Alando Tucker + 2nd traded for Jason Hart

[LV-Suns]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14810

 

[Griffin]

More cost-cutting. And this time it only cost us a second-round pick. Sarver and Kerr must be getting good at this.

So if this indeed goes down, the Suns will pay Tucker's remaining salary (approx. $1M this season) while waiving Hart who has a non-guaranteed contract. By avoiding the luxury tax hit on Tucker's contract, the Suns will save about $1M this season. Thus, in essence, they had sold their second-round pick for $1M.

 

[jlove]

This deal has me thinking...since the Suns are still paying Alando's deal, along with Harts now that the trade has happened (comes to $2.25 mil together). Alando wouldnt get time here cause of our glut at forward, and Hart isn't really needed with Dragic and Barbosa here. So if they did the deal to just cut Hart, that would leave them short handed in the league minimum of players, and if thats the case, why wouldn't they just cut Tucker? Do they keep Hart as a back-up as a 3rd PG since Barbs is more a 2 guard? To they cut him with the preface another deal is looming in which we get an extra player in the deal? It doesn't make sense to keep him as a 3rd guard to me. So if they keep him, does that mean that Barbosa is still hurt and it's insurance? Or does it mean one of our guards (Barbs, J-Rich, Dragic) on their way out via trade? If one of our guards is on their way out, that puts Hart at the back-up PG with the remaining 2/3 of our guards both at SG. Dragic has played very well next to Nash at the 2, but he has been pretty outstanding in reserve for Nash. Guess, until the trade deadline has passed, or the coming days in regards to team introduction of Hart, this will all be sorted out.

 

[mojorizen7]

The SUNS are going to be the Sacramento Kings of a few years ago very soon if they keep this up(right now we're a little remniscent of the '02 KINGS team that was explosive but toothless IMO). Then again if our scouting department doesn't improve what good are our draft picks anyway?

Hopefully more posturing for a Sarver sell.

 

[Griffin]

This deal has me thinking...since the Suns are still paying Alando's deal, along with Harts now that the trade has happened (comes to $2.25 mil together). Alando wouldnt get time here cause of our glut at forward, and Hart isn't really needed with Dragic and Barbosa here. So if they did the deal to just cut Hart, that would leave them short handed in the league minimum of players, and if thats the case, why wouldn't they just cut Tucker? Do they keep Hart as a back-up as a 3rd PG since Barbs is more a 2 guard? To they cut him with the preface another deal is looming in which we get an extra player in the deal? It doesn't make sense to keep him as a 3rd guard to me. So if they keep him, does that mean that Barbosa is still hurt and it's insurance? Or does it mean one of our guards (Barbs, J-Rich, Dragic) on their way out via trade? If one of our guards is on their way out, that puts Hart at the back-up PG with the remaining 2/3 of our guards both at SG. Dragic has played very well next to Nash at the 2, but he has been pretty outstanding in reserve for Nash. Guess, until the trade deadline has passed, or the coming days in regards to team introduction of Hart, this will all be sorted out.

You are forgetting we signed Collins earlier so we have 14 players now. Hart will be cut. This deal was probably made in part so that we can keep Collins while still only carrying the minimum 13 players on the roster.

 

[Griffin]

The Phoenix Suns Tuesday traded swingman Alando Tucker, a future conditional second-round pick and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for guard Jason Hart.

The Suns have waived Hart.

The 6-6, 205-pound Tucker was originally selected by the Suns with the 29th overall pick (first round) in the 2007 NBA draft. In two-plus seasons in Phoenix, the Wisconsin product appeared in 47 games, including 11 appearances in 2009-10 in which he averaged 3.9 points in 6.5 minutes.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/148910

 

[jlove]

It still doesn't make any sense to make this deal without another deal in the works. The Suns could've just cut Tucker if it was just to get rid of a body. Doesn't make sense since we gave up a pick in the best draft in years, pay the rest of Tuckers contract, pay Hart's contract and cut him. If that's all it is, then the Suns sent a conditional 2010 2nd round pick to Minnesota to have the privilege of paying $2.25 mil for nothing basketball related. They could've just paid a little over $1 mil and kept their pick. HAS to be a precursor to another deal.

