Burning Down the House
By Scott Church
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Mar 28, 2005, 12:45
So after watching last week’s games, I realized the Suns have made a couple of mistakes that will really hurt them. The first mistake was trading Zarko Cabarkapa. Zarko has started to show his talents on the Warriors. He is shooting well and is banging inside for rebounds and put backs. He is basically back to his old self, pre-broken wrist. Knowing that the Suns only received back two second round picks for him really hurts. Zarko is going to be a big time player over the course of his career and it upsets me that the Suns got rid of him so quickly. I know the team wanted to stay under the cap and give themselves more options for next year, but I still would have liked to of had him as insurance on the bench.
The other big mistake the Suns made was not keeping this past years draft pick. The Suns traded the pick to the Bulls for a future pick as well as a later pick in the draft that turned into Jackson Vroman, who is now in New Orleans. The Suns had to get rid of the pick in order to have enough money to sign Quinten Richardson. The Suns would have been just over a million dollars shorter on Q’s contract, making it so he probably wouldn’t have signed and that the Clippers would have a greater chance of matching his contract. So this is what I don’t get though. The Suns could have drafted Andre Iguodala with the 7th pick, giving the Suns the guy they really wanted. He would have become the immediate starter at either the SG or SF spot, depending on where JJ wanted to start. Iguodala is an amazing player that is doing mind-blowing things in Philadelphia. I can’t even imagine him on the Suns and what he would have brought. If the Suns could have drafted him and then still try to sign Q or get someone just under Q’s level, where would the Suns be right now? Could you imagine Iguodala as the Suns key bench player? This would have changed the way the bench and the trades that happened worked out.
The Suns traded the 7th pick expecting the Bulls to stay as one of the worst teams in the league. The Suns are now looking at around the 17th pick in the draft from the Bulls pick. The Suns pick will be sent to the Spurs to cover the Barbosa trade. So the Suns will have the 17th pick and a second round pick or two. I would rather have seen the Suns keep last years 7th pick instead of moving all the way down to 17 this year.
The Suns come off of their five game road trip going 4-1. The only loss came to the Miami Heat. In their wake, the Suns finished off the Magic, Bobcats, Grizzlies and Hawks. The only team on their besides the Heat that should have been close was the Grizzlies. The Magic gave the Suns a run for their money. The Suns should have played better defense in this game and it wouldn’t have been so close.
This coming week offers 4 games in 7 nights. The Suns don’t ever play a back-to-back, but play a game every other night. This at least gives the team a chance to rest a day after each of these games.
Leandro Barbosa really stepped up the last two games of this past Eastern swing. Barbosa had big games against the Heat and Magic. Against the Magic, he went for 11 points, 3 assists and only 1 turnover in 17 minutes. Barbosa plays tough defense and I would expect him to get even more time as the season goes on. He has played next to Nash and he can also take over the ball handling duties for Nash.
I’ve been emailing back and forth with a Suns fan by the name of Russ. Russ asks some really good questions about JJ and what will be available for the Suns this summer. I wanted to include one of his emails and my reply to his questions.
It sounds like you think the Suns will keep JJ. At first, I was happy to read that. But then I watched the game Wednesday against the Bobcats and started wondering if it was the right thing to do. Yes, JJ had a great game. And I'm really starting to like him in the role that he plays so well for the Suns. But watching Amare get into foul trouble makes me wonder if getting a big man wouldn't be a wiser use of salary cap room. I realize NBA big men are few and far between. What big men will be available this summer?
Amare has already stated he's a power forward and not a center. How long is he willing to play the center position for this team? Do you think it will impact his willingness to sign a long term contract this summer? If the Suns could get a defensive big man that can guard Shaq and Yao on the defensive end, they will be better off in the long run. That will free up Amare on defense and let him do what he does best. I guess it all comes back to what's available this summer.
Russ
The problem with not signing JJ is this. The Suns will be spending money on Amare, giving him a big contract. After this is done, the Suns will be at the salary cap limit for years to come, at least 5. So the Suns only option of adding a player that can help is the 5 mil exception and the draft. The Suns won’t be drafting low for a while and the Bulls were better than expected this past year so that pick will not be in the lottery.
