2014 Suns Free Agency

Mainstreet

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That would be wonderful, but I wouldn't even expect that. I just want him to wear the Suns uniform again before he retires. Don't even care if it's as a contributor, or as a non-playing player. It would be just wrong for Nash to retire elsewhere.

Steve Nash needs to retire a Sun like Kevin Johnson. How it happens, I would leave it up to the Suns FO. I'm thinking they must see the gratification it would bring to fans.
 

Ronin

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Steve Nash needs to retire a Sun like Kevin Johnson. How it happens, I would leave it up to the Suns FO. I'm thinking they must see the gratification it would bring to fans.

I agree. Steve Nash was never a Laker in my eyes.
 

Suns_fan69

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Wasn't there a player that was signed to a team with the explicit intent just to retire with his original team? I vaguely remember this happening but can't for the life of me remember who or when it happened. I'm not even entirely sure it happened in the NBA but I think it is.

Can anyone help me out here?
 

AzStevenCal

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Wasn't there a player that was signed to a team with the explicit intent just to retire with his original team? I vaguely remember this happening but can't for the life of me remember who or when it happened. I'm not even entirely sure it happened in the NBA but I think it is.

Can anyone help me out here?

I know it happens often in the NFL but I can't recall it happening in the NBA, at least not recently. I think it would be costly to do in the NBA because of salary cap rules. It seems to me you'd be on the hook for a minimum veteran salary but maybe I'm wrong - perhaps there's some exemption for retiring players.

Steve
 

SirStefan32

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If you are under the cap, then it's not very costly. if I remember correctly, on minimum deals, the league ends up paying a portion of the deal anyway.

EDIT:
Well, I can't find anything supporting my recollection regarding the league paying a portion of minimum salary for the veteran players, so perhaps I am not remembering that part correctly.
 

Suns_fan69

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Capologist to the rescue! From: http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm

When a player has been in the NBA for three or more seasons, and is playing under a one-year, 10-day or rest-of-season contract at the minimum salary, the league reimburses the team for part of his salary -- any amount above the minimum salary level for a two-year veteran3. For example, in 2011-12 the minimum salary for a two-year veteran is $854,389, so for a ten-year veteran, with a minimum salary of $1,352,181, the league would reimburse the team $497,792. Only the two-year minimum salary is included in the team salary, not the player's full salary. They do this so teams won't shy away from signing older veterans simply because they are more expensive than younger veterans.
 

elindholm

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Wasn't there a player that was signed to a team with the explicit intent just to retire with his original team? I vaguely remember this happening but can't for the life of me remember who or when it happened. I'm not even entirely sure it happened in the NBA but I think it is.

Can anyone help me out here?

That sounds familiar to me too, but I can't think of who it is either. Maybe it will come to one of us.
 

FArting

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Wasn't there a player that was signed to a team with the explicit intent just to retire with his original team? I vaguely remember this happening but can't for the life of me remember who or when it happened. I'm not even entirely sure it happened in the NBA but I think it is.

Can anyone help me out here?


Roy Halladay did it last year with the Blue Jays.
 

SunsTzu

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If you are under the cap, then it's not very costly. if I remember correctly, on minimum deals, the league ends up paying a portion of the deal anyway.

EDIT:
Well, I can't find anything supporting my recollection regarding the league paying a portion of minimum salary for the veteran players, so perhaps I am not remembering that part correctly.

They do for veteran minimums:

When a player has been in the NBA for three or more seasons, and is playing under a one-year, 10-day or rest-of-season contract at the minimum salary, the league reimburses the team for part of his salary -- any amount above the minimum salary level for a two-year veteran3. For example, in 2011-12 the minimum salary for a two-year veteran is $854,389, so for a ten-year veteran, with a minimum salary of $1,352,181, the league would reimburse the team $497,792. Only the two-year minimum salary is included in the team salary, not the player's full salary. They do this so teams won't shy away from signing older veterans simply because they are more expensive than younger veterans.

The reason you see it in the NFL and not the NBA is because the contracts in the NFL are more flexible, though I guess a player could sign a non-guaranteed contract before they retire.
 

KloD

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Roy Halladay did it last year with the Blue Jays.

It's happened many times in the NFL and MLB. I know Roger Craig was the first NFL player to sign a 1 day contract and retire with the 49ers, but I'm not sure who was the first in the MLB. I don't recall this ever happening in the NBA though? I thought the shortest contract they can sign is the 10 day contracts. It must have happened at least once, but not sure?
 

