Amare on the block.

[carey]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-stoudemiresuns020509&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Sources: Suns put Stoudemire on trade block
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
46 minutes ago

Perhaps signaling a willingness to dismantle their roster, the Phoenix Suns have begun exchanging trade proposals with teams for All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire, league executives told Yahoo! Sports on Thursday.

With dysfunction and dissension reigning within the Suns, rival front-office executives believe general manager Steve Kerr is determined to move Stoudemire and others before the Feb. 19 trade deadline.

While Stoudemire, 26, is the Suns’ most valuable asset, sources say Kerr has told teams that he’s willing to trade anyone on his roster except for point guard Steve Nash.


“Everyone is on the table but Nash,” one executive said.

Phoenix owner Robert Sarver has been more reluctant to part with Stoudemire and still hasn’t yet given his blessing to act on a Stoudemire proposal. Nevertheless, most believe that Sarver will inevitably do so.

While there will likely be some interest in a rejuvenated Shaquille O’Neal, it is Stoudemire, the enigmatic 6-foot-10, 250-pound forward, whom most NBA teams have an interest in acquiring.

If Kerr and assistant GM David Griffin do trade Stoudemire, a four-time All-Star, they want a combination of expiring contracts, a talented young player – preferably a forward – and draft picks. Stoudemire is expected to opt out of his contract for the historic free-agent summer of 2010. He makes $15 million this season and $16.3 million next season. His relationship with Suns management has steadily deteriorated and few expect that either side is interested in a contract extension.

Phoenix made the biggest move of the trade deadline a year ago, trading Shawn Marion for Shaquille O’Neal in a deal that the Suns believed could help them overtake the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference. Yet, the Suns lost to the Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, which turned into a prelude to an acrimonious exit with coach Mike D’Antoni.

This season, Phoenix has struggled to a 26-21 record, which leaves them tied for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Suns were blown out Wednesday night in Golden State, 124-112.

With O’Neal clogging the middle, Stoudemire has expressed frustration with a diminished offensive role. Stoudemire still flusters his GM and coach because of an unwillingness to commit to anything but scoring. Stoudemire’s scoring and rebounding averages have dropped this season, and he recently told Yahoo! Sports that he was struggling with an offense that features fewer pick-and-rolls for him, fewer touches in the low post.

“It is harder,” Stoudemire said. “When you’re in the flow, everything flows. When you’re not, sometimes it’s hard to get involved.”

After the loss to Golden State, Stoudemire told reporters, “To keep losing these games the way we are, it’s not fun. I’m not used to it. It’s almost against my religion.”

Sources believe the Suns are more apt to shop Stoudemire to the Eastern Conference, where Toronto and New York are natural possibilities. Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo drafted Stoudemire for the Suns, and Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni helped turn him into an All-Star. Still, the acrimonious nature of Colangelo’s and D’Antoni’s departures could lessen Phoenix management’s willingness to deal with them.

Nevertheless, Phoenix promises once more be at the center of the league’s biggest trade talks leading up to the deadline.

 

[elindholm]

Okay, let's do it. I already know what package I want.

 

[Folster]

Good to see it hit the national sports media, but nothing will happen until after the All-Star break.

Okay, let's do it. I already know what package I want.

Westbrook, Wilcox, filler, and our 2010 pick back?

 

[greensborohill]

Okay, let's do it. I already know what package I want.

What is it?

 

[Hat]

I have a deep guy feeling he's going to be traded after the all-star game. To many other opportunities to pass up, then deal with this headache all the time.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

One of the biggest disappointments of this team is that Shaq and Amare have yet to become the most dominant frontcourt duo to ever play the game. They should be the league's most feared tandem ever. And with Amare saying he looked up to Shaq when he was growing up, and Shaq saying he has been watching Amare grow since high school, it's truly the biggest bummer I have witnessed in NBA history.

Why let so much ******** cloud your potential greatness?

