Barbosa is ranked TOP 10 among rookies in 5 key stats.

[se7en]

Among rookies Barbosa is ranked top 10 in these key statistics:

10th in points per game at 7PG
4th in field goal % at 45%
3rd in 3 point fg % at 39%
10th in assists per game at 2.1
6th in steals per game at 1.12

I had no idea he was playing this well. Considering how raw Barbosa was reported to be when he was drafted. And considering that he was drafted with the 29th pick in the draft I'd have to say that the Suns really did their homework and came up big. Because this guy has got to be playing way beyond what anyone thought he was capable of in his first season. There are skilled rookie big men not shooting 45%. Hell there are veteran Allstar guards not hitting 39% from 3.

With 2 or 3 1st round picks in next years draft you really have to hope that the Suns don't dump draft picks for salary relief. Not with the incredible record of drafting the team has the last couple of years. If they could pull off one more solid draft they could really have a fully loaded roaster of young talent. Anyhow I thought these stats were pretty impressive.

 

[cardsunsfan]

If we are going to keep all of our picks though who are we going to get rid of?

 

[scotsman13]

we start the season off with 14 players on the roster. googs, and mcdyess and harvey may not be back next year. when you add a maybe to white or easley that brings us down to 9 players. the big question is who are we going to bring in. if we have 3 draft picks then who else are we going to be looking at bring in. i personally cant think of a season where we werent over the 12 man active roster. i dont think that we are going to get clevelands pick this year.

 

[George O'Brien]

My guess is the Suns roster next season will look like this:

PG - Vujanic, Eisley, Barbosa
SG - Johnson, Jacobsen (he may get traded if the Suns sign an FA)
SF - Marion, Carbakapa
PF - Stoudemire
C - Voskuhl, Lampe

This is 10 players. I suspect that White will be sent to the Bobcats with a $3 million bribe. Goog, Harvey, and probably McDyess are not re-signed.

I am guessing that Suns will try to sign a veteran center like Divac or Dale Davis to help out for a couple of years. I would expect them to try to get another big man in the draft.

That's 12, but I would expect either a draft pick or a FA that can shoot is another need. Maybe Vujanic will meet that need, but it remains a serious problem.

 

[Dylan]

I'd like to get a big man in the draft.. but aside for Okafor,
geez, it seems to be all international guys who are like
Lampe... unless they feel Lampe is more of a PF.. I'd like to
think they are looking at him as a C. But I just don't see any
big man that will have to be groomed. They are all 18-19
years old... we can't wait forever. I think they have to get their
big man via trade (hard to do) or thru FA. Maybe they are
planning to get Dampier. He is a rebounder, a good shotblocker
and scores... there are downsides like his age and history that
have already been discussed. But, he is going to be a FA,
he is a center, that would be a very good rebounding front line.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Dylan
I think they have to get their
big man via trade (hard to do) or thru FA. Maybe they are
planning to get Dampier. He is a rebounder, a good shotblocker
and scores... there are downsides like his age and history that
have already been discussed. But, he is going to be a FA,
he is a center, that would be a very good rebounding front line.

I have been more enthusiastic about Dampier than many people on this board, but I seriously doubt he going anywhere. The Warriors have his Bird rights and cannot afford to lose him. If he does decide to move, the Jazz have a lot more cap room and an offense better suited to his skills. It's frustrating because the Suns really need somone who can dominate the boards.

 

[Goldfield]

Although I like Camby alot more. I also like Dampier.

I would be thrilled with either one. But the Suns NEED to get a guy in the middle other than Amare.

IMO were set at guard once Vujanic comes here. Were set at SF with Marion & Zarko. Amare needs a good backup. and we need a shotblocking/rebounding center.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

There are only 2 possible ways I would acquire Camby, but don't know if him or his agent would comply....

The first would be a 1-year incentive laiden deal in which an automatic option would kick in (let's say if he can play 75+ games) for one more year.....

Or, if they actually were to sign him to a long-term contract, the Suns could automatically void the contract if he misses a certain amount of time w/in the 1st or 2nd yr....

