Don't Trade Amare!

[goldseraph]

I don't know why everyone is so eager to trade Amare. The Jefferson trade idea was reasonable, but that has been shot down and now people are even drooling over an Amare for Jeff Green + Garbage trade. Sure, things went sour for the Suns last year and Amare has an injury history, but do we not remember the flashes of old Amare last year?

For the month of February, before the eye injury, he averaged 23.5 pts, 8.3 rebs on 55% shooting and 88% FT shooting including a 42 pt, 11 reb effort the last game he played.

Everyone was excited about our prospects at that point, and I bet if the Suns come out next season and were like 15-5 with Amare and Nash in there, nobody would want to trade anyone.

The only person we really need to deal is Shaq and/or JRich to get younger and get cap relief.

 

[Austin]

People can't seem to get the Boston game where Amare had 2 points and 0 rebounds out of their head from last year and think he is complete crap. In the 2 games I saw him play in under Alvin Gentry, He was a monster! This year he is playing a contract year and is gonna go off no matter what the Suns look like. I say keep him and let him pad his stats and help us towards winning a championship. Shaq's the one to go IMHO. He's our biggest contract and most sought after player by other teams, so let's get rid of him and pick up some defencive big men and let Amare play for his contract.

 

[arwillan]

People can't seem to get the Boston game where Amare had 2 points and 0 rebounds out of their head from last year and think he is complete crap. In the 2 games I saw him play in under Alvin Gentry, He was a monster! This year he is playing a contract year and is gonna go off no matter what the Suns look like. I say keep him and let him pad his stats and help us towards winning a championship. Shaq's the one to go IMHO. He's our biggest contract and most sought after player by other teams, so let's get rid of him and pick up some defencive big men and let Amare play for his contract.

Let Amare pad his stats and help us towards a championship? Idk if you've realized it or not, but we haven't won anything. We haven't even made it to the finals since Barkley left. We probably won't be in contention for a title for quite some time now, either.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Championship? Are you serious? Championship?

Get something for Amare now or watch him walk away for nothing in a year after we land in the lottery. His time in Phoenix is done.

 

[Michael]

I agree with you on not trading Amar'e.

I don't think the championship is a realistic goal, but I believe we can be competitive and make it far if we can keep the team, won't have injuries or chemistry problems.

The players seemed so different after Gentry took over last year that I'd love to see them playing out a full season.
Leandro seemed like reborn while Steve and Amar'e (in the few games he played) were a lot better than in the first half of the season. Not to mention how J-Rich is gonna do after a full offseason with the team.
And with Shaq and Grant we wouldn't lose a beat in half-court.

Didn't we have the best offensive efficiency in the last 20 years or something like that in last season's second half?

Let's keep the roster, see what Gentry can do about defense and see how we go. If bad comes to worse we can still trade mid-season.

 

[Ronin]

I bet if the Suns come out next season and were like 15-5 with Amare and Nash in there, nobody would want to trade anyone.

I would but thats just me.

 

[devilalum]

Championship? Are you serious? Championship?

Get something for Amare now or watch him walk away for nothing in a year after we land in the lottery. His time in Phoenix is done.

Even if the Suns could extend Amare there are way to many red flags to risk making him the franchise player. He's gonna want Max money and I believe would stay if the Suns offered it but that would be a big mistake.

Amare's trade value is probably about as high as it's going to get. What the Suns need to do now is acquire cheap young talented pieces. Not necessarily all stars but second tier type guys. If the Suns could trade Amare for a quality starter and a pick that could be used to select a quality starter, clear cap room, pick up Nash's option for ONE more year, keep Shaq and let him expire then they would be in an ideal position to pursue a top free agent next summer.

 

[Covert Rain]

I am all for keeping Amare but only under 2 conditions.

1. You surround him with a deep defensive starting unit.
2. He very very rarely plays center.

Amare IMO will never be a good defender and defense wins titles. So that means Amare needs to be on a deep defensive minded team. Also, Amare should never play center. His defense is even worse at that position and if Amare is playing center that means we are playing small ball again which will never lead to a title.

I just don't think the above is EVER going to happen. If you were breaking my arm and said I had to trade either Amare or Nash it's a no brainer. It should be Nash. However, since nobody is breaking it, I would try move, Nash, Amare and Shaq. Start over with defensive minded guys.

 

[Rab]

I would like to keep Amare here as well. He's our most talented player. His injury history isn't as bad as some suggest.

At this point I would rather trade Nash. I love him as a player, but I think it's time to part ways.

 

[nashman]

Did you honestly say his injury history isn't as bad as some suggest? Really? His knees are definately going to need MORE work and who knows whats going to happen with his eyes. Most importantly the guys game is offense and he heavily relies on his athleticism to achieve it, which without question is going to continue to diminish from the Amare some still seem to think he is! Trade him if you can get a good deal don't do it just to do it.

 

[overseascardfan]

Well the MIN deal got shot down, WAS is the best partner but I don't think the package they offered was as good as rumored. Unless someone comes up with something soon I don't think he will be traded.

I am actually for trading him rather than losing him for nothing next year, don't like the OKC deal people mentioned, we could get a good wing at #14, hopefully someone makes a good offer before the draft.