 

[Griffin]

It still doesn't make any sense to make this deal without another deal in the works. The Suns could've just cut Tucker if it was just to get rid of a body. Doesn't make sense since we gave up a pick in the best draft in years, pay the rest of Tuckers contract, pay Hart's contract and cut him. If that's all it is, then the Suns sent a conditional 2010 2nd round pick to Minnesota to have the privilege of paying $2.25 mil for nothing basketball related. They could've just paid a little over $1 mil and kept their pick. HAS to be a precursor to another deal.

According to the sources, Hart's contract is non-guaranteed, so the Suns will not be paying him anything now that they've waived him. Tucker's contract however is guaranteed. So if they simply waived him, he would still count against the salary cap and thus the suns would pay luxury tax for his salary. By trading him and then sending "cash considerations" to pay his salary, the Suns avoid paying luxury tax on his contract this season.

 

[Chaplin]

Some people seem to be taking this way too seriously. Tucker was dead weight--him being gone means nothing on the court.

 

[Griffin]

Some people seem to be taking this way too seriously. Tucker was dead weight--him being gone means nothing on the court.

Obviously losing Tucker means nothing. But giving away yet another draft pick, even a conditional second-rounder, for absolutely nothing? Haven't we been down that road before?

 

[Chaplin]

Obviously losing Tucker means nothing. But giving away yet another draft pick, even a conditional second-rounder, for absolutely nothing? Haven't we been down that road before?

A 2nd round pick... one of several we already have. I'm sorry, but I'm through with the Taylor Griffin's of the world. With the negativity here on IHateJRich.com, I would have thought you'd be ok with it simply because everyone here thinks we can't draft worth a damn anyway. And if you think the Phoenix Suns are going to keep 2 or 3 2nd round picks on their roster, well, I don't know how to react to that.

If this deal is going to make you go crazy, then maybe you need to drink a lot more before you go to bed tonight.

 

[binkar]

Are people really complaining about trading Alando Tucker? I love the guys character, but if we could get 12 cents for the guy than it wouldn't be a bad deal. I hope the guy eventually learns to shoot and can crack a rotation, but I wouldn't bet on it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Obviously losing Tucker means nothing. But giving away yet another draft pick, even a conditional second-rounder, for absolutely nothing? Haven't we been down that road before?

At least the Suns protected their second round pick if that is any consolation.

See article from Paul Coro at azcentral dated 12-29-09.

Phoenix traded Tucker and a conditional second-round pick to Minnesota for Jason Hart, a point guard with a non-guaranteed deal that the Suns will waive. Minnesota gets the Suns' second-round pick in the June draft unless it falls in the top 40. In that case, Minnesota would receive the Cleveland second-round pick that is owed to the Suns.

Actually I read somewhere awhile back the Suns had three second round picks in the coming draft. It appears not to be the case unless it was just not mentioned.

 

[Griffin]

A 2nd round pick... one of several we already have. I'm sorry, but I'm through with the Taylor Griffin's of the world. With the negativity here on IHateJRich.com, I would have thought you'd be ok with it simply because everyone here thinks we can't draft worth a damn anyway. And if you think the Phoenix Suns are going to keep 2 or 3 2nd round picks on their roster, well, I don't know how to react to that.

If this deal is going to make you go crazy, then maybe you need to drink a lot more before you go to bed tonight.

No I don't think this deal will make anyone go anything, it is too minor. Most people won't even notice. At least not until the TWolves use that pick to draft another Dejuan Blair or something But it just adds to a long list of moves that contribute nothing to the team other than to save cash.

Btw, there are other advantages to keeping draft picks other than just to draft players. You can package them in deals for other players or to move up in the draft.

 

[mojorizen7]

As was said, this trade impacts nothing on the court(although Steve Kerr will try to make you believe it does).

Trading draft picks away has officially become the SUNS method of controlling costs.
I understand controlling costs,especially in todays financial climate but promising young basketball players aren't just going to show up at the arena every summer begging to play for us.
Our drafting has been poor,our draft picks are being used to manage payroll and we aren't the FA destination we once were, so how are we going to continue evolving as a franchise with any success? Nash may very well play another 3 years here(please no)but where are the young players going to come from?

Thats a legit question IMO.

 

[Chaplin]

As was said, this trade impacts nothing on the court(although Steve Kerr will try to make you believe it does).

Trading draft picks away has officially become the SUNS method of controlling costs.
I understand controlling costs,especially in todays financial climate but promising young basketball players aren't just going to show up at the arena every summer begging to play for us.
Our drafting has been poor,our draft picks are being used to manage payroll and we aren't the FA destination we once were, so how are we going to continue evolving as a franchise with any success? Nash may very well play another 3 years here(please no)but where are the young players going to come from?