He would be an ideal fit, but as everyone has discussed numerous if...and I mean ONLY IF...he remains healthy.... And those 2 scenarios gives the Suns a lot of insurance....

 

[Goldfield]

As long as he is healthy for the playoffs were ok! (j/k)


Camby on our team makes us alot better even if he plays 70% of the games.

If he can stay healthy this season, I think he is worth the risk.

 

[Joe Mama]

Marcus Camby is going to cost a minimum of $6 million over 4 seasons. That would essentially kill the Phoenix Suns cap space. Of course I would love that move if there was some guaranteed that Marcus Camby was actually going to be healthy, but he's been one of the most injured players in the NBA over the last couple years.

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

4yrs/24-30M$ would be a nice deal for Camby.

If we get Okafor or Howard they will get their extension when Camby comes off the books.

Unlike Penny Hardaway and Tom Gugliotta, Camby would still only cost 6M$ per season and the wouldn't have to worry about luxury tax.

We could get a medical exemption if Camby gets injured, the insurance picks up his salary and instead of having 6M$ cap room we can spend the MLE in the next years that we wouldn't even get if we stay under the cap until 2005.

 

[Suns_fan69]

The problem with Camby is that traditionally he hasn't been injured long enough to apply for the medical exception. He plays in enough games each year to void that option.

 

[George O'Brien]

The only way the Suns get a shot at Camby is if the Nuggets go after another center like Dampier or Sheed Wallace. The Nuggets have a lot more cap space than the Suns so they will be able to outbid the Suns.

In the scenerio where the Nuggets sign another center, the chances of the Suns getting Camby are based on whether he wants money now or a long term contract. He can probably get a four year contract for mid cap from someboy without any trouble. If he wants $6 - $6.5 million, he may be forced to take a two year because there are only a few other teams with the cap space: Utah, the Clippers, Atlanta, and the Suns. None of them are likely to want to give four years to someone with Camby's injury history.

BTW, this does not preclude my idea of unloading White to the Bobcats along with the $3 million bribe and then signing Dale Davis for $4 million (two year deal). Davis would give the Suns a solid backup for Stoudemire who can also play center.

C - Camby Voskuhl Lampe
PF - Stoudemire Davis
SF - Marion Carbakapa
PG - Barbosa Vujanic Eisley
SG - Johnson Jacobsen

The draft picks would be put on IR. Using a pick to move Eisley would mean the Suns would be looking for another guard.

 

[slinslin]

Who knows?

Camby doesn't exactly look like he is extremely happy in Denver otherwise he wouldn't necessarily opt out.

The next question is if the Nuggets want to keep Camby and pay as much as the Suns because they have more capspace than the Suns and can go after Kenyon Martin and a few others and move Nene to center.

Where would you rather retire? In Phoenix or Denver?

Dale Davis isn't FA.

 

[elindholm]

Originally posted by slinslin


Kenyon Martin

I'd forgotten about him. With all of the talk of going to a twin-PF lineup with Stoudemire plus Whoever, I think Martin should enter the conversation. Sure, the Nets will probably match whatever offer he gets, but they might not. I'd rather not see Stoudemire at center, but if it's Martin versus a semi-center like Okur, I'd much rather have Martin.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin

The next question is if the Nuggets want to keep Camby and pay as much as the Suns because they have more capspace than the Suns and can go after Kenyon Martin and a few others and move Nene to center.

I haven't heard any rumors to that effect, but it makes sense.

Dale Davis isn't FA.

HoopsHype says yes. but they have been wrong before.

HoopsHype

 

[Joe Mama]

Slin, Camby will probably opt out of his contract for financial reasons. It has nothing to do with his displeasure with then Denver Nuggets. In fact he has said repeatedly that his first preference is to return with them.

I don't think Kenyon Martin will get away from New Jersey unless someone offers him damn near a maximum contract. The frontcourt of Martin, Stoudemire, and Marion would be about the most athletic frontline in the NBA. They would also be the shortest. In the Eastern conference that my work, but I think in the Western Conference it would be an expensive failure.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I don't think Kenyon Martin will get away from New Jersey unless someone offers him damn near a maximum contract. The frontcourt of Martin, Stoudemire, and Marion would be about the most athletic frontline in the NBA. They would also be the shortest. In the Eastern conference that my work, but I think in the Western Conference it would be an expensive failure.

Joe Mama

I think you misunderstood his point:

The next question is if the Nuggets want to keep Camby and pay as much as the Suns because they have more capspace than the Suns and can go after Kenyon Martin and a few others and move Nene to center.

He was looking at Martin from the perspective of the Nuggets, not the Suns. The relevance is if the Nuggets were to get Martin, they might not offer Camby as much to stay.

 

[elindholm]

He was looking at Martin from the perspective of the Nuggets, not the Suns.

Yes, slinslin was, but I was looking at it from the perspective of the Suns possibly pursuing Camby. See, Joe Mama, unlike you, sometimes reponds to my posts after having understood what I wrote in them.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by elindholm
He was looking at Martin from the perspective of the Nuggets, not the Suns.

Yes, slinslin was, but I was looking at it from the perspective of the Suns possibly pursuing Camby. See, Joe Mama, unlike you, sometimes reponds to my posts after having understood what I wrote in them.

I might understand your comment if he had been responding to one of your posts rather than slinslin's.

 

[elindholm]

I might understand your comment if he had been responding to one of your posts rather than slinslin's.

The first paragraph was to slinslin; the second paragraph was to my response to slinslin.

 

[Joe Mama]

Nene is big enough and possibly better suited for playing center, so Kenyon Martin might be a nice fit for Denver. IMO he isn't worth anything over $8 million per season, and I would be surprised if New Jersey wouldn't match an offer like that.

Joe Mama

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Originally posted by slinslin

Camby doesn't exactly look like he is extremely happy in Denver otherwise he wouldn't necessarily opt out.

Him opting out has nothing to do with him liking or dislikeing denver. It is a pure business decision, and a good one at that.

He is coming off a very good year, and won't have much of a problem netting a 4 year deal from the Nuggets or someone else. If he doesn't opt out, and gets reinjured (big chance as always) then he may never get another big contract.

Same deal with Dampier BTW, who is still waivering on opting out.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by thegrahamcrackr
Him opting out has nothing to do with him liking or dislikeing denver. It is a pure business decision, and a good one at that.

He is coming off a very good year, and won't have much of a problem netting a 4 year deal from the Nuggets or someone else. If he doesn't opt out, and gets reinjured (big chance as always) then he may never get another big contract.

Same deal with Dampier BTW, who is still waivering on opting out.

I tend to agree. I doubt that the Suns will get Camby because they cannot afford to risk four years on a guy with his history of injuries and he will probably get some sucker to offer it.

Part of the problem Dampier faces is that he is unlikely get a huge raise over what he is currently receiving. $8.1 million next season and $8.7 million is pretty good money for considering his history of injuries.

 

[George O'Brien]

I am repeating this from another thread:

We may have another in Barbosa. He is obviously very raw, but he is learning fast. In 18.2 minutes per game, he is averaging 6.9 ppg on 45% shooting (40.3% for 3), 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals.

I decided to compare Barbosa's numbers to those of Marbury as a rookie. Marbury played a lot more minutes 34.7 to only 18.2 which reflects the amount of time that Eisley plays; but if Barbosa did play that many minutes his numbers would be roughly comparable.

Marbury 96-97

15.8 ppg 40.% (35.4% for 3)
2.7 rpg
7.8 apg
1.0 steals per game
3.13 turnovers per game

Barbosa if he played the same number of minutes

13.3 ppg 45% shooting (40.3% for 3)
2.5 rpg
4 apg
2.1 steals per game
3.1 turnovers per game

The only place where Marbury had better numbers is on assists, but that reflects the fact that the Wolves that year had more veterans including Garnett, Googs (back when he was an all-star), Sam Mitchell, Terry Porter, and Doug West to pass to. Marbury had more points per minute because he shot more, but his average was far below what Barbosa does.

Don't get me wrong, Marbury was much more polished when he enter the league than Barbosa is. But I think Barbosa has just as much potential.