami, Marion is roughly doing the same thing behind Dwyane Wade and rookie Michael Beasley.  He is a free agent after this year, so he'll likely be joining his 3rd team in less than 2 yrs during the offseason or before if the Heat can setup a sign & trade deal w/ another team.

Phoenix is currently 11-5 on the season, enough for a B+ rating from this sports blogger.  They haven't won every game they should've, but they have experienced some challenging times already this season w/ Barbosa's Mom passing away, Barnes suspension and Nash's adjustment to the "Terry Porter way".  Considering all of this, they aren't doing too bad.  They still need to improve, however, so that when the Lakers, Celtics and Hornets of the league come around they don't get blown out.

The Phoenix Suns face off against a suddenly resurgent Sacramento Kings team in California tonight, but they do it without three of their top players.

• Steve Nash (1 game) and Matt Barnes (2 games) are missing tonight's game due to suspensions handed down by the NBA, resulting from their role in the (I wouldn't call it a fight) scuffle earlier this week w/ the Houston Rockets. 
• Speedy guard Leandro Barbosa has joined his family in Brazil following the death of his 66-yr old mother, who has been battling pneumonia for the past few weeks.

Of course, the suspension of Nash is questionable considering he didn't really push or punch anyone; he certainly got pushed and manhandled by Rafer Alston (see Nash's neck?).  Barnes started the whole thing, so it isn't really surprising to see him missing a couple games, but coupled w/ LB's departure to Brazil, the Suns are suddenly short-handed this evening.  We'll see what missing two starters and the 6th man does to a team who is averaging the 4th most points in the league - will they suffer?

So far, Shaq has handled the scoring load for the Suns and they are competing well against the Kings, who have rattled off a string of recent victories since the return of Brad Miller (suspension).  While the Kings are certainly no threat in the Pacific Division, they are a hungry basketball team and could take advantage of the Suns small roster.

Amare Stoudemire has struggled in the 1st half, getting in early foul trouble (from a couple dumb plays).  Although he has contributed, his minutes will be down on the night, at least until the 4th quarter.  Suns fill-in PG Dragic has struggled to find his shot, but is doing a decent job distributing the ball and on defense.

The 6-2 Phoenix Suns looked to establish themselves against another Western Conference power Wednesday night in their match-up w/ the Houston Rockets.  The Suns certainly got a handful from the Rockets, who seemed to attempt to "bully" Phoenix in a showing of dominance.

With several minutes left in the 3rd quarter, Matt Barnes set a hard (shoulder) screen on Rafer Alston, to which Alston responded by confronting Barnes at half-court.  Chests up, fists cocked, but no punches thrown.  Steve Nash attempted to come and split up the pair, but was shoved to the ground by Tracy McGrady.  Shaquille O'Neal was quick to the rescue, however, pushing every Rockets player within site including both McGrady and Alston. Surprisingly, the Rockets' Ron Artest was not involved in the scuffle...good choice buddy.

Watch the mini-fight between the Suns & Rockets:

It did not appear that any Suns players left the bench, so I would not expect any suspensions that route, but Shaq could get a game or two for his pushing & shoving.  Since Matt Barnes and Alston did not throw any punches at each other, I would be surprised to see any kind of suspension - at most 1 game for each player.  If Shaq is punished, the league would also need to put McGrady out one game, since he did virtually the same thing O'Neal did (just pushing).

Nash is a little dinged up after the game, due primarily to some rough picks and screens that he was unable to get through (or around).  

Amare Stoudemire, Matt Barnes and Raja Bell all had a bad shooting night, which contributed mightily to the Rockets apparent dominance (and victory).  Both Stoudemire and Barnes were 5-13 FG and finished w/ 11 pts.  Amare also added 9 rebounds, but he seemed out of sorts on the night, turning the ball over 5 times as well.  Raja shot 0-6 in the loss, while Nash finished 4-10.  The team just didn't seem to have their "A" game at home on this night.

An interesting stat provided during the 4th quarter (4:29 remaining): 0 fast break points for the Suns (at home nonetheless)

Phoenix Suns exit their 9th game with a 6-3 record, which keeps them 2nd in the Pacific Division behind the Lakers.

In what is easily the most surprising news in the NBA this season, the Denver Nuggets are reportedly trading Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess. 

The Nuggets weren't going to be very good w/ Iverson and Anthony together, so it made sense for them, but I have no idea what the Pistons are thinking here.  Sure, Iverson will help sell tickets, but I wouldn't even necessarily consider him an upgrade over Billups.

Both Billups and McDyess have played in Denver before, so I'm sure they know what they're getting from both players.  Billups is a Finals MVP and NBA Champion, while McDyess has had a pretty good career after almost being written off after micro-fracture knee surgery.

It will be interesting to see how the Denver lineup shakes up now w/ Billups at the point.

