Are the Suns done?

[pokerface]

I really think the Suns are going as is. I dont think Okur will leave the Pistions for 6M a year plus even if he did I wonder if the Suns will shell out the last of their money on him. JJ has to be resigned probably next season so I wonder if the money will be saved for that.

 

[Espo]

i see them making a run at foyle. I think he would be a good option at the 5 spot. IF they are done making moves i think that they have improved the team and if JJ developes the way everyone expects than i think they are set for years to come.

 

[slinslin]

I think we will get one of these

Divac, Camby, Foyle, Thomas, Swift, Okur, Ostertag, Dampier, Blount

Plus one or two veteran minimum guys like maybe Wesley Person.

Getting Steve Nash was the toughest part of this offseason. Getting one of those centers for over the MLE should be the easy part.

 

[George O'Brien]

I think we will get one of these

Divac, Camby, Foyle, Thomas, Swift, Okur, Ostertag, Dampier, Blount

Plus one or two veteran minimum guys like maybe Wesley Person.

Getting Steve Nash was the toughest part of this offseason. Getting one of those centers for over the MLE should be the easy part.

Easy? I don't think so.

We don't know exactly how this deal is going to be structured, but it certainly looks like it starts at $10 million. If the cap is set at $44 million, that leaves only $6 million. If they raise to $45, the difference is significant in terms of options.

I think that Camby and Dampier are out. Okur is probably out (let's hope). I'm not sure what the market is for career backups like Foyle. It seems to me he made something like $4.4 million last year and should get at least that much if teams are convinced he is healthy. Blount will get the full MLE.

The frustating thing about the Nash contract is that it really limits what the Suns can do. I would like to get a center and re-sign Dice to a two year deal. I'm not sure there is enough money left to do it.

 

[Joe Mama]

I just started another thread on this, but I heard Sarver on TV a few minutes ago. He seemed to be implying that an upgrade to the defense was the next move for the Phoenix Suns.

Joe Mama

 

[Errntknght]

An upgrade to the defense...hmmmm... dare we hope that means a new coach?!

 

[elindholm]

He seemed to be implying that an upgrade to the defense was the next move for the Phoenix Suns.

You mean they are going after Rodney Rogers?

 

[slinslin]

Ostertag, Thomas or Foyle would fit the defense bill of the FA centers.

Ostertag would be big enough to make a good center tandem with McDyess. He also would be cheap enough to pursue someone else posssibly.

 

[Gaddabout]

The cost of doing (big-man) bidness

The cost for B-/C+ centers starts at about $10 mil. per. That's how much Camby got, and it's probably what Dampier would get if Memphis can work out a deal with the Warriors. Okur only got a $6.6 mil per offer from the Pistons, but they know he's in serious limbo -- the teams that (allegedly) want him can't afford to pay that much.

Yet another year I feel like the Suns took the easy way out (paying big bucks for a point guard) rather than looking for bargains in the backcourt and finding a legitimate big man or two. I would've been pretty happy with any one of the point guards in the first round. I will NOT be happy if Greg Ostertag is our starting center.

 

[slinslin]

Camby is likely a top 5 center if healthy and his contract is heavily based on games played etc it looks like.

Shaq
Yao

Those are the only centers that would definately be considered better than Camby.

 

[Gaddabout]

Camby is likely a top 5 center if healthy and his contract is heavily based on games played etc it looks like.

Shaq
Yao

Those are the only centers that would definately be considered better than Camby.

I'll agree with that -- when he's healthy. I might also agree to hold my breath until he gets injured again. I think I'd live. Camby's career might not.

I actually suggested the Suns should've made a trade last summer for Camby when he was just getting his legs from injury. I liked him a lot better when he was on the backend of a sweet contract. Wouldn't want him on the front end. Not now. Not even for 50 games.

 

[Dave64]

Why can't the Suns offer Okur 6 years at 45?

 

[F-Dog]

Why can't the Suns offer Okur 6 years at 45?

They can, and the way things are going they just might. Okur is the only center whose market value matches what the Suns have left in cap space.

I assume that Utah will make an offer that's even better than that, though.

 

[slinslin]

They can, and the way things are going they just might. Okur is the only center whose market value matches what the Suns have left in cap space.

I assume that Utah will make an offer that's even better than that, though.

I take Etan Thomas or Dampier over Okur at the same price anyday.

Okur is a bad defender and I don't see what he can add offensively. We should be one of the top3 offensive teams already.

 

[Yuma]

I take Etan Thomas or Dampier over Okur at the same price anyday.

Okur is a bad defender and I don't see what he can add offensively. We should be one of the top3 offensive teams already.

No way we can get Dampier for the same as Okur! I have been reading there is a lot of interest in him. I don't know about Thomas. I haven't been reading much about him linked to different teams. I like Blount. Thomas is probably better. I think we could get Blount for Okur money, actually less.

 

[F-Dog]

I take Etan Thomas or Dampier over Okur at the same price anyday.

Okur is a bad defender and I don't see what he can add offensively. We should be one of the top3 offensive teams already.

To be a top offense, you really need five players who can all score and fit well together, and the Suns don't have that unless they go small. And Okur was the Pistons' starting center for a good chunk of the season, and it didn't seem to prevent them from being a top defensive team. (Needless to say, they got even better when they added Rasheed Wallace.)

Dampier is out of the Suns' price range. Etan Thomas might work as a role player--Thomas and Foyle are probably the Suns' best options now, if they can't or won't get Okur.

 

[slinslin]

The Mavs were the best offensive team. Bradley doesn't look like a top offensive player to me.
And the Suns have quite possibly the best scorer in the post already in Amare.

 

[F-Dog]

The Mavs were the best offensive team. Bradley doesn't look like a top offensive player to me.
And the Suns have quite possibly the best scorer in the post already in Amare.

The Mavericks weren't playing any of their centers at the end of the year, much less Bradley. That's how Marquis Daniels got into the starting lineup, and that's also how their offense finally took off.

Antoine Walker was their starting 'center' in the playoffs.