Amare in 2009

[Chris_Sanders]

I can't understate how good amare is offensively right now. The reason I compare him to malone is that his 17 ft and in jumper seems as good as malone's was in his mvp years. And he just turned 26.

With the jumper the man is almost unguardable. Unless you have a freak like garnett who can get out on the floor and get in his face and is quick enough to recover once amare gets gets a first step, how are you going to stop him.

I'm not one who has ever over-hyped my team's players but amare stoudemire's offensive talents right now are as good as any big man in the league, yet this team doesn't seem to believe that or even worse, doesn't really care.

Just give him the ball let him carry the team and the team will be pretty good. Championship level good, probably not, but pretty good nonetheless.

I agree with you. It is maddening when Amare doesn't even get a single touch on multiple trips down the floor. With D'Antoni gone I am fully on the "Amare is the main man" bandwagon. It's the only chance we have to get anywhere in the playoffs.

I certainly hope this doesn't end up like the McDyess situation.

 

[dodie53]

Amare should atleast average 25 shots per game

 

[boisesuns]

I say trade him along with first-round picks in 2012, 2014, and 2016 for Zach Randolph. Then the Suns can use Randolph's cap space in 2011 when he comes off the books.

Trade one Microfracture for another?

I remember the initial speculation after Amare's Microfracture that he would need another operation in 4-5 years. I think his operation was different (I know we've gone into this a lot) than past players who were never the same. Amare looks great on the court, so maybe his knee will be fine. We still don't know how it will hold up downt he road though.

My question would be, is the status of his knee something to factor in to a long term contract? If he does have another setback, it will be he same ammount of time (1.5-2 years) before he can come back again. If everything is fine, then great! He's worth a big contract.

What would you do if you were the Suns?
1.Trade him and get some value just in case
2. Resign him and hope his knee is fine for the contract

 

[Covert Rain]

I certainly hope this doesn't end up like the McDyess situation.

Chris, you just had to bring that up didn't you.

Man I hope not. Think of all the big man crap that has been drafted since then. We really scored with Amare. We could have 10 low draft picks and still not find another McDyess or Amare.

That's depressing thought if the McDyess scenario unfolds again.

 

[nowagimp]

Amare would leave phoenix only to be the man somewhere else. 2nd fiddle to lebron would be the opposite reason.

If that is the case, amare is the dumbest player on the suns and will never win anything. I think amare know that in order to be considered among the greatest, he will have to win championships. Shaq needed DWade, kobe, and even jordan needed pippen. Amare needs a PG, if it insnt obvious already. He cannot penetrate a packed lane, he also needs shooters to get all those defenders out of the lane area so he can operate.

My worst nightmare as a suns fan is that mamare and Lebron sign in NY and along with DA, win championships playing small ball in NY.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I assume Chris is saying sign and trade instead of letting him walk for nothing. He can get more $ with us in a sign and trade than just signing somewhere else outright.

I didn't want to make it seem like it was impossible, just improbable. I don't think that the Suns will accept anything less than full value for Amare, unless they are absolutely convinced that he will not resign. I think he will.

 

[DeAnna]

My worst nightmare as a suns fan is that mamare and Lebron sign in NY and along with DA, win championships playing small ball in NY.

Funny, I was just thinking that the other day. Even without Amare in NY, that would be the Suns front office/mgmt's worst nightmare. But, it looks to be shaping up that way for 2010

 

[Covert Rain]

Funny, I was just thinking that the other day. Even without Amare in NY, that would be the Suns front office/mgmt's worst nightmare. But, it looks to be shaping up that way for 2010

If they had Lebron, Amare and D-Wade and no bench. Those 3 could probably win it all. Not convinced though that would legitimize small ball though.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Funny, I was just thinking that the other day. Even without Amare in NY, that would be the Suns front office/mgmt's worst nightmare. But, it looks to be shaping up that way for 2010

If you read 7 seconds or less, Amare and D'Antoni don't really get along. That's why I said he isn't going to New York.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If you read 7 seconds or less, Amare and D'Antoni don't really get along. That's why I said he isn't going to New York.

You never know what you have until it's gone and for Amare AND DA, they're probably both starting to realize they were the best thing that ever happened to each other. We've already seen Amare making some comments about how he misses elements of the old offense and how it was so successful and by the end of the next couple years, a beast of Amare on the horizon will look awful enticing to DA. If Phil and Kobe could mend their fences, realizing what they had once it was lost, it wouldn't surprise me to see Amare and DA to bury the hatchet as well.