The Suns best option is to sign JJ and then get a guy for the 5 mil exception. This will push them higher over the cap but the new owner appears to want to win more than money issues. If the Suns were able to sign JJ for a decent amount and Amare for Max, they would still be able to sign someone else to help the bench or to play center. This also gives them the option of trying to sign and trade JJ or Q for help under the basket. The question is whether it is better to sign JJ and maybe use the midlevel exception or to just let JJ walk and sign an all new player. I would rather see JJ signed and then the midlevel exception used. This would give the Suns the best team possible.
The best options at center or PF where the Suns need help are around this order:
Samuel Dalembert: 76ers
Stromile Swift: Grizzlies
Eddy Curry: Bulls
Donyell Marshall: Raptors
Dale Davis: Pacers
Ervin Johnson: T’Wolves
The Center market is really bad this upcoming season unless you have some money to throw around and most of the guys are young and unproven. Most of the better players this off season are shooting guards. Marshall and Johnson are the only ones on the above list that could end up in Phoenix by signing them. Marshall would cost the Suns the full midlevel and Johnson could probably be signed for the veteran minimum.
So if the Suns let JJ go, they wouldn’t be getting a guy back for the midlevel that could replace his production. The Suns could sign JJ and then get Marshall for a three year deal at the mid level, which would help the Suns.
The Suns are also looking at Chicago’s pick in this upcoming draft. They also have the rights to Milos Vujanic. If the Suns could package the Bulls pick with Vujanic and either a resigned JJ or Q for a center like Samuel Dalembert and other players, it could happen.
Amare doesn’t like saying he is a center or PF, he is a basketball player, whatever. So he can basically play anywhere under the basket and it would be great if the Suns could find a banger to put next to him. The problem is that their aren’t enough good bangers anymore.
So those are the options the Suns have this off-season of increasing the team, at least the options that appear available right now. Thanks for the email Russ and if anyone has any questions, just send them my way.
There isn’t going to be a game preview for tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets. I’m just predicting that the Suns win by 5 and that it will be close. There will be game previews for the rest of the games this week. Each of which is against playoff teams.
Wed vs. Philadelphia
Fri vs. Minnesota
Sat at Houston
I’m OUT!
By Scott Church
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Mar 28, 2005, 12:45
So after watching last week’s games, I realized the Suns have made a couple of mistakes that will really hurt them. The first mistake was trading Zarko Cabarkapa. Zarko has started to show his talents on the Warriors. He is shooting well and is banging inside for rebounds and put backs. He is basically back to his old self, pre-broken wrist. Knowing that the Suns only received back two second round picks for him really hurts. Zarko is going to be a big time player over the course of his career and it upsets me that the Suns got rid of him so quickly. I know the team wanted to stay under the cap and give themselves more options for next year, but I still would have liked to of had him as insurance on the bench.
The other big mistake the Suns made was not keeping this past years draft pick. The Suns traded the pick to the Bulls for a future pick as well as a later pick in the draft that turned into Jackson Vroman, who is now in New Orleans. The Suns had to get rid of the pick in order to have enough money to sign Quinten Richardson. The Suns would have been just over a million dollars shorter on Q’s contract, making it so he probably wouldn’t have signed and that the Clippers would have a greater chance of matching his contract. So this is what I don’t get though. The Suns could have drafted Andre Iguodala with the 7th pick, giving the Suns the guy they really wanted. He would have become the immediate starter at either the SG or SF spot, depending on where JJ wanted to start. Iguodala is an amazing player that is doing mind-blowing things in Philadelphia. I can’t even imagine him on the Suns and what he would have brought. If the Suns could have drafted him and then still try to sign Q or get someone just under Q’s level, where would the Suns be right now? Could you imagine Iguodala as the Suns key bench player? This would have changed the way the bench and the trades that happened worked out.
The Suns traded the 7th pick expecting the Bulls to stay as one of the worst teams in the league. The Suns are now looking at around the 17th pick in the draft from the Bulls pick. The Suns pick will be sent to the Spurs to cover the Barbosa trade. So the Suns will have the 17th pick and a second round pick or two. I would rather have seen the Suns keep last years 7th pick instead of moving all the way down to 17 this year.