Phoenix is looking pretty decent after 3 games so far, including 2 victories over the Spurs and Blazers, respectively.  Their only loss to-date, is against the New Orleans Hornets, who already look like a serious contender in the Western Conference.

The Suns start a 4-game road trip on Election Tuesday, beginning in New Jersey.  Their travels will then take them to Indiana, Chicago and Milwaukee before returning home for a match-up w/ the Grizzlies.  The next big game is Nov. 12th against the Houston Rockets in PHX.

Early Suns Evaluation

The Suns don't necessarily look like a different team to start the 08-09 season, but they have displayed some new game plans already. Led by head coach Terry Porter, Phoenix is certainly a lot more deliberate, both on offense and defense.  It looks like they practice defense vs. the quick run-thru's that D'Antoni did when he was here.  Guys are rotating on defense and staying on the ball-handler better than they have in the past.  Tony Parker burned them on occassion, as did Brandon Roy, but they were able to contain the teams' effectively.

Turnovers are still a problem, which is unexpected considering the team's age and experience level.  Players tend to struggle in new systems, however, so I would hope that the turnovers slowly reduce throughout the season. Sure, they will have lapses and bad games, but they need to get under 20 per game to compete effectively.

Several players that D'Antoni hand-picked for the team are struggling w/ their new roles.  Leandro Barbosa, for instance, still thinks he's supposed to run and score as fast as possible.  Several times, this has led to trouble and turnovers (charges, missed shots, etc.).  Dan Bickley and other local radio guys are already suggesting that Barbosa be traded (to the Knicks, nonetheless), which is most definitely just a knee-jerk reaction to a couple bad plays.  Give Leandro some time to adjust and he should be fine.  Let's not forget that he missed training camp and the pre-season due to his Mom's illness in Brazil.  He's really not played w/ the team or the coaches for very long, so he doesn't know any better.  I think its also going to be a problem, that his buddy "Dan D'Antoni" is no longer w/ the team.

Amare Stoudemire looks good, even w/ the the fancy eyewear/goggles he's wearing after suffering a torn iris in the pre-season.  He is easily the Suns best player at this point and has helped in the 2 victories - scoring in the paint against the Spurs and cleaning the boards against the Blazers.

Raja Bell seems to be the only player complaining about his role right now, which is a shame, because he's come from defensive-minded teams in the past.  His complaints/statements recently that "I'm going to shoot when I'm open" stink of selfishness (ala Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, etc.).  Let's hope the statements were just out of frustration after the Hornets loss and then he's going to continue being the team's best defender and one of our top 3-point shooters.

Steve Nash looks ok, although it looks at times like he's handling the ball too much.  His shot is still there, as is his tendency to push the ball on the break - something Suns fans are no doubt loving.

Shaq looks terrific to start the season - scoring in the paint, rebounding and generally helping on defense.  Worth $20+ million?? Probably not, but at the same time, quality centers are hard to come by and O'Neal can still play.  He looks pretty good running up & down the court.

Playing time and bench management appear to be a constant strategy for Porter - he's playing the starters less and using the bench more.  When the starters come out, however, the 2nd team has failed to protect the lead so Terry has been quick to get 1-2 starters back in the game.  In the game against the Trail Blazers, Amare was the one who Porter left in - he's the youngest, so there shouldn't be any harm in playing extra minutes.  The time management is also helpful on the back-to-back games, when the team will need the extra energy in the 2nd game.

Overall rating so far - B+

The new look Phoenix Suns win their season opener in a tight contest against their nemesis, the San Antonio Spurs.  Phoenix looked good going into the 4th quarter and survived an onslaught by Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, who both finished w/ 32 pts for the Spurs.

San Antonio opened the game w/ the "hack a Shaq" routine, w/ Michael Finley wrapping up Shaquille O'Neal as he crossed halfcourt after the tip.  In this instance, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was simply making light of Shaq's early comments that the practice was cowardly.  Both coach and player shared a quick laugh, but the Spurs resorted to the hacking later in the first half in an attempt to keep the Suns from getting too far in front.  At one point, Shaquille shot 8 straight free throws for the Suns (he made 5), helping Phoenix keep it close.  It seemed that after each foul, the Spurs were able to run straight down and get 2 pts, so the strategy worked partially.  I was really surprised to see them not take the same strategy late in the 4th quarter, w/ the Suns leading by a few points.

New Suns coach Terry Porter displayed quite a few differences in his first game, as compared to previous coach Mike D'Antoni (who won is debut w/ the Knicks):

• The Suns bench played a critical role in the game, playing a pretty high number of minutes.  The highest Suns starter only played 33 minutes, so it would seem that Porter intends to keep his players fresh throughout the game.
• The Suns played some defense.  Sure, there were some mistakes throughout the game, but beating a Spurs team on their homecourt is a great accomplishment, regardless of the situation.

