Dalembert

[Bada0Bing]

IF we don't get Kobe I think we should save all of our hard earned "cap room" for next year. I think Sam Dalembert would be a great fit with the core of Amare/Marion/JJ.

We could play very aggresive D on the perimeter. If you get past your defender you would meet Amare. Get past Amare and you would meet Dalembert. Not a bad line of defense.

Bring back Outlaw at a reasonable price. I think he liked it in Phoenix and he was a real sparkplug and leader for the young players.

There seems to be more players available next year that would fit with the current Suns players. McInnis, Ratliff, Miles, Marshall to think of a few. Not max players of course, we have a couple already and rarely are they available to sign as free agents, but guys who could come in and fill a role.

Add two top draft picks from 2005 and you could really start to form a contending team if Amare develops into the star we all think he will.

 

[F-Dog]

I doubt the Suns will be able to take Dalembert away from Philadelphia. The Sixers are a large-market team, I believe they're over the cap already and don't mind, and Dalembert could easily be their MVP next year.

The Suns' only chance would be if Dalembert looks so bad next year that nobody on this board even wants him anymore.

 

[Bada0Bing]

The sixers are in luxury tax range and I don't think they want to pay the tax. Just trying to throw some hope out there for next year.

 

[George O'Brien]

The sixers are in luxury tax range and I don't think they want to pay the tax. Just trying to throw some hope out there for next year.

Dalembert is not totally out of the question, but it would mean taking a really ugly contract in the bargain.

 

[coloradosun]

I would save some money next year for Ratliff. Sure he's going to 32 years old but to me he does not look it. The benefit of him being older is that he has gone through a contract that was 10M a year and banked a lot of cash. Once players get to this point in their career and have not experienced winning, they probably have more imput with their agents to move them to a franchise that they fit in with and can get them into the playoffs. The centers available this summer may be younger but they are asking for that 8-10M dollar contract and don't necessarily want to be on a winning team they will entertain offers from teams that can afford them. I can see Okur in Utah, Blount in Orlando and Dampier end up in LA but who knows if the Lakers can actuallly win without Shaq.

If the Suns get into the playoffs next year they become more attractive to someone like Theo, who could move the team even deeper into the playoffs. Theo has never been to the playoffs we could take him there.

Wait for Theo.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Yeah, Ratliff is my second choice after Dalembert. Amare needs a tall shot blocking, rebounding center that doesn't need many shots.

Ratliff probably has a bit of a chip on his shoulder after getting traded from the sixers when they made their run to the finals.

 

[coloradosun]

I would not question any trade the Suns make to get this guy. Marion and Voskuhl for Theo and one of the Russians they drafted.

I'm not sure where they stand with Miles, if they choose not to match his offers maybe they would take Marion.

Maybe we should sign Miles to an offer sheet.

 

[slinslin]

Ratliff is getting old and injury prone. And besides blocking shots he does nothing well really.

Everytime I see Ratliff he is getting in foul trouble quickly as well and it doesn't look like he intimidates players driving to the hoop despite averaging a lot of blocks.

 

[coloradosun]

If he's getting in foul trouble he's doing his job, enforcing the lane. Doing the dirty work. On offense all he needs to do is set picks and grab rebounds. That's all we need out of a 32 year old center.

 

[Bada0Bing]

I'm from Oregon, so I tend to watch Blazer games when they're on TV. Ratliff changed their team when he arrived. I can't remember him being injured last year, but I may be wrong. He may only block 2-3 shots per game, but he alters many others.

He's also a good rebounder. Besides blocks, rebounds and defense what else do you expect from him?

 

[slinslin]

We need our center to keep the other teams defense honest as well instead of collapsing on Amare all the time.
I don't think Ratliff can do that. His offense is about as raw as Bo Outlaw. Probably worse since Bo isn't a bad passer and ball handler really.

And 7 rebounds a game at over 30mpg isn't good really. Ratliff never even touched 9rpg in any season of his career.
He is not a good rebounder.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Ratliff is only 31. Aren't the Suns having a cow because of how "young" they are?

 

[slinslin]

But he isn't FA until NEXT year.

 

[coloradosun]

That's exactly what the Suns need out of a center.

I watched a few Portland games last year and specificly watched Theo. In Portlands offense they had him at the top of the key making picks not setting up low and posting up. It worked well for Zach Randolph, enough to make him one of the most improved players in the league. We'll have JJ and Marion or any other small forward if he is traded making the feeds, like Derek Anderson and Damon Stoudamire did in their offense.

 

[Bada0Bing]

But he isn't FA until NEXT year.

My whole point is that they need to save the cap space for next year.

 

[coloradosun]

Marion and Stoudamire both average around 9.5 rebounds a game, the center just has to pull down his share. There are only so many rebounds to go around

Last year against the Kings Amare, Marion and Dice had 30 rebounds, that's a lot for a front line.

Ratliff is 10M, isn't Marion 10M, a trade now is offset, cap space remains the same. What do we need right away, a center. JJ and Ratliff can make up for Marion's points and rebounds. I think JJ will become more of a factor in the offense once Marion is gone.

 

[Joe Mama]

I'm from Oregon, so I tend to watch Blazer games when they're on TV. Ratliff changed their team when he arrived. I can't remember him being injured last year, but I may be wrong. He may only block 2-3 shots per game, but he alters many others.

He's also a good rebounder. Besides blocks, rebounds and defense what else do you expect from him?

I agree. Ratliff completely changed that team. If they had had him healthy all year long in a Blazer's uniform they would have easily made the playoffs. The problem with Ratliff is that over his career he has been incredibly injury prone.

The difference between his offense and Outlaw's is that he has confidence in his shot from 10-15 feet if he's open. I also don't think there's any possibility that Portland is going to trade him. You think they don't realize how he changed their team? The Suns need to find somebody who has that kind of effect on their team though. Players like that don't grow on trees however.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Marion and Stoudamire both average around 9.5 rebounds a game, the center just has to pull down his share. There are only so many rebounds to go around

Last year against the Kings Amare, Marion and Dice had 30 rebounds, that's a lot for a front line.

Ratliff is 10M, isn't Marion 10M, a trade now is offset, cap space remains the same. What do we need right away, a center. JJ and Ratliff can make up for Marion's points and rebounds. I think JJ will become more of a factor in the offense once Marion is gone.

The Blazers LOVE Ratliff. Why do people think there is any chance in the world they would trade him?

 

[Bada0Bing]

The Blazers LOVE Ratliff. Why do people think there is any chance in the world they would trade him?

He's a free agent next year. Sign him then.

 

[George O'Brien]

He's a free agent next year. Sign him then.

The Blazers will have his Bird rights and he is not cheap. $10.9 million.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Where else are the Suns going to spend their $$?

 

[JCSunsfan]

We often underestimate the value of a shot blocker.

Ratliff changed Portland.

Likewise, Camby should get alot of the credit for Denver's turnaround.

To a certain extent Dice should get some credit for making a difference in Phoenix.

 

[coloradosun]

Get Ratliff Now

But does he want to be in Portland. My point is that a guy that has already collected on his second contract ( where they make the most money) does not usually stay for the money. He may relocate where ever he wants to in the league. A guy like this has no connection to Portland, he has only been there a few months, did not get them into the playoffs. Who is to say that Portland is not going to lose him anyway as a free agent. He became trade bait with Atlanta and with an expiring contract with Portland he may get shipped off again in the middle of the season if he does not make a commitment. Let's get him before the season starts so that he becomes a part of a team that gets to the playoffs, I would think that he would resign. If Portland makes in to the playoffs odds are better that he reups with them.

Just looked at the past two years and Ratliff played in 81 games in the 02-03 season and 82 games last year. The prior year he played in only 3 because of repairs to a nagging injury that limited him to 50 and 56 games in the prior seasons. It looks to me that the injury that was bothering him is repaired. I just never believe people when they say this guy always get hurt.

Get Ratliff Now!!!!!

 

[George O'Brien]

I like Ratliff but I don't love him. He's a lot like Camby in that he is a long string bean. He is listed at 6'10" 235. He is a very good shot blocker but not a GREAT rebounder, 7.3 rpg, and is not strong enough to keep really big opponents out of the paint. His shot blocking is more than impressive, but the rest of his game at 7.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg are just a bit above overage for a starting center.

He'd be nice to have but I'm not convinced he worth the $10 million he's getting.

 

[coloradosun]

If you want to look at rebound stat lets look at what Marion was doing before Amare arrived. He was averaging around 9.5-10 rebounds a game. When Amare started collecting 9 rebounds a game Marions numbers declined a little. There are only some many rebounds to go around in a game. The numbers for Theo may be a bit misleading because in Portland's offense he was out a the free throw line setting picks, limiting his opportunities to get offensive rebounds. If Marion is gone Amare rebound numbers will probably go up and if we can consistently get 7.2 from Theo, it is probably a wash.

You say that Theo is a stringbean just because of weight, well you must not have seen on TV. His build is very similar to McDyess, he has got some guns. He may be only 235 but it is all muscle.

If we trade for him this year then he will cost us 10M, I see the potential to resign him next year at something closer to 7M for 3 or 4 years. That's why I would like to have him in our camp this year so that resigning next year would most likely be easier.

Like I said I would not object to trading Marion for him because I see a lot redundancy in Marion and JJ. If we sign Brent Barry then I would say that we definitely make the Marion-Ratliff deal.