The Suns come off of their five game road trip going 4-1. The only loss came to the Miami Heat. In their wake, the Suns finished off the Magic, Bobcats, Grizzlies and Hawks. The only team on their besides the Heat that should have been close was the Grizzlies. The Magic gave the Suns a run for their money. The Suns should have played better defense in this game and it wouldn’t have been so close.
This coming week offers 4 games in 7 nights. The Suns don’t ever play a back-to-back, but play a game every other night. This at least gives the team a chance to rest a day after each of these games.
Leandro Barbosa really stepped up the last two games of this past Eastern swing. Barbosa had big games against the Heat and Magic. Against the Magic, he went for 11 points, 3 assists and only 1 turnover in 17 minutes. Barbosa plays tough defense and I would expect him to get even more time as the season goes on. He has played next to Nash and he can also take over the ball handling duties for Nash.
I’ve been emailing back and forth with a Suns fan by the name of Russ. Russ asks some really good questions about JJ and what will be available for the Suns this summer. I wanted to include one of his emails and my reply to his questions.
It sounds like you think the Suns will keep JJ. At first, I was happy to read that. But then I watched the game Wednesday against the Bobcats and started wondering if it was the right thing to do. Yes, JJ had a great game. And I'm really starting to like him in the role that he plays so well for the Suns. But watching Amare get into foul trouble makes me wonder if getting a big man wouldn't be a wiser use of salary cap room. I realize NBA big men are few and far between. What big men will be available this summer?
Amare has already stated he's a power forward and not a center. How long is he willing to play the center position for this team? Do you think it will impact his willingness to sign a long term contract this summer? If the Suns could get a defensive big man that can guard Shaq and Yao on the defensive end, they will be better off in the long run. That will free up Amare on defense and let him do what he does best. I guess it all comes back to what's available this summer.
Russ
The problem with not signing JJ is this. The Suns will be spending money on Amare, giving him a big contract. After this is done, the Suns will be at the salary cap limit for years to come, at least 5. So the Suns only option of adding a player that can help is the 5 mil exception and the draft. The Suns won’t be drafting low for a while and the Bulls were better than expected this past year so that pick will not be in the lottery.
The Suns best option is to sign JJ and then get a guy for the 5 mil exception. This will push them higher over the cap but the new owner appears to want to win more than money issues. If the Suns were able to sign JJ for a decent amount and Amare for Max, they would still be able to sign someone else to help the bench or to play center. This also gives them the option of trying to sign and trade JJ or Q for help under the basket. The question is whether it is better to sign JJ and maybe use the midlevel exception or to just let JJ walk and sign an all new player. I would rather see JJ signed and then the midlevel exception used. This would give the Suns the best team possible.
The best options at center or PF where the Suns need help are around this order:
Samuel Dalembert: 76ers
Stromile Swift: Grizzlies
Eddy Curry: Bulls
Donyell Marshall: Raptors
Dale Davis: Pacers
Ervin Johnson: T’Wolves
The Center market is really bad this upcoming season unless you have some money to throw around and most of the guys are young and unproven. Most of the better players this off season are shooting guards. Marshall and Johnson are the only ones on the above list that could end up in Phoenix by signing them. Marshall would cost the Suns the full midlevel and Johnson could probably be signed for the veteran minimum.
So if the Suns let JJ go, they wouldn’t be getting a guy back for the midlevel that could replace his production. The Suns could sign JJ and then get Marshall for a three year deal at the mid level, which would help the Suns.
The Suns are also looking at Chicago’s pick in this upcoming draft. They also have the rights to Milos Vujanic. If the Suns could package the Bulls pick with Vujanic and either a resigned JJ or Q for a center like Samuel Dalembert and other players, it could happen.
Amare doesn’t like saying he is a center or PF, he is a basketball player, whatever. So he can basically play anywhere under the basket and it would be great if the Suns could find a banger to put next to him. The problem is that their aren’t enough good bangers anymore.
So those are the options the Suns have this off-season of increasing the team, at least the options that appear available right now. Thanks for the email Russ and if anyone has any questions, just send them my way.
There isn’t going to be a game preview for tonight’s game against the Denver Nuggets. I’m just predicting that the Suns win by 5 and that it will be close. There will be game previews for the rest of the games this week. Each of which is against playoff teams.
Wed vs. Philadelphia
Fri vs. Minnesota
Sat at Houston
I’m OUT!
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