 

[SirStefan32]

Shaq needed DWade, kobe, and even jordan needed pippen. Amare needs a PG, if it insnt obvious already. He cannot penetrate a packed lane, he also needs shooters to get all those defenders out of the lane area so he can operate.

Right. Amare just doesn't want to be Pippen or Wade. I think Amare is a good player, but LBJ would not be amare's Pippen or Wade. Amare would be LBJ's Pippen or Wade.

 

[Covert Rain]

You never know what you have until it's gone and for Amare AND DA, they're probably both starting to realize they were the best thing that ever happened to each other. We've already seen Amare making some comments about how he misses elements of the old offense and how it was so successful and by the end of the next couple years, a beast of Amare on the horizon will look awful enticing to DA. If Phil and Kobe could mend their fences, realizing what they had once it was lost, it wouldn't surprise me to see Amare and DA to bury the hatchet as well.

To an earlier point that was made I think Amare realizes how important having a PG is to his game. He knows what happens when Nash sits. He also in the past has complained when Barbosa is in their running things.

I would say unless NY gets a bonified pass first PG, that is also another negative standing in the way of Amare going there should he not resign.

 

[nowagimp]

You never know what you have until it's gone and for Amare AND DA, they're probably both starting to realize they were the best thing that ever happened to each other. We've already seen Amare making some comments about how he misses elements of the old offense and how it was so successful and by the end of the next couple years, a beast of Amare on the horizon will look awful enticing to DA. If Phil and Kobe could mend their fences, realizing what they had once it was lost, it wouldn't surprise me to see Amare and DA to bury the hatchet as well.

I agree that amare probably had his best stats in the small ball system. But thelack of threatening outside shooters on the suns, and shaqs man in the lane area all the time, has also hurt amares game. The question is how will amare feel playing for a non elite team and getting lesser statistics than in the DA era over the next year or two. I dont necessarily think he will want to play for DA, but he will blame the dropoff in his statisical output on porters offense, not himself. Amare is a great scorer in transition, but rarely gets the chance anymore for all those easy baskets. Now he works hard in a packed lane. He will ask himself how he got here, working very hard, and scoring less. Amare and DA didnt get along because amare didnt pass the ball well in the small ball system( a personal choice IMO). I still think with the necessary shooters, he can be unstoppable, IF he passes the ball well in a fast paced system.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think if Amare opts out, you explore different possibilities. If someone is willing to give you some young talent, and some high draft picks, you trade him.
I like Amare, I'd hate to see him on a different team, but the fact of the matter is that he is not some kind of a franchise player like TD, or KG, or Shaq, or Hakeem, or even David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, or Charles Barkley.
He is an outstanding offensive player with a low basketball IQ, little to no defense, and no leadership skills. As far as one-dimensional players go, he is THE BEST in the league, but I could live with him on a different team as long as we get some good picks/ young talent in return. I am not saying I'd prefer that he leaves, but I am just saying that it wouldn't really be a tragedy.

 

[ecutch]

Amare stopped being a "franchise big man" when he busted his knee. YouTube videos of him pre-microfracture. He was ridic. 6'10" not-so-athletic guys can be "franchise bigmen," but there aren't too many outside of San Antonio. Amare isn't going to get any more athletic and he's a basketball-midget compared to Mr. Duncan.

 

[elindholm]

Oh joy, another Spurs troll.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

You heard it here first. Amare leaves Phoenix (see Stephen A Smith story on ESPN.com)...

Except things turn out okay. Because we sign D Wade away from the Heat.

If I was Sarver I would have been in his and his agents ear ALL NIGHT tonight.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You heard it here first. Amare leaves Phoenix (see Stephen A Smith story on ESPN.com)...

Except things turn out okay. Because we sign D Wade away from the Heat.

If I was Sarver I would have been in his and his agents ear ALL NIGHT tonight.

telling him what? Hey Wade, we're going to have nothing to build around you, but we can also offer you LESS money (without the income tax breaks benefits you get in Miami) than the team you're currently playing on that's likely going to be much better than us and will be in a position to build around you because they too are flush with cap space.

hell, we can't even offer the "warm weather" card to Wade.