The opening game win is certainly a confidence booster for the Suns, who faced a lot of question marks coming into the season.  Phoenix plays New Orleans tomorrow night at home, so they will not get time to rest and enjoy the victory.  The Hornets are a much younger & faster team, so it will be interesting to see another side of this Suns team.  The Spurs are slow and deliberate, while the Hornets more resemble the previous Suns (running & scoring at will).

Congratulations to the Suns for the victory... we need to keep it up!

As the 2008-2009 NBA season approaches, the Phoenix Suns have a familiar look going into a do or die year for the franchise.  Having been eliminated rather quickly by San Antonio in last year's playoffs, the Suns have something to prove.  Their task is going to be extremely difficult, considering how much the Hornets and Lakers have improved the past 2 yrs.  If Phoenix fails to make it to the Finals (again) this season, there's virtually no shot at a title without making some big moves for next season.

Suns Coach

The Phoenix Suns welcome a new Head Coach this season in Terry Porter, a former player & coach in the NBA. Porter's strategies and game plans will be drastically different than Mike D'Antoni had in place through last season.  Terry Porter is more of a defensive minded, slow-paced coach, so the run & gun Suns could be a thing of the past.  Make no mistake, this team can still get up & down the court and will do so when the opportunity presents itself, but overall, they will look a lot more like a half-court team.

Suns Roster

The 2008-09 Phoenix Suns roster looks very familiar to Suns' fans, considering that the bulk of the lineup is returning from last year.  The team's age is certainly has to be taken into consideration this season, but the acquisition of Matt Barnes in the off-season should help the team's athleticism and defense.

Returning Suns Players

• Steve Nash, G
• Raja Bell, G
• Grant Hill, F
• Amare Stoudemire, F
• Shaquille O'Neal, C
• Boris Diaw, F
• Leandro Barbosa, G
• Alando Tucker, F

New Players

• Robin Lopez, C (Rookie)
• Goran Dragic, G
• Sean Singletary, G
• Matt Barnes, F
• Louis Amundson, F
  

Suns Record & Evaluation

My prediction for the Suns is a 53-29 record, a two game downgrade from last season's 55-27 record.  Assuming the team can stay healthy, they should still be right there in the playoff push, but they will not challenge for homecourt advantage - that will end up going to Utah, New Orleans, LA (Lakers) and Houston. 

Within the division, the Lakers will obviously dominate unless Kobe Bryant or Andrew Bynum goes down for a significant portion of the season.  The Clippers and Warriors have made a lot of personnel changes over the off-season, but the Clippers will improve the most.  Golden State should stay about the same or lose a bit

Amare Stoudemire will continue his improvement on the offensive end, but will also improve his defensive statistics in Porter's new system.  I expect a marginal increase in his Blocks, but a higher improvement in his Steals.

The addition of Robin Lopez via the NBA Draft and the free agent signing of Matt Barnes, I expect the Suns to have a little more energy on defense.  Barnes is supposed to get the starting nod over Grant Hill, so having Bell, Barnes, Stoudemire & O'neal on the court, should allow the Suns to contain other teams a bit better than last year.  Shaq & Amare still have defensive weaknesses, as does Nash, but their team defense should be improved.

I'm not sure about the defense of PG Goran Dragic or Sean Singletary, but from what I've seen so far, both players should fill in well for Nash when he's resting on the bench.  I am hoping to see more minutes for Alando Tucker, but with the addition of Barnes, he could be the odd man out.

The Suns bench is probably one of the best in the NBA, considering they will have Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Robin Lopez subbing for the starters.  The first three mentioned, could easily start on most NBA teams - Barbosa could even be the star on a 2nd level team (Bobcats, Grizzles, Kings, etc.).  Starting several minutes into the 1st quarter, the Suns will be able to rotate players in throughout the game without hardly missing a beat.  This will certainly be a different approach that D'Antoni's 7 to 8 man rotation that broke down each year in the playoffs.

If you have any comments or predictions of your own, be sure to leave a comment. 

Here are some other Phoenix Suns previews from our fellow Suns bloggers:

• Phoenix Suns Rising
• Bright Side of the Sun
• Ben's Phoenix Suns Blog
  

The Suns Amare Stoudemire injured his eye in a scrimmage earlier this week and will now miss the next 2 weeks of training camp and preseason games.  The injury is serious enough that Stoudemire is not even allowed to exercise, since the blood rush could go to his eye and cause further damage or discomfort.

Amare has stated that he may even choose to wear protective eye goggles for the rest of his career; something I doubt very much.  Sure, Kareem got away with it for awhile, but this is 2008... no self-respecting baller is gonna wear goggles right?  LOL.

The injury sets back the Suns adjustment to new head coach Terry Porter and a different style of offense, but Amare will likely study during his off time and come back ready to go.  Conditioning will be an issue as the preseason ends and the season starts, but he'll quickly adapt & be the beast he's predicted to be this year.