 

[Rab]

Did you honestly say his injury history isn't as bad as some suggest? Really? His knees are definately going to need MORE work and who knows whats going to happen with his eyes. Most importantly the guys game is offense and he heavily relies on his athleticism to achieve it, which without question is going to continue to diminish from the Amare some still seem to think he is! Trade him if you can get a good deal don't do it just to do it.

He's one of the more successful post microfracture cases there is. If he had the surgery 5-10 years ago, then I'd be more worried. Microfracture isn't the kiss of death it once was as long as proper time and rehab is taking in coming back.

The eye injury was a freak thing, and can probably be prevented by wearing his goggles. He's been pretty durable other than the ankle sprain his second year, and training camp.

 

[DevilPrideBAS]

I agree 100% with this post. I am amazed how everyone is so anxious to trade our most talented player. If we want any chance of being a contender he must stay on our team. There is no way we should trade STAT before we dump shaq and/or nash.

 

[pokerface]

To Amare supporters its all about his scoring and to keep the Suns treading water. They dont care we have to sign him to a rediculous contract extension....they dont care if his knee goes out before the ink dries (like the first time). They don't care about his lacking defense or medicore rebounding. I mean uhh...do they really want us to build around this guy??

 

[cly2tw]

To Amare supporters its all about his scoring and to keep the Suns treading water. They dont care we have to sign him to a rediculous contract extension....they dont care if his knee goes out before the ink dries (like the first time). They don't care about his lacking defense or medicore rebounding. I mean uhh...do they really want us to build around this guy??

If it's market value to give him a max contract, then it should be no problem to deal his max contract for other assets on the market later. Unless you signed him over the market like Magics did Lewis or we did Marion in the first place. I don't understand your heavy concern about that part. What you call Amare supporters are apparently just more savvy about the business that's NBA.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I am all for keeping Amare.

In fact, I would like to publicly state that I would be fully content with keeping the team together and giving Gentry an entire season, and wouldn't be surprised if it happened.

Sure, we probably won't win the title next year, but do you really see a combination of moves in one offseason that would guarantee enough talent, chemistry and domination to get us in the finals?

Let them have a year together, let contracts expire, and blow it up then.

Amare may opt out next season, and that's fine. Because just like Marion, no one else is going to offer him more than we can. We won't offer him a max contract, and im pretty other GMs are of equal or greater smarts of our GM.

We have talent and expirings, and keep trying to find scenarios that will yield us talent and expirings.

Next offseason is going to be crazy, we don't need two crazy offseasons when the latter is going to inevitably be a complete rebuild anyway.

Let's trade Lopez though.

 

[pokerface]

Oh give it another year..another year...its always the same thing. Meanwhile, the team is more boring than ever and falling further behind other teams.

 

[pokerface]

If it's market value to give him a max contract, then it should be no problem to deal his max contract for other assets on the market later. Unless you signed him over the market like Magics did Lewis or we did Marion in the first place. I don't understand your heavy concern about that part. What you call Amare supporters are apparently just more savvy about the business that's NBA.

I don't think the Suns management are interesting in extending Amare hence the numerous trade rumors surrounding him...but they arn't as savvy as the fans wanting to keep Amare so who knows.

 

[HooverDam]

Sure, we probably won't win the title next year, but do you really see a combination of moves in one offseason that would guarantee enough talent, chemistry and domination to get us in the finals?

Um no, but whos suggesting that? That rarely happens, Boston landing KG and Ray Allen a few off seasons ago was the extremely rare exception to the rule.

Let them have a year together, let contracts expire, and blow it up then.

So the Suns should blow it up after the contracts have expired and they have no assets, no 2010 draft pick, and have completely shot themselves in the foot? Im going to say that plan is a few feet short of brilliant.

Because just like Marion, no one else is going to offer him more than we can.

Amare can be part of the 2010 FA class. A lot of teams are clearing space for that, and a lot of teams aren't going to get LeBron and Wade, Amare will be in the next group of highly coveted guys that some GM will pay a ton of cash too.

We have talent and expirings, and keep trying to find scenarios that will yield us talent and expirings.

Huh? We have one expiring in Shaq and not much talent. What people like myself have proposed is finding moves that can return expirings just for the sake of match of salaries, not as some goal unto themselves. Then, try to bring back young talent (something the Suns are short on) and draft picks (something the Suns are incredibly short on).

Next offseason is going to be crazy, we don't need two crazy offseasons when the latter is going to inevitably be a complete rebuild anyway.

This just doesn't make any sense. The Suns can't do a lot in the summer of 2009 because they're going to do a lot in the summer of 2010? When did that become a rule or an advisable strategy?

The Suns have got some players now who are either at their trade value peak, or have already passed it, they need to unload them sooner rather than later. The Cavs are already looking to ship Wallace and Pavlovich to NJ for Vince Carter, perhaps possibly because Kerr and our idiotic Front Office wasn't aggressive in when dealing with them.

 

[shazaam6]

Good thread to flush out all the haters. I will listen to reason but make a legit argument once in a while. Nash has the most deficiency defense wise and you know who is always calling Amare out on his defense. The only defense for Nash, which isn't even a legit defense, is that he doesn't have the ability/athