The Phoenix Suns have traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. ESPN is breaking the news right now, as Yahoo Sports probably reported first (?). No Tweets from Shaq or Amare (yet)... Shaq has tweeted quite a bit tonight, but nothing on the trade.
This move is "mostly" salary related, since it really won't make the Suns any better. Not sure it makes Cleveland any better to be honest... Realize this is a business and the Suns can't over-pay for a non-playoff team.
The move signals confidence in both Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, although much more could still happen tomorrow during the draft (or even before the season starts. Ben Wallace will probably be bought out and/or waived pretty quickly. The Suns have no intention of playing him and he's been leaning towards retiring anyway. Pavlovic adds a shooter, but the Suns have real depth problems in the frontcourt now. I would expect another trade or see them draft a Center or Power Forward. Amare will be a target next year if they can't find a big man to support him.
Suns Draft Party
I will be attending the Suns Draft Party, so expect some cool stuff that night or the following day. Hoping to get some good pics & perhaps some interviews if some of the players are warm to it.
While some teams appear to have their 2009 NBA Draft plans in stone already (think LA-Griffin), the Phoenix Suns and other teams after the 1st pick are a little less clear. Starting with the 2nd pick, the NBA Draft looks to be one of the most dynamic in recent history. Not only is there no clear selection of players, but many teams are lining up for the 2010 free agent season when LeBron James and others will be available. Many franchises will be unwilling to take on huge salaries right now with so much at stake next season.
The questions for the Phoenix Suns are numerous...
- Which of the big 3 gets traded for salary room? Nash, Shaq or Stoudemire.
- Does Phoenix even keep their 14th pick? They've taken cash more often recently.
- Do they take a big man to compliment/relieve Shaq/Stoudemire or a guard to relieve Nash?
Phoenix is no different than the other teams in that they are looking forward to the 2010 season, but they have a more difficult task ahead of them. The signing of Shaq has not proven to be successful, while fan favorite Steve Nash is facing free agency soon and it is unclear if the Suns are interested in paying him top-level at his age. Top that off w/ "Sun Tzu" (Amare Stoudemire) and his on/off behavior recently and you don't really envy GM Steve Kerr right now. He is either going to piss off the fan-base to start rebuilding or he's going to make a move that "might" put them in the playoffs next year... notice I didn't say "championship". The Suns had 46 wins and couldn't get the 8th seed... sorry, but I don't expect much more out of them w/out a shake-up in the roster.
There is no clear direction for the Suns so we all wait, holding our breath, to see what the future has in store.
Suns' 2-Time MVP Steve Nash has been a special correspondent on the David Letterman Show the past few games of the NBA Finals. The premise is simple - Nash tries to be goofy and/or entertainint - and he does a pretty good job at it.
The interviews and interaction w/ the fans is quite hilarious, but there is a stink being made about Nash's comments at the end of the segment, when Letterman implies that Steve should be in playing for the NY Knicks. Nash didn't play it off or say he was happy in Phoenix, but his answer was playful & somewhat jokingly at the same time. While I have no doubt that Nash would love to play for D'Antoni in New York, I think he's happy here and will remain a Suns player.
Do you think Nash is on his way out or was he just kidding?
Fresh off missing the playoffs for the first time in years, GM Steve Kerr and the Suns have officially made Alvin Gentry the head coach for at least the next two seasons. There is an option for a 3rd year, but he'll have to prove himself worthy to get that.
Not a bad move for Phoenix, considering the coaching talent pool available - seriously, is there a single coach you would take over Gentry? Didn't think so.
They keep the core group of guys happy, because Gentry will maintain the run 'n gun that has been so popular. Good move by management for the fans and the players IMHO. At the same time, I'm not sure Gentry can get this team any further than they are now. Shaq is old, Nash is solid if you can keep his minutes down, Amare plays 3/4 of the time (hard), J-Rich is decent, Barbosa is streaky and the bench isn't too good. Grant Hill and Matt Barnes are solid, but that is the extent of the team - 7 guys. Look at Cleveland, Denver and the Lakers - deep benches capable of stepping in and holding court. These are the front-runners for the NBA title this year and the Suns will have to make some moves to shore up the bench if they hope to contend next year.
Good to have a decision early on as well... last year waiting until the summer was a grinder.
The NBA has been awarding players, coaches and executives over the past couple weeks for their accomplishments to basketball this season. Among the winners, include many first timers, but we should get use to the fact that they won, because we will be seeing a lot more of them in the coming seasons.