The Phoenix Suns have traded point guard DJ Strawberry to the Houston Rockets for rookie guard Sean Singletary. 

This is a surprising move by the Suns, who were supposed to have been high on the improving Strawberry.  On the other hand, they did just buyout guard Goran Dragic's contract from his Spanish team, and looked to have a few solid point guards on the bench this year.  Trading for Singletary ensures that they still have the same number of guards, but not of the same quality IMHO.

Just caught this video over on ibeatyou.com, featuring the Suns' Steve Nash and the Clippers' Baron Davis in a spoof the the Step Brothers movie out in theaters right now.  The spoof doesn't mimic the real movie as well as some challengers for top movie preview spoof, but it is pretty creative (Nash's video is in 1st place btw).

Kinda cheesy, but Steve Nash has some decent dance moves in Santa Monica - it looks like he even makes a few bucks doing it.  After you've watched, let me know what you think: Genious or Lame ??? 

The NBA Draft is over and teams are free to talk to the league's free agents (as of July 1st), but who's signing where and who's getting traded - those are the questions NBA fans want to know.  Below is a regularly updated list of recent free agent signings, trades and general player movement.  By the way... this is a long-as* page, so get your scroll finger ready.  This year has been absolutely nuts w/ the amounts of signings and trades. If you're interested in the mid-level guys and those players that most people could care less about... guess what, they aren't going to be listed here either.  News will be listed newest-to-oldest.

August 19, 2008

Some of this happened earlier this week, but I haven't been able to post about them until now.

Andre Igoudala signs 6-year extension w/ the Philadelphia 76ers for a reported $80 million.  This is a huge amount for a 2nd or 3rd option on a team, and a pretty significant salary cap figure for the future, especially w/ the newly signed Elton Brand already on board w/ a large contract. Igoudala is certainly a stud, but I don't think he was worth $80 million (yet).  Just seems like a big risk for Philly.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a huge offseason move by acquiring Mo Williams from the Milwaukee Bucks.  The guard gives Lebron James another scoring option, which the Cavs have really been lacking.  It also gives them a better (& younger) point guard compared to the options in previous years. The trade was a three-way, including the Oklahoma City Thunder (unconfirmed) - the Thunder acquired Desmond Mason in the deal, which is odd considering he basically plays the same positioni as Kevin Durant. Cleveland gives up Damon Jones (virtually nothing) and Joe Smith, a solid backup forward they acquired last year after trading Larry Hughes to Chicago.  The Bucks will receive Luke Ridnour, who lost favor (in Seattle) and Adrian Griffin.  The deal was great for both Milwaukee and Cleveland, but Oklahoma City really didn't do themselves any favors.

Ben Gordon is bitching in Chicago that the Bulls aren't offering him enough money.  He declined to re-sign last year also, for a 5-yr, $50 million extension.  This guy is a freaking idiot unfortunately, but the market has impressed it upon him that he's worth more than $10 million per year.  Coming off the bench for the Bulls, who were not even a playoff team, does not warrant a contract the size Gordon is requesting.

More players are leaving the NBA to play in Europe; the latest NBA defector is Jannero Pargo, who has signed a deal w/ a European team for twice what he made last year in New Orleans.  The trend of the 4th or 5th option-type players is surely one that will make the NBA's benches a little weaker across the league.  While the trend has been the strongest this year, rumors are floating that either Kobe Bryant or Lebron James are being offered $50 million for a single season to play in Europe.  If that happened, it would be the strongest sign yet that the NBA is losing it's appeal.  It already has a referee scandal and allegations that games have been fixed (for TV ratings), so losing the top player(s) to another league would be devastating, regardless of what the league may say.  If the players go, it's only a matter of time before the European games will be broadcast in the states - if this happens, the NBA is going to have about the same appeal that hockey or track & field have now.
 

August 8, 2008

On the same day the Memphis Grizzlies surprisingly opened up the vault for Josh Smith, the Atlanta Hawks acted quickly and matched the offer.  The deal is worth over $55 million (5 yrs).  This offer & matching offer smells of sneakiness in my opinion; the Grizzlies are trying to sell and have been dumping contracts like crazy (e.g. Trade of Gasol to the Lakers for peanuts).  I wouldn't doubt if Smith's agent or someone else that knows him, requested that another team get involved to force the issue on Atlanta, where Smith probably wanted to stay anyway - he just wanted more money.  The only way to get that, was to have a competitive offer on the table. 

The LA Clippers have signed point guard Jason Williams, who the Suns were also considering.  While it is doubtful Phoenix could've paid Williams anything more than a few million.  Details of the signing are unavailable (at the time of this post).

July 30, 2008

Reports indicate that the tempermental (mental being the key) Ron Artest is on his way out of Sacramento and over to the Houston Rockets.  In what appears to be a lopsided trade, the Kings will get back one of their old players in Bobby Jackson, albeit at a lot higher salary than when he left & much older, another player and a 1st round draft pick for next year. 