 

[Chaplin]

One of the biggest disappointments of this team is that Shaq and Amare have yet to become the most dominant frontcourt duo to ever play the game. They should be the league's most feared tandem ever. And with Amare saying he looked up to Shaq when he was growing up, and Shaq saying he has been watching Amare grow since high school, it's truly the biggest bummer I have witnessed in NBA history.

Why let so much ******** cloud your potential greatness?

Kinda like Backcourt 2000?

 

[Rab]

One of the biggest disappointments of this team is that Shaq and Amare have yet to become the most dominant frontcourt duo to ever play the game. They should be the league's most feared tandem ever. And with Amare saying he looked up to Shaq when he was growing up, and Shaq saying he has been watching Amare grow since high school, it's truly the biggest bummer I have witnessed in NBA history.

Why let so much ******** cloud your potential greatness?

Things were great last year when Amare was the focus, and Shaq was the aging role player. Now it's Shaq carrying the load, and Amare taking a backseat. Don't think that sits to well with him, and he's started to cash it in. Someone is always going to have to give up numbers depending on who the focal point is, and it seems like Amare just can't handle that.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

What the hell is Amare even worth anymore? Two years ago, you couldn't imagine Amare traded for anyone other than a top 5 player. Now I doubt we could even get a player the caliber of LaMarcus Aldridge. How things have changed.

 

[PhoenixMaverick]

"Everyone is on the table but Nash"

I hope that also means Porter.

A big trade will not solve the problem, We need a big trade AND a new coach that can actually .... coach.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/featur...7~1731~3439&teams=25~25~21~21~21~21&te=&cash=

Ship Amare to the middle of nowhere.

 

[carey]

We're getting either Green or Westbrook if we deal with OKC, and a pick.

 

[Roca Dolla]

what a disappointment to see suns fans happy to hear that amare is on the block yall aint true fans yall are bunch of fuccin bandwagoners kerr destroyed this team and now its amares fault ? kerr is the dumbest GM in the whole nba he is the one that has to go!

FIRE KERR FIRE PORTER KILL SARVER PROBLEM SOLVED!

 

[Covert Rain]

One of the biggest disappointments of this team is that Shaq and Amare have yet to become the most dominant frontcourt duo to ever play the game. They should be the league's most feared tandem ever. And with Amare saying he looked up to Shaq when he was growing up, and Shaq saying he has been watching Amare grow since high school, it's truly the biggest bummer I have witnessed in NBA history.

Why let so much ******** cloud your potential greatness?

Except Amare has underachieved in the 2 most important aspects of being a PF. Defense and rebounding. Shaq is doing his job.

Kinda like Backcourt 2000?

One big difference is that in Backcourt 2000 our incumbent continued to perform while Penny never lived up to his end. In this case, the other incumbent PF in Amare is getting outplayed by Shaq.


PS. The one part of this article that I hope is BS is Steve Nash not being on the block. Steve Nash is 8th worst defensive PG in the NBA, #2 in total turnovers and #1 in turnovers at the Guard position.

I am sorry but no matter what you do to this team, you can't have your starting PG leading the league in Turnovers and being one of the worst in defense. You cannot build a better defensive team around that.

 

[Rab]

what a disappointment to see suns fans happy to hear that amare is on the block yall aint true fans yall are bunch of fuccin bandwagoners kerr destroyed this team and now its amares fault ? kerr is the dumbest GM in the whole nba he is the one that has to go!

FIRE KERR FIRE PORTER KILL SARVER PROBLEM SOLVED!

Yeah, there is no angst toward Sarver or Kerr either...please.

Amare is as big a problem as anyone right now.

 

[carey]

FIRE KERR FIRE PORTER KILL SARVER PROBLEM SOLVED!

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

what a disappointment to see suns fans happy to hear that amare is on the block yall aint true fans yall are bunch of fuccin bandwagoners kerr destroyed this team and now its amares fault ? kerr is the dumbest GM in the whole nba he is the one that has to go!

FIRE KERR FIRE PORTER KILL SARVER PROBLEM SOLVED!

Dumb GMs shouldn't have a stranglehold on the effort you put on the court. Amare is mailing it in, and a true fan knows when to pride the team over a moody star that is underperforming.