Thats a legit question IMO.

You don't rebuild with multiple 2nd round picks. That just doesn't happen. There are those rare jewels you can find, sure, but 98% of those picks never come to anything.

If saving money allows us to look more at free agency, then by all means, sell away those extra 2nd rounders!

 

[mojorizen7]

You don't rebuild with multiple 2nd round picks.

Sure you can. Dragic has proved to be a nice addition and he's getting better IMO(just one recent SUNS example). I can google up some more examples of good NBA players found in the 2nd round.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...round-picks-of-the-last-decade?urn=nba,187610
Zasa Pachulia from '03, Ryan Gomes is a solid rotation G/F, DeJuan Blair is having a nice rookie season despite playing limited minutes.

98% of those picks never come to anything.

^If you're the SUNS scouting department, yeah.
We've either got to improve our scouting or prepare to spend big $$$ in FA. My point is that this organization cannot continue on its current path and expect to be worth a **** in a few years time.
Teams either build and improve themselves thru the draft or FA. We're just extending our best players regardless of age,drafting busts and picking over the FA leftovers every year as of late......this WILL become a problem. Like i said, Nash can't play forever.

 

[SirStefan32]

I can not believe that people are upset over this. This is Tucker and a conditional 2nd round pick. It's not like they traded a rotation player.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

We are a team paying the luxury tax. Little moves like this is the cost of keeping around luxuries like Barbosa.

 

[Chaplin]

Sure you can. Dragic has proved to be a nice addition and he's getting better IMO(just one recent SUNS example). I can google up some more examples of good NBA players found in the 2nd round.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ba...round-picks-of-the-last-decade?urn=nba,187610
Zasa Pachulia from '03, Ryan Gomes is a solid rotation G/F, DeJuan Blair is having a nice rookie season despite playing limited minutes.

Yep. Part of that 2%.

^If you're the SUNS scouting department, yeah.

EXACTLY. I don't see what the problem is if you have no confidence in our scouting anyway.

We've either got to improve our scouting or prepare to spend big $$$ in FA. My point is that this organization cannot continue on its current path and expect to be worth a **** in a few years time.
Teams either build and improve themselves thru the draft or FA. We're just extending our best players regardless of age,drafting busts and picking over the FA leftovers every year as of late......this WILL become a problem. Like i said, Nash can't play forever.

I think we definitely need to improve our scouting, no question. But the question of having 3 2nd round picks vs. 2 2nd rounders and some extra cash savings is a no-brainer.

 

[Chaplin]

We are a team paying the luxury tax. Little moves like this is the cost of keeping around luxuries like Barbosa.

And don't forget we have to decide if we're keeping Lou and if we are going to extend Dudley (both of which we definitely should do). Having luxury tax savings only helps.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

And don't forget we have to decide if we're keeping Lou and if we are going to extend Dudley (both of which we definitely should do). Having luxury tax savings only helps.

Yep. I am suprised that people think the cupboard is so bare. I would think our bench play this year would say the opposite.

 

[mojorizen7]

Yep. I am suprised that people think the cupboard is so bare. I would think our bench play this year would say the opposite.

Absolutely the bench play has been great. Where did we get them?
Dudley came in a trade,Lou was a street FA, Dragic and Barbosa 2nd round pick's.
I'm just concerned with where we're going to replenish the cupboard with the age of our core, the state of our scouting department and the manner in which we treat our draft picks. I realize i do tend to be negativeD) but....Just sayin.

I don't care about Tucker.

 

[Mainstreet]

We are a team paying the luxury tax. Little moves like this is the cost of keeping around luxuries like Barbosa.

I don't know how you can consider Barbosa as a luxury. The Suns record when he was out with an ankle injury is a recent reminder. IMO, Barbosa's play has only improved since he has become more involved as a ball handler. Barbosa is a solid contributor off the bench.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Absolutely the bench play has been great. Where did we get them?
Dudley came in a trade,Lou was a street FA, Dragic and Barbosa 2nd round pick's.
I'm just concerned with where we're going to replenish the cupboard with the age of our core, the state of our scouting department and the manner in which we treat our draft picks. I realize i do tend to be negativeD) but....Just sayin.

I don't care about Tucker.

Wasn't Barbosa the last pick in the first round? From San Antonio.