2008-09 NBA Award Winners
MVP - Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Rookie of the Year - Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Defensive Player of the Year - Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Coach of the Year - Mike Brown, Cleveland Cavaliers
Executive of the Year - Mark Warkentien, Denver Nuggets
Really no surprises in any of these announcements. Lebron James was the best player from February on - bar none. Derrick Rose jumped out to an early lead for Rookie of the Year and never looked back. Dwight Howard has been a beast defensively all season, leading the league in both blocks and rebounds. Mike Brown led the Cavs to the best record in the NBA, so no alternatives there. The Nuggets' executive responsible for dispatching Allen Iverson and bringing Chauncey Billups back home deserves his award as well... just as the Pistons which player they'd rather have.
Howard and James, especially, figure to be listed on a yearly basis in the respective categories they won in this year. Rose may surprise people in a couple years and compete for the MVP, but is otherwise done winning season awards.
While still not official statistically, the Phoenix Suns are virtually eliminated from playoff contention after their horrendous showing on Sunday vs. the Dallas Mavericks, the team they WERE chasing. Dallas had their way with the Suns so strongly, that the Suns didn't even play their starters in the 4th quarter - they may have for a minute or two, but at the 8-9 minute mark, Nash, Shaq and the others were nowhere to be seen.
I wasn't in town and only saw the 4th quarter, but I can imagine what you guys were going through watching them fall further & further behind, watching their playoff hopes fade.
Prior to the Sunday game, I still had hope and even believed that Utah, not Dallas, was that team that would falter and allow the Suns an entry into the playoffs. Despite the Jazz' recent slide, they are 1 game ahead of Dallas now and Phoenix is outside looking in.
Looking forward to the offseason, the NCAA tournament likely showcased the Suns next draft pick - hopefully there is someone left they can get and/or they get lucky on the ping-pong balls to get Blake Griffin. I wished the season had turned out differently, but I enjoyed every minute of it and will continue to follow whatever Suns team is on the floor next year. I thought Nash, O'Neal and/or Amare would be traded this offseason, but with the economy the way it is and teams probably not looking to take on those huge salaries, I wouldn't be surprised to see them stay in Suns uniforms for another year.
The Phoenix Suns are in the 3rd quarter w/ the Sacramento Kings right now, but the two teams above them in the playoff race - Dallas and Utah - both lost tonight. Dallas is now only 3.5 games ahead of the Suns for the 8th spot. Utah has been playing horrible lately and is nearly within PHX's reach as well.
While the odds are still stacked against the Suns, they just need to win their own games and not worry about what Dallas and Utah are doing. Everyone on the team has a mindset that they've entered a new season - one in which they need to win out to finish the season. A win against Denver the other night helped and (please don't jinx them) a victory over the Kings will pull them within 3 games of Dallas w/ a head-to-head match-up on ABC Sunday. They have the opportunity to move within 2 games of the Mavs and really put some pressure on them to win their games... winning under pressure is harder than it would seem.
The Mavericks have wild-card in their favor and that is the return of Josh Howard. Despite tonight's loss to the Grizzlies, Howard is that X factor that could help Dallas move to the 2nd round of the playoffs if they shut out the Suns.
Steve Nash has been exceptional for the Suns lately, but it might just be a little too late. Barbosa's injury did not help, but J-RIch and Dudley have both stepped up recently to help keep them in contention. Certainly, Grant Hill and Matt Barnes have contributed (off/on) as well, but they are expected to on a daily basis. Shaq has also been playing well, despite the easy-out he could take by playing w/out passion and essentially giving up on the season.
The Phoenix Suns are still alive in the race for the 8th seed in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, but they still need to win 75% or more of their games and hope that the Dallas Mavericks lose a few more games at the same time.
After winning 2 in a row (over crappy teams), the Suns were once again within 4 games of Dallas (after 2 Mavs losses as well), but Dallas got a much needed victory last night over the Pistons that once again pushes them up to a 4.5 game lead. With only 15 games left, the Suns are still mathematically in it, but the Mavs would have to lose 5 of their last 14 games and the Suns would have to win out. Much to the dismay of PHX Suns fans, I've gotta say that the Mavericks are not a bad team and will not finish the season on a losing note - owner Mark Cuban is too demanding and coach Rick Carlisle will make the players work their asses off to ensure a playoff birth. I also know that the Suns cannot put together a 15-game winning streak to close out the season, so our chances are not good.