The trade instantly puts the Rockets into any conversations about next year's NBA champion.  Joining Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston and Luis Scola in the starting lineup; Artest instantly adds credibility and toughness to the already strong defensive unit.  Houston already has a lock-down defender at the small forward position in b, but having a tough defender coming off the bench to spell either McGrady or Artest is not a bad problem to have.  Sure, the Rockets could try and bring Artest off the bench as a 6th man, but knowing his already out of control self-attitude, I don't think that's gonna fly for Ron-Ron.

Artest's defense will instantly help the Rockets against their toughest competitors.  He can guard Peja (Hornets), Bryant (Lakers), Williams (Jazz), Roy (Trailblazers) and just about any other player under 6'10" on any team.  The key to the Rockets success, however, will still be the health of Yao Ming and McGrady.  If either of them goes down before/during the playoffs, Houston will be watching games on the TV come June 2009. 

The Chicago Bulls are making one of the biggest mistakes in the history of their franchise!  That's just my opinion, but signing Luol Deng to a 6-yr, $80 million contract extension is absolutely retarded.  Tell me how a guy averaging only 17 pts and 7 rebounds over the last 2 yrs gets $80 million.  This guy is not the face of their franchise and they could've easily acquired some talented players in a trade last year, when teams were interested.  With his new salary, I don't think as many teams will be contacting the Bulls. 

This signing would seem to indicate that Ben Gordon is the odd man out in Chicago - I can't see how they can pay him even close to the same amount, though based on this summer's contract extensions, he certainly deserves about the same as Deng, Ellis, Okafor.

The Charlotte Bobcats have signed Emeka Okafor to a 6-yr, $72 million extension.  There's no denying that Okafor is a solid player, but $12 million a year for rebounding and blocked shots?  Emeka is an undersized center and a moderate power forward, so I don't really get why the Bobcats would mortgage their future w/ this signing.  Of course, other recent deals set the bar on salaries (I'm gonna puke), so he got what he deserved compared to those other players (e.g. Biedrens, Bogut).

July 28, 2008

Not all of the news for this day occurred today - forewarning... let's play a little catch up.

Monta Ellis antes-up w/ the Warriors, to the tune of $66 million - way over value in my opinion.  Not to be outdone, his teammate, Andres Biedrens signs for 6-yrs and $62 million today.  I guess this is one way to build angst in your organization... pay the stiff the same amount you pay your top player.  Way to go Warriors.

The L.A. Lakers re-signed Sasha Vujacic to a 3-yr, $15 million deal.  This is supposedly less than Sasha could've have gotten, but not in the NBA.  He was apparently being courted by several European teams, who were willing to pay a bit more than the Lakers.

Yet another California team making waves this offseason, the Clippers made news again by signing Ricky Davis to a multiyear deal (terms not disclosed).  Good luck Clipperland... this guy is a team-wrecker.  Enjoy a guy who can't play defense or pass.

The Knicks traded Ronaldo Balkman to the Denver Nuggets for a draft pick and two players.  Balkman was one of Isiah Thomas' favorite players and a real "energy" guy, so I'm not exactly sure why Donnie Walsh and D'Antoni would want to move him.  The deal frees up cap space for Denver, who seems to be on a "sell, sell" type of streak these days.  Pretty soon, Anthony and Iverson will be the only players left.

July 22, 2008

The San Antonio Spurs retained an important piece of their puzzle on Tuesday, agreeing to terms on a 2-yr deal for Kurt Thomas.  It's good to see Thomas get more than a 1-yr deal, but I wish he would've come back to the Suns.  He's going to be a huge asset to the Spurs, especially when the get to the playoffs and face the big Lakers, who should have Bynum to compliment Bryant and Gasol this upcoming season.

The NBA Champion, Boston Celtics, have retained two key players in Eddie House and Tony Allen.  With the departure of James Posey to the Hornets, Allen is expected to step up on the defensive end. 

Minnesota Timberwolves have re-signed Sebastian Telfair, who'll play his 2nd season in Minnesota after being traded at the beginning of last year. 

July 20, 2008

Finally!!!  My beloved Phoenix Suns have made a splash in the free agent waters.  For an absurdly low deal financially, free agent Matt Barnes has signed with the Suns.  Formerly with the Golden State Warriors, who btw have had a huge offseason, Barnes was a particularly strong role player who was never really given significant minutes.  This deal solidifies the SG/SF rotations and could even include Barnes starting - w/ Grant Hill or Raja Bell coming off the bench (I doubt it though).  Perhaps Barnes sees the age of the current Suns players and has identified the opportunities that will be available when those players are gone; otherwise, I don't really see why he would sign here.

Matt Barnes also brings an air of toughness, much like Bell does, so I believe he is a GREAT addition to the team.  With Robin Lopez showing good signs so far in summer league, as well as Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry, Phoenix may be in better shape this year than last.  It will be interesting to see how Terry Porter works all of these players into the game plans.

Phoenix is still in need of a solid backup PG, but I think they're going to have to settle in this case - they just don't have enough $$ to pay a decent player to come to Arizona. 

This is also a great move by Phoenix, in the fact that it gives them flexibility with Leandro Barbosa - he could be traded and the Suns will still be in good shape w/ Barnes in the mix.  And for the veteran's minimum $$, Matt is a lot better option for a Suns team trying to lower payroll.

July 17, 2008

Another day, another story involving the Golden State Warriors and the L.A. Clippers.  This time, it's a report that Kelenna Azubuike has received an offer sheet from the Clippers for $9 million over 3-years.  The Warriors have 7 days to match the offer for Azubuike before he'll officially be a Clipper.  If they don't sign him, Kelenna will join former Warrior Baron Davis on the revamped Clippers team, which now includes Marcus Camby as well.

It's not the "same 'ol" Clippers so far this summer - trades, big free agent signings and spending a lot of money.  This is a new strategy for the storied "loser" franchise, but only time will tell if the end of the story is different - can they win? 

July 16, 2008

Two-time NBA Champion and (now) former Celtic, James Posey, has reached a 4-year agreement with the New Orleans Hornets.  This deal is in the $25 million range for 4 yrs, which is likely a lot longer than the Celtics were offering.  Posey is primarily a defender, as demonstrated on both the Heat's championship run, as well as this year's Boston Celtics.  He is also a good 3-point shooter, which he'll no doubt get to showcase in New Orleans.  With Chris Paul manning the point and David West in the post, there will surely be a lot of 3's to go around - if Peja passes the ball of course.

This move by New Orleans is a statement to the rest of the Western Conference.  It says, we came close last year and we're going to be even better this year - take notice.  With the trade of Camby to L.A., Denver drops out of the playoffs and the only real contender for the Hornets is the Lakers - Posey helped shutdown Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals, so why not try to take him out before he even gets there.  Great move by the Hornets!!

The L.A. Clippers decided not to stand by and take the departure of Elton Brand lightly.  In fact, their recent acquisition may give them the most intimidating front-line in all of basketball.  With the recently acquired Marcus Camby from the Denver Nuggets, the Clippers will roll out Camby and Chris Kaman at the 4 & 5 spots.  Not a bad move for the Clippers, who were looking like fools after allowing Brand and Corey Maggette to leave without matching either offer.

Camby, a former Defensive Player of the Year, and great overall paint presence (defensively), is a great addition for L.A.  I am still trying to figure out how the trade works financially, since the other components of the trade appear to be the ability to switch 2nd round draft picks in the 2010 draft and a $10 million trade exception (to be used within 1 year). Camby will make $11.25 million this year and another $10.9 the following season, so how exactly does a 2nd round draft pick & $10 mil equate?  Don't the trades have to be of equal dollar amounts (at least within a certain figure).

It's safe to say that the Nuggets are going in a downward direction, considering they really didn't get anything in return for trading arguably their only solid defender.  It's unclear what their real motive is in the deal, but hopefully they'll use the $10 million to sign somebody that can help them. 

July 10, 2008

Baron Davis has officially signed w/ the LA Clippers, although him and Chris Kaman are about the only players left after Elton Brand and Corey Maggette both bolted for ($) greener pastures.

Free agent Roger Mason signs w/ the San Antonio Spurs for 2 years, for a total of $7 million.

The Milwaukee Bucks have opened the vault, and have offered center Andrew Bogut a 5 year, $72 million contract extension.  This only a few weeks after trading for Richard Jefferson.  With a new coach, Scott Skiles, and a serious commitment to their core players, as well as bringing in Jefferson, the Bucks are making a run to go deep in the playoffs next season.  All the sudden, the East is looking a little deeper than in previous years.  The West is still significantly deeper, but the East has at least 5-6 quality teams that will fight it out all season.

The Orlando Magic strengthened their team by signing former Warriors guard Michael Pietrus.  Details of the free agent signing were not available as of this update.

July 9, 2008

Wednesday marks the first day that reported trades and deals can officially go through.  For instance, the pre-draft deal between the Pacers and Raptors involving Jermaine O'Neal goes through today, etc.

In other news...

James Jones signs w/ the Miami Heat.  The deal is for 5 years (wow, really?) and will start at $4 million this year.

DeSagana Diop re-signs w/ the Dallas Mavericks for 5 years ($31 million total).  Wait, you'll love this... Diop's new contract comes only 6 months after he was traded from Dallas to New Jersey in the Kidd trade.  Shouldn't deals like this be illegal?