Having said that, Firing Porter >>> Trading Amare.

 

[scXfreakX]

Its unfortunate that its going to end like this. I wanted Amare to be our future, but it just isn't meant to be. Hopefully we can get a solid package in return.

 

[Roca Dolla]

Yeah, there is no angst toward Sarver or Kerr either...please.

Amare is as big a problem as anyone right now.

amare is a problem ? WTF please! the only problem is he is playin under wrong coach that lost this team weeks ago!

 

[Rab]

amare is a problem ? WTF please! the only problem is he is playin under wrong coach that lost this team weeks ago!

You're blind as a bat if you really feel that way, but you're entitled to you opinion. Amare has mailed it in. Deal with it, and move on.

P.S. I'm not defending Porter either. He's a big part of all of this.

 

[Covert Rain]

amare is a problem ? WTF please! the only problem is he is playin under wrong coach that lost this team weeks ago!

Amare is one of the worst defensive PF in the league, one of the worst in rebounding and #13 in turnovers. That has been consistent no matter who has coached Amare.

3 things I would like to see happen.

Fire Porter
Trade Amare
Trade Nash

 

[TBaslim]

What the hell is Amare even worth anymore? Two years ago, you couldn't imagine Amare traded for anyone other than a top 5 player. Now I doubt we could even get a player the caliber of LaMarcus Aldridge. How things have changed.

That is the worst part of all this. I almost want them to trade Shaq and go back to run n fun for the rest of the season to re-inflate Amare's production and trade value. Then trade him in the offseason.

Bad enough that it has gotten to this point, and now we're forced to sell low. Not as low as when the micro-fracture happened, but still darn low.

Ugh.

Then watch him pull a KG and blow up with another team. Double ugh.

 

[Covert Rain]

That is the worst part of all this. I almost want them to trade Shaq and go back to run n fun for the rest of the season to re-inflate Amare's production and trade value. Then trade him in the offseason.

Bad enough that it has gotten to this point, and now we're forced to sell low. Not as low as when the micro-fracture happened, but still darn low.

Ugh.

Then watch him pull a KG and blow up with another team. Double ugh.

No thanks. If you look at the stat's Shaq is the only one from keeping us from being at the bottom in several categories.

Amare is one of the worst defensive PF at this position, ranks in the the bottom half in rebounding by PF and is the top half of TO by PF. Shaq has boosted points in the paint, rebounding, defensive points in the paint allowed, our FG% and we are #15 in the NBA at defending from the Center position where as with Amare we were dead least with him as our center.

All running is going to do is make this team worse in about every single category but Points Per game. It does not say better and every team in the NBA will see through boosting Amare's offensive numbers. The teams that want Amare are the teams that want his scoring. There is not a defensive minded team in the NBA looking at Amare from a defensive or rebounding perspective.

 

[PhxGametime]

I'd like Jeff Green; Pick; Marshall (expiring contract); and whatever else needed to make Trade... =D

 

[Griffin]

I am not opposed to the idea of trading the one-dimensional Amare. No doubt that playing under a less creative, more traditional coach has exposed all the weaknesses in his game. But Kerr should not delude himself as to what went wrong with this team in the first place. He himself is mainly responsible for the downfall of this team with his poor, shortsighted decisions. Ridiculous cost-cutting moves, poor scouting, poor drafts, hiring a cheap, inexperienced head coach, and questionable trades.

The Shaq trade may look good because of the numbers Shaq is producing vs. the numbers Marion is, but in reality it completely altered the way we play offense, at least under Porter, taking all the strengths away from players like Nash and Amare. In retrospect, the way we used Shaq late in last regular season was the most effective so far in terms of wins and losses, even though he wasn't scoring as much.

And if we do trade Amare, wouldn't it be nice to still have Diaw to fill his place? Yet that was yet another reactionary, shortsighted trade that seemed good on paper but only on paper. JRich is not very effective in the offense we are currently implementing. Kerr seems to be managing this team as if it were a fantasy basketball team.

And what exactly do we need draft picks for, if Kerr has no idea how to evaluate talent?