I remain optimistic and hopeful that a miracle can happen. Hell, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd could both get bust an ankle/knee and Dallas would lose 75% of its remaining games... the chances of that happening are slim-to-none, however. And Amare Stoudemire is not returning for the Suns, so they are going to be ineffective against the Western Conference powers for the remainder of the season (as they have been for the past month or so).
Despite the Suns best effort on Tuesday night at home, they were unable to stop both Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry from scoring and ended up on the losing end, 122-117. Nowitzki routinely shot over smaller defenders and led a second half surge that strengthened Dallas' position as the 8th playoff seed, while pushing PHX further into the 9th seed and out of playoff contention.
Steve Nash, Shaquille O'Neal, Leandro Barbosa and Matt Barnes all played solid ball and seemingly scored at will (at times), but they simply could not keep the Mavs from scoring and ended up losing on their homecourt.
The loss is the 5th straight for Phoenix after losing their previous four games on the road, but losing at home the Mavs is especially tough considering the playoff implications. This was arguably the Suns biggest game to-date this season and they still couldn't pull it out. Grant Hill called the game the Suns' "Super Bowl" and I guess it was... they just look more like the Arizona Cardinals than the Pittsburgh Steelers in that reference - on the losing end.
If the Suns do fail to make the playoffs, and at this point it looks likely based on theirs and Dallas' remaining schedules, they will be eligible for the NBA Draft lottery and the opportunity to win the #1 draft pick (ala Blake Griffin). While the odds are certainly not in the Suns favor, the higher probability moves for the Suns will include the possible trades and/or movement of virtually anyone on the roster. Amare Stoudemire could be traded during the summer to free up cap room in the future, but I hope they keep STAT onboard for a couple more years. They would be better served trading away Shaq's expiring contract and/or Nash's as well. Neither players value is exceptionally high these days, but there will be teams looking to acquire last-year type players who will help them free up cap room for the 2010 free agent swoon that is anticipated. I don't think the players are going to be out there like is predicted, since their own teams can offer them the most money on a new contract extension and since their value is quite clear - specifically, Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, Chris Bosh, etc.
Amare Stoudemire's doctor has indicated that the retinal tear Amare suffered is more serious than a lot of other injuries and will require significant time to heal. So much time, in fact, that Stoudemire will not participate in the postseason if the Phoenix Suns make the NBA Playoffs.
The recovery time from the surgery is months and so far, the process is slow going for Amare. He has been banned from attending games even, to prevent any further injury to the eye.
Of course, the team will continue to play w/out their young star and develop on-court chemistry. It will be interesting to see how the summer shapes out for Amare and the Suns, in terms of potential trade scenarios. The Suns are proving they can win w/out Amare, albeit not against any good teams, but then again they weren't really beating them w/ him either.
With Shaq and Nash off the books at the end of next year, the Suns could trade Stoudemire for a couple other quality players and get a good start on rebuilding and trimming payroll long-term. The 2010 free agent class is anticipated to be plentiful, but I expect a number of teams to re-sign their star players before their contracts end - this would definitely blow up some teams plans that year (e.g. Knicks). If the Suns were to trade Stoudemire and let both Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Nash go next season, they would be WAY under the cap and could go after 2+ superstar players who might still be available.
The Suns on Wednesday, signed forward Stromile Swift for the remainder of the 2009 season. The PF, who spent most of his career in Memphis, but most recently in Houston and New Jersey, will add some power and size for the small Suns squad. Swift is certainly no Amare Stoudemire, but he can run the floor and should be on the receiving end of many alley-oops from the Phoenix guards or small forwards.
Swift is a good rebounder, but a poor outside shooter. The Suns really don't need him to shoot, so as long as he brings energy, uses his fouls effectively and gets a few offensive rebounds, he will be a valuable contributor to PHX as they attempt to get into the NBA Playoffs.
Breaking news today... Suns forward Amare Stoudemire underwent eye surgery to repair a torn retina and is expected to miss the next 8 weeks of Phoenix's NBA season.
This news likely derails any hope of the Suns catching back up in the Western Conference playoff race and making the playoffs. With the new fast pace style initiated by Gentry, this will definitely set back the team immediately.
Why the surgery?
STAT dropped 42 pts on the Clippers Wednesday night and played in the 4th quarter. He was apparently hit in the eye by the Clippers' Al Thornton, but continued playing. There is also no mention of the injury in his post-conference interviews, etc.
"It's all about wanting to win,'' Stoudemire said. "Our performance tonight wasn't about the rumors wasn't about wanting to stay in Phoenix. It was about winning and getting this thing back on track. I've always stayed positive. My fans in Phoenix have always been supportive of me. It's been great so far.''
Suns brass appears to be supportive of the surgery, despite their likely regret for not trading him now. Here is a quote from the team:
"We are very glad to hear that Amar’e should have a 100 percent recovery relative to his vision and his long-term prognosis is excellent," said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr. "Obviously, it is very disappointing to lose him at this time. We are all very excited about the progress the team is making, but Amar’e’s health and the health of all our players is our number one concern."
I am still supportive of the team, despite this setback. My fantasy roster is also going to take a killing, considering STAT was my 1st round pick :(
Updated 2/16/09
The Phoenix Suns on Monday did what had been rumored since late last week - firing Terry Porter as head coach. Assistant coach Alvin Gentry will replace Porter for the remainder of the season.
For Suns fans, the change at coach could signify a return to the run 'n gun team that we've been accustomed to seeing the past 5 yrs. Gentry is the lone holdout in the coaching staff from the D'Antoni days and prefers the uptempo style that made the Suns so popular prior to this season.
It is still unclear if the team will try to make a move before the trade deadline, considering they've already changed the head coach, but anything is possible. The team is facing some financial hardships next season, especially if they fail to make the playoffs this year and/or advance past the 1st round. Amare Stoudemire has the most trade value and largest "on the books" contract, so moving him will reduce the long-term debt the team faces.
With Shaquille O'Neal's stellar (and nimble) play in Sunday's All-Star game, he may have elevated his trade value as well. The Suns would be wise to listen to ANY offers for Shaq. With $20+ million on the cap for next year, not to mention the remainder of this year's contract, he would give the team more immediate financial relief. Of course, any trade would have to be equitable in terms of $ value, so the team would still likely be on the hook for this year, regardless of who they bring in, but would save money next year if one or more of those pick-up's contract expires at the end of this year.
Ultimately, what I think led to Porter's demise was the way he carried himself w/ the players and his choices for his coaching staff. Not to knock the assistants too much, but Dan Majerle had no prior experience and Bill Cartwright had gotten himself fired in Chicago, so it isn't like he had a staff w/ winning experience. Yes, these guys won on the court as players, but they had no coaching experience that was meaningful.
Porter was also too "friendly" to the existing players and/or lacked the backbone to make them play his way - or not play at all. Defense was supposed to be the theme of this year's team, but they never really showed it. If it was so important to the team, then Porter should've talked to GM Steve Kerr and requested to sit players who were not participating on the defensive side of the ball. Granted, he shouldn't have to "ask" Kerr to do anything since he is the coach, but as a 1st year coach w/ an established group of players, he would've been off his rocker to bench Amare, Shaq or Nash w/out the GM's blessing.
Porter's short-term gig w/ the Suns is unfortunate, but best for the franchise in the long run. The team was simply unresponsive to the changes Porter was suppose to have brought w/ him from the Pistons. It was evident fairly early in the season that this situation was not going to work out (see J-Rich trade, etc.).
Original Post 2/13/09
Reports are abound this morning that current Phoenix Suns head coach Terry Porter is on his way out of the desert, despite only being employed by the Suns for a whopping 8 months. The announcement of Porter being chosen as the Suns coach was in June of last year, so he's really served a limited role to-date.
The Suns are playing extremely inconsistenly - good one night, bad the next. There are plenty of excuses being thrown around, from being in a new system, Shaq clogging the middle and poor defense. I'm sure it is easily a combination of all of these things, as well as the pressure to win being thrust upon them by management, the media and us as fans. They've been so good recently, that we expect them to win the same way they have in the past.
Suns Coaching Options
- GM Steve Kerr has been rumored as a possible replacement for Porter. Although Kerr has stated numerous times he has no interest in coaching, he may need to step in to help clean up the mess he has created by hiring Porter and trading for Shaq. Of course, he could dig himself deeper, which would be a great excuse for Robert Sarver to go out and find someone else.
- Assistant coach Alvin Gentry is also a possible candidate. Former coach (Pistons, etc.) and a leftover from the D'Antoni run & gun era that several of the remaining players still long for (e.g. Nash, Stoudemire).
- Somebody else... Not sure who is available, but at this point, they need someone who will put their foot down and put these players in their place.
- No change... Porter has only been coach for 8 months, during which point he inherited a roster unhappy w/ D'Antoni's departure, attempted to modify the way the team plays (not their strengths) and a trade of two key role players (Bell, Diaw).