July 8, 2008

Today's big news & somewhat of a shocker, is that the Clippers Elton Brand will reportedly be signing w/ the Philadelphia 76ers.  The deal is reported to be valued at $82 million over 5 years.  The deal instantly makes the 76ers a valid Eastern Conference contender - I believe they will challenge for the #3 seed in the East.  Btw... Nice to see the East get at least 1 quality player back from the loaded Western Conference. Philly gets bigger, tougher and a solid rebounder to control the paint.  Brand is also a reliable defender and consistent low-post scorer, which the 76ers desperately needed.  Philadelphia has a young, but up-and-coming roster, to which Elton Brand should make an immediate impact as a role model and 1st or 2nd scoring option behind Andre Igoudala.  Elton's recent injury is still a concern, long-term, but for the 76ers it was a good move to make.  The move by Brand has to come as a huge shock to the Clippers' new PG, Baron Davis, who has signed a long-term deal w/ the now weak L.A. team.

To top of the news of Brand leaving the Clippers, reports are that SG/SF Corey Maggette is signing a 5 year, $50 million contract w/ the Golden State Warriors.  Maggette likely got more money than he's worth from the Warriors, but a bid from the Celtics may have helped improve the bottom line.  Not really sure where Corey will fit in w/ the guard/forward loaded Warriors, but he's a guy who can score and get to the foul line; he's an aggressive player who's not afraid to put his body on the line.

July 5, 2008

July 4, 2008

The New York Knicks have agreed to terms w/ free agent PG Chris Duhon.  The new deal is supposed to be for 2 years at the full mid-level exception.  Duhon isn't the typical up & down PG that coach Mike D'Antoni is use to (w/ Steve Nash), but he's a good ball-handler and distributes the ball fairly well.  Unless NY is still seeking out trades, I can see Duhon winning the starting point guard spot and forcing Marbury to come off the bench - that is, IF he doesn't get bought out or traded for salary cap reasons.

July 3, 2008

Gilbert Arenas accepted a lower offer than the Wizards presented to him - $16 million less to be exact.  While the $111 million contract he signed is still likely to tax the team's ability to become a championship contender, he was steady on his word of taking less money to stay - give him credit for that.

"I'm basically giving back $16 million," Arenas told the Washington Times. "This is in line with what I've been saying the whole time. You see players take max deals and they financially bind their teams. I don't wanna be one of those players and three years down the road your team is strapped and can't do anything about it." More

The Hornets' Chris Paul agreed to a 3 year extension worth $68 million.  The deal will pay Paul the maximum amount allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Mavericks pickup a new shooting guard in Gerald Green, the former Celtic & Timberwolf, who is also a one-time Slam Dunk champion as well.  Dallas signed Green for a 1 year contract (minimum value).  This move certainly adds youth and athleticism to the Mavs, but he's struggled on the other teams, so Dallas really isn't risking anything w/ the minimum salary offered.

July 2, 2008

In a strange twist, after reports surfaced that Baron Davis would be teaming up w/ Elton Brand in Clipperland, Brand has been offered a maximum deal from the suddenly Baron-less Warriors.  So Davis moves to L.A. and Brand moves (possibly) to Golden State... perfect timing for Davis to go to a poorer situation than he left.

Baron Davis, after being spurned by the Warriors, will be going to the L.A. Clippers - $65 million over 5 years.  This is definitely a paycut for Davis, but after being benched late last season, I think he saw the writing on the wall. 

The New Orleans Hornets are negotiating an extension w/ All-Star and runner-up MVP Chris Paul.  CP3 wants the max and he deserves it, so I'm not sure what the hold-up is on the new deal.  Personally, I think he should play out his current contract before worrying about an extension, but if I had millions of guaranteed money on the table, I'd probably ask for a new deal ASAP too. 

Chris Duhon receives offer from the New York Knicks, but does he really want to be part of that train wreck?  Sources suggest the Phoenix Suns are also interested in Duhon, but can't pay what the Knicks are offering.

Washington has resigned Antawn Jamison to a 4 year deal worth $50 million.  While Jamison probably got a raw deal here, his "I will play for less if Jamison is signed" buddy, Gilbert Arenas was offered over $100 million by several teams (cough... cough... what?).  Sources suggest Arenas is preparing to re-up w/ the Wizards, but it doesn't appear he's saving them any money.  Hope he likes being on a shitty team for another 5-6 years. 

Jose Calderon is reportedly signing a long-term deal w/ the Toronto Raptors.  Details of the new contract are unavailable as of this post, but it's believed to be around $35 million for 4-5 years.

Related Resources

ESPN's 2008 NBA Free Agent List
Chad Ford's 2008 NBA Free Agent Rankings
Free Agent Roundup from FoxSports 

The Phoenix Suns and head coach Terry Porter have completed updating the rest of the coaching staff.

Three of four are familiar faces to most NBA and Suns fans, while the fourth is not as familiar, but does have some quality basketball background. 

Alvin Gentry - A former head coach and lead assistant to former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni.  For Gentry, this will be his 5th year on the Phoenix Suns coaching staff.  His familiarity with all of the current players should help smooth the transition for Terry Porter as he implements a new system.