Cheesebeef

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I think Chuck would be a liability in such a situation. Kevin Johnson would be an asset but why go this direction. The Suns would be better letting McDonough present his vision supported by Sarver and Hornacek.

Has Chuck talked trash about LeBron before? if not, he should ABSOLUTELY be used to sell the city. He loves it here and is proof positive that you can become an icon in Phoenix. Barkley was never more popular in the NBA or this country in general when he was a Sun. He was getting Super Bowl commercials, winning MVPs over Jordan. He was THE player in the NBA for three years once he got to the Suns. Even if Barkley's been salty to LeBron himself, holding him up as an example of how a player can flourish in this city should absolutely be part of the pitch.
 

SirStefan32

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Even still though I don't know if that would be enough to warrant an actual signing. You could just bring him back and have a day for him like the Cavs did with Ilgauskas.

Steve

To me, a million or two to have Nash retire a Suns is well worth it. Of course, it's easy for me to say, as it is not my money.
 

Superbone

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+1 . It would be a fitting end to a great career and even better going out with a ring if by some Miracle we get LeBron

The absolute dream would be getting LeBron and Steve and being in the NBA championship where Steve would come in and make some dagger threes to win it all much like Steve Kerr did for the Spurs a number of years ago. :)
 

Jay Cardinal

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Has Chuck talked trash about LeBron before? if not, he should ABSOLUTELY be used to sell the city. He loves it here and is proof positive that you can become an icon in Phoenix. Barkley was never more popular in the NBA or this country in general when he was a Sun. He was getting Super Bowl commercials, winning MVPs over Jordan. He was THE player in the NBA for three years once he got to the Suns. Even if Barkley's been salty to LeBron himself, holding him up as an example of how a player can flourish in this city should absolutely be part of the pitch.

Chuck loves Scottsdale, I have seen him around town many a times in the winter months. I don't think he really cares for the Suns though. Whenever I see him on TV he is saying "Suns can't win", "they are turrible", or picking other teams to beat them. He was just on Gambo and Burns show this week talking about how the Suns have no shot at all to get LeBron. 0%, not a chance according to him.

I still think our best shot would be to use Fitz for recruiting. He is the biggest national name that seems to love this city. He is also a team player, so I think he would be on board to help the Suns.
 

Covert Rain

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Has Chuck talked trash about LeBron before? if not, he should ABSOLUTELY be used to sell the city. He loves it here and is proof positive that you can become an icon in Phoenix. Barkley was never more popular in the NBA or this country in general when he was a Sun. He was getting Super Bowl commercials, winning MVPs over Jordan. He was THE player in the NBA for three years once he got to the Suns. Even if Barkley's been salty to LeBron himself, holding him up as an example of how a player can flourish in this city should absolutely be part of the pitch.

I completely agree. If Chuck has not trashed him I don't see why you wouldn't use Barkley either. He put Phoenix on the map, can talk to how electrifying this city can be during a run. He can testify to how you can be incredibly high profile and marketed here. All of the other trash is just that...trash. Besides, I think Barkley would jump at the chance to feel wanted and important to the organization.
 

Covert Rain

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Barkley is generally ignorant about what is going on in the NBA.

That doesn't matter. We are not asking him to share his knowledge. He would be marketing tool and nothing more. He is easily the highest profile ambassador the Suns have aside from Nash who can't do it being under contract with another team. Even then Nash didn't have the endorsement or marketing clout Barkley had by a long shot.

That has to be part of the sell. A player of Lebron's caliber can still get all the endorsements and exposure in a smaller market.
 

Covert Rain

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Fitz > Barkley

they follow each other on twitter too!

I seriously doubt Fitz, as cool as it would be, can be a very effective tool to try and sell AZ for a team and game he doesn't play for.
 

Ronin

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I like Barkley, KJ, Rex Chapman, Fitz, and anybody else that will help the Suns in free agency.
 

slinslin

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He can sell life in Phoenix as a superstar.

For the same reason they could bring in Kurt Warner and Randy Johnson.

It's a shame Grant Hill is not part of the organization.
 
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95pro

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didn't barkley get pulled over while getting a hummer or something like that? haha
 

Covert Rain

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Barkley would be the last I would involve, I'd be afraid as hell that he would ruin it.

The problem with all those other players is they could not relate whatsoever to the Suns organization and it's history. NFL players would have a minimal impact at best selling the Suns.
 
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