If you watch the games, Terry Porter is a bum... and I don't mean that in a way that negatively, per say. I don't see him yelling at players for mistakes, I don't see him even talking to the team or getting them excited. He looks as depressed and unhappy on the bench as many of the players.
Btw... Did you see new Sun Jason Richardson pouting on the bench in the loss to the Cavs on Wednesday? I thought this was an NCAA Champion, a competitor, a hustle guy. In that game, he was neither. He sat on the bench, covered his head w/ a towel and generally looked like he would like to be anywhere else but Cleveland (can't say I blame him however).
And of course, on top of the rumored coaching change, the Suns are also shopping anyone and everyone on the roster, aside from Steve Nash. Amare Stoudemire's name is the one that comes up most frequently in trade talks, but Kerr has indicated that they will evaluate any deals that are proposed.
Latest Amare Stoudemire Trade Rumors/Updates
2/18/09
With less than 24 hrs until the NBA's trading deadline ends tomorrow afternoon, the Suns appear to be standing pat, at least with regards to Amare Stoudemire. After firing Terry Porter and returning to the fastbreak pace of old, PHX appears to be content w/ the core of players on the current roster.
I still believe the trade for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley will pay dividends down the road. Both players bring energy and a positive attitude to a team that had finished last year on a sour note & started this year the same way.
With nearly $30 million remaining on Shaq's contract, which ends after next year, I wouldn't be surprised to the see the Suns move him for a quicker, more youthful center who can run w/ the offense. Of course, keeping Shaq would enable the Suns to play the half-court game against the Western super powers (Spurs, Lakers), but it also comes w/ a risk.
If you were Kerr, what moves would you make?
2/13/09
There was apparently a proposed trade w/ Memphis Grizzlies, to include Rudy Gay, Mike Conley Jr. and Hakim Warrick for Stoudemire (and possibly other inclusions). The Memphis feeling is that the Suns are asking to much, so the deal was nixed.
Other possibilities include the Portland Trail Blazers, w/ names rumored to be Aldridge, Bayless and LaFrentz, and the Chicago Bulls w/ names rumored to be Tyrus Thomas, Noah and Hinrich.
Original Post, 2/6/09
Reports out this week indicate that the Phoenix Suns are shopping Amare Stoudemire, along w/ all other players except for Steve Nash.
Stoudemire has been less than superb this year, despite reaching the NBA All-Star Game as a starter in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, the selection only adds to Amare's "big head" in terms of thinking he's the shit for whoever he's playing for. And yes, he is the shit, but not enough... until he can play defense EVERY game, he will be a disappointment. Offense is great, but you can't win if you're unable to stop the opponent... and the Suns have proved year after year that they cannot play defense when it counts. As a core of this team, along w/ Nash, you would think STAT would step up and show everyone just how good he can be on a regular basis. He's done it in flashes, no doubt, but he has a hard time putting it together in consecutive games.
The Suns in general are just lost... leading Sacramento by 50 in the 3rd quarter and then getting blown out by the Golden State Warriors. Who is this team trying to be? The Suns (Colangelo/D'Antoni) or the Spurs (Kerr/Porter)??? It is often unclear which identity the team prefers and/or plays best as. At times, they look dominant playing slow w/ Shaq in the paint, but other times, they look like they don't know what the F they are doing.
Losing Amare would certainly suck, but if it means improving the team, you have to let Kerr do it. Stoudemire is a max player, so the Suns are sure to get value in return for him (to match salaries). The most interesting part of any trade, is if it makes PHX better this year or if it is a plan for the future. Are they giving up already or making a move up the conference rankings?
Either way, I hope the Suns make a good choice. They have a lot riding on Amare, but could also go several steps back if they move him (or other players). The rematch against the Warriors tonight and the upcoming road trip against the East's best will go a long way in determining how the Suns roster shapes up at the end of the season.
The Suns demolished the Kings Monday night in an easy victory, 129-81. This was the largest margin of victory at the Suns arena. PHX was up by 50 pts at the end of the 3rd quarter, so the starters did not need to play the 4th and the bench maintained the lead until the end.
PHX was led by Jason Richardson (24), Amare (25) and Hill (14) points, respectively. We dominated on the boards for once, 59-35 - not even close. No Suns player had more than 9 rebounds, so it was a total team effort.
The team had reportedly participated in several closed-door meetings over the weekend after a demoralizing home loss to the (weak) Chicago Bulls. Not sure what was said, but the effort displayed tonight showed that the players mean business. Let's just hope this is the start of a turnaround and not just a one-game fluke.
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