 

[CardsFan88]

We had it, but now we've lost it.

Kerr only made the decisions based on the roster and deficiencies we had. The blame lies higher in who allowed the bottom of the roster to be so low on talent, so few on promising rookies in positions of need, that did fall to us in the drafts over the preceding few years.

To strike out is bad. But to not even send a batter to the plate is unbelievable. We didn't even take our swings on players.

The all time worst trade in my book, was two first round picks for a contract that was expiring in 3 months or so. We could have received first round picks, instead we give up two.

The reason I bring it up is because that is the ultimate factor for a cry baby like Amare (who I still like ofc), that the team is good.

If we don't have a stellar team, he's most likely gone. If we don't give him a huge percentage of the offense, he is certainly gone. But even now if we run the offense through him, odds are, he'll be gone, because we won't have the talent on this roster, to allow this cry baby to think he should stay when there is a better chance somewhere else.

With $arver in control, do you think Amare can realistically believe he can rebuild the same type of talent that the Colangelo's could?

I say with a high certainty that Amare will choose to play for a team in 2010 and beyond with a team that is ready to win it all RIGHT THEN. In other words 2003 Suns. Whoever is like that or appears to be like that in 2010, there you go. My guess in NY. Lebron and Amare together would achieve that. Hell it would probably surpass it.

 

[nowagimp]

With $arver in control, do you think Amare can realistically believe he can rebuild the same type of talent that the Colangelo's could?

OR worse, do you think amare believes that sarver will spend what is necessary to rebuild this team to a championship level in a few years? After the suspensions, sarver dissembled the team, jetisoning KT for (2) #1 picks and dumping JR's tiny contract. If I am amare, I believe that that team was much closer than this one, after all the maneuvering. ANd still, no real backup PG for nash that can be depended on to deliver the ball to amare, where and when he needs it, when nash is out.

 

[Mainstreet]

OR worse, do you think amare believes that sarver will spend what is necessary to rebuild this team to a championship level in a few years? After the suspensions, sarver dissembled the team, jetisoning KT for (2) #1 picks and dumping JR's tiny contract. If I am amare, I believe that that team was much closer than this one, after all the maneuvering. ANd still, no real backup PG for nash that can be depended on to deliver the ball to amare, where and when he needs it, when nash is out.

I have the same thoughts.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

telling him what? Hey Wade, we're going to have nothing to build around you, but we can also offer you LESS money (without the income tax breaks benefits you get in Miami) than the team you're currently playing on that's likely going to be much better than us and will be in a position to build around you because they too are flush with cap space.

hell, we can't even offer the "warm weather" card to Wade.

Phoenix is a "destination" spot - like Miami - and I think he is wearing on both the area and team. I live out here and see he is not much of a party guy and I think the coach switching and constant revamping has shown him the team lacks direction from the top.

Maybe Wade is pie in the sky but I do think we will get one of the Top 5 guys. It could be Amare - but if he leaves I could see another one of the big ones taking our money. Players want to come to Phoenix and we have the cap space to oblige them that year.

Or maybe its just wishful thinking because I am already bored with the 2008/09 team

 

[CardsFan88]

I'll give Dargic some time to develop, but this year, probably not.

But what we need is for this year.

$arver needs to show Amare that he won't be cheap. Not by overreacting, but by consistently doing what's right to better the team when the time comes. Don't let a good player get away because of money, don't trade people because of money.

So far $arver has been very shotty at this, and no doubt Amare sees it. It's as obvious as the Statue of Liberty.

Which has always been one of my greatest fears with $arver, by the time he realizes how badly he screwed up, he'll have killed the golden goose. Right now he's already traded it in for a silver one.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Phoenix is a "destination" spot - like Miami - and I think he is wearing on both the area and team. I live out here and see he is not much of a party guy and I think the coach switching and constant revamping has shown him the team lacks direction from the top.

Maybe Wade is pie in the sky but I do think we will get one of the Top 5 guys. It could be Amare - but if he leaves I could see another one of the big ones taking our money. Players want to come to Phoenix and we have the cap space to oblige them that year.

Or maybe its just wishful thinking because I am already bored with the 2008/09 team

i think it's wishful thinking.

 

[Bufalay]

Sarver is only selectively cheap. He has shown with Dragic and Shaq that he is willing to spend money stupidly.