First off I'll be surprised if Amare Stoudemire plays in the summer league. It seems to me he would be better off working with the coaching staff, and there would be a lot smaller risk of injury. Besides, that would give more time to Cabarkapa, Lampe, and the lottery pick (if he is a center or power forward).
Jahidi White will start tonight. I think this is a great idea. Jake Voskuhl is not a starting center in the NBA. He and Amare Stoudemire to not play well together. If white plays well it might make it easier to unload him in the summer. That is assuming they do want to unload him.
The article mentions that if the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs the Phoenix Suns will have another first-round pick in the middle of the first-round. Now this could be just a mistake by the writer, but it does indicate that the Utah Jazz might get the New York Knicks' pick no matter what happens with Cleveland. However it also might be that he just thinks that New York and Cleveland will make the playoffs. I probably read too much into it.
Joe Mama
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0225sunsnb0225.html
Hopes are high for summer league
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 25, 2004 12:00 AM
A Suns championship is much closer than you think.
You just have to think Rocky Mountain ***** title. The Suns' entry into the July summer league will look similar to some of the lineups in use now.
Phoenix's 10- to 12-man roster likely will include Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Casey Jacobsen, Zarko Cabarkapa, Maciej Lampe and the team's first-round lottery pick.
"If we don't win in summer league, somebody should be fired," coach Mike D'Antoni joked.
Milos Vujanic, the Serbian point guard Phoenix picked up in the Knicks trade, could also play this summer.
Vujanic is playing for Italy's Skipper Bologna in the European League, where he is considered the top point guard.
The Suns may even wind up with another first-round pick if Cleveland remains hot. The Cavaliers still owe the Suns a non-lottery first-round pick from the 1997 three-way trade that brought Antonio McDyess to the Suns from Denver.
Clark still not here
There is no reason to rush to the team store in search of a Keon Clark jersey. Clark was placed on the injured list Tuesday, five days after Phoenix acquired him in the trade that sent Tom Gugliotta, two first-round picks, a second-round pick and $3 million to Utah.
Clark played two early-November games for Utah this season before surgery to remove a bone spur on his right ankle. His contract expires at the end of the season.
President Bryan Colangelo said Clark is expected to report to Phoenix as early as Monday and will be examined by team physicians. Physicals for Gugliotta and Clark were waived at the time of the trade.
Clark could play no sooner than March 8. However, Lampe will be eligible to come off the injured list Monday, and the staff would like to get the promising big rookie more court time.
Phoenix is Clark's fifth NBA team since he was a first-round pick in 1998.
Marion healing
Shawn Marion expects to play tonight after missing practice time Monday and Tuesday for an ankle he sprained scoring the final Suns points of Sunday's loss.
"It hurts when I press the inside of my foot," Marion said. "It's a weird kind of pain. If I can get some work done on it in the morning, I should be fine."
Jahidi White will start tonight. I think this is a great idea. Jake Voskuhl is not a starting center in the NBA. He and Amare Stoudemire to not play well together. If white plays well it might make it easier to unload him in the summer. That is assuming they do want to unload him.
The article mentions that if the Cleveland Cavaliers make the playoffs the Phoenix Suns will have another first-round pick in the middle of the first-round. Now this could be just a mistake by the writer, but it does indicate that the Utah Jazz might get the New York Knicks' pick no matter what happens with Cleveland. However it also might be that he just thinks that New York and Cleveland will make the playoffs. I probably read too much into it.
Joe Mama
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0225sunsnb0225.html
Hopes are high for summer league
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 25, 2004 12:00 AM
A Suns championship is much closer than you think.
You just have to think Rocky Mountain ***** title. The Suns' entry into the July summer league will look similar to some of the lineups in use now.
Phoenix's 10- to 12-man roster likely will include Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Casey Jacobsen, Zarko Cabarkapa, Maciej Lampe and the team's first-round lottery pick.
"If we don't win in summer league, somebody should be fired," coach Mike D'Antoni joked.
Milos Vujanic, the Serbian point guard Phoenix picked up in the Knicks trade, could also play this summer.
Vujanic is playing for Italy's Skipper Bologna in the European League, where he is considered the top point guard.
The Suns may even wind up with another first-round pick if Cleveland remains hot. The Cavaliers still owe the Suns a non-lottery first-round pick from the 1997 three-way trade that brought Antonio McDyess to the Suns from Denver.
Clark still not here
There is no reason to rush to the team store in search of a Keon Clark jersey. Clark was placed on the injured list Tuesday, five days after Phoenix acquired him in the trade that sent Tom Gugliotta, two first-round picks, a second-round pick and $3 million to Utah.
Clark played two early-November games for Utah this season before surgery to remove a bone spur on his right ankle. His contract expires at the end of the season.
President Bryan Colangelo said Clark is expected to report to Phoenix as early as Monday and will be examined by team physicians. Physicals for Gugliotta and Clark were waived at the time of the trade.
Clark could play no sooner than March 8. However, Lampe will be eligible to come off the injured list Monday, and the staff would like to get the promising big rookie more court time.
Phoenix is Clark's fifth NBA team since he was a first-round pick in 1998.
Marion healing
Shawn Marion expects to play tonight after missing practice time Monday and Tuesday for an ankle he sprained scoring the final Suns points of Sunday's loss.
"It hurts when I press the inside of my foot," Marion said. "It's a weird kind of pain. If I can get some work done on it in the morning, I should be fine."