"Thunder" Dan Majerle -  Thunder Dan is a former Suns player and Ring of Honor inductee.  He has been a TV analyst for the past few years and has experience with the new head coach (teammates in Miami).  While Majerle does bring some defensive skills to the table, he has no prior coaching experience, so I don't look for him to provide anything out of the shoot.

Bill Cartwright -  An NBA champion, former head coach and generally speaking, a great tutor for young big men, Cartwright will likely be tasked with improving the team's interior defense.  Bill also has experience w/ Kerr (on the Bulls) and played one season for the Suns (wow, really?).

Igor Kokoskov -  This one is a stretch, but Porter has experience w/ Igor in both Detroit and w/ Gentry (Clippers), so they must have confidence in him.  Of special note, is the fact that the Suns have made Kokoskov the first non-American assistant coach in NBA history - very hard to believe he's the first, but it's true.

Based on this assembly, it's clear that GM Steve Kerr and Porter will be focusing on improving the Suns defensive abilities and strategies.  No one knows if the strategy will work at this point, but coming back w/ the same offense (2nd half offense) and an improved defense can't hurt.

Unless the coaches start working w/ Amare Stoudemire during the summer, I see him struggling the most w/ the new concepts and roles that will be dictated.  Steve Nash will also figure to have a modified role, but only in the fact that the Suns probably won't be running the 7 second offense any longer.

While this figures to be a bumpy ride, you have to give some praise to Kerr for going out and getting a few experienced guys to help shape the team.  While Majerle is new, he's familiar w/ the team and the players, so he may be able to help in ways we're not aware of at this time.

The Boston Celtics left no doubt who this year's NBA Champion is, after an overwhelmingly dominate performance against the L.A. Lakers on Tuesday night.  Final score 131-92.

Up by as many as 43 points in the game, the Celtics were really never in any danger of having to play a Game 7.  This game was in the bag at halftime for the famed green & white.

Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Co. were spectacular and stepped up when it counted.  I doubt you will hear much more talk about KG playing well in big games or about Allen being soft.  While Paul Pierce is virtually assured of going into the Celtics ring of honor, another year or two from Garnett and Allen may have them in the discussions as well.

The loss has to be devasting for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, but they got beat by the better team.  Boston's defense was incredible on a night that it had to be.  The Celtics had more steals in the first half than the Lakers had field goals; the Lakers had more turnovers in the first half than field goals.  Overall, a horrible game by LA and a superb game by Boston.

The fans voted Kevin Garnett the MVP of Game 6 after a totally dominate game.  I know I keep saying "dominate", but there's really no other way to explain the game.

Garnett was particularly interesting during the post-game interview, but he's now "certified"... he's basically cemented his place in NBA history w/ the championship.  After 11 All-Star appearances, an MVP award and this year's Defensive Player of the Year award, Garnett has officially joined the NBA's all-time elite.

Allen and Garnett paced the Celtics w/ 26 points apiece, but it was Rajon Rondo who really stole the show on this night...literally.  Rajon finished w/ 6 steals and it seemed like he came up w/ one each time that LA had thoughts of making a comeback.  On this night, Boston could not be denied.

The Celtics win their 17th NBA Championship overall.

Paul Pierce is named the Finals MVP after a good performance in Game 6.  I would make the argument that Ray Allen deserves the award, but Pierce or Garnett are just as deserving.

Steve Kerr has made his decision... Terry Porter will be the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns.

The announcement ends about a month of unknowns for a club that got bounced in the 1st round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs.  Kerr chose Porter primarily based on the fact that he had prior coaching experience, albeit only 2 yrs w/ Milwaukee.

"He's got a great combination of leadership skills," Kerr said in a telephone interview. "He's a great communicator. And his coaching experience, two years as a head coach, is important to me. The fact that he's sat in that chair, that was a key factor. He's very tough-minded."

Terry Porter's contract with the Suns is reportedly for 3 yrs and a total of $7 million.  Quite a bargain compared to the $6 million annual salary that former coach Mike D'Antoni is getting in New York.

Porter will have his hands full next year with a roster which could be past it's prime and might begin a rebuilding process soon.  He will certainly have the respect of the veterans, having played against most of them during his career, but it's unknown how he'll mesh with the Suns future superstar, Amare Stoudemire.  Amare is certainly a superstar, but Porter is likely to push STAT for more than he's provided in the past.  Avoiding a conflict with Amare will be key, but if he's not able to coincide with the coach, it would not be out of the question for Kerr to move Stoudemire for equal value.

I'm glad that the coaching search is over and I think they chose the best candidate from their list.  They still have their hands full choosing an assistant coaching staff, since their needs for a defensive guru and someone to work with Amare have yet to be addressed.  Congratulations to Terry Porter on becoming the new Phoenix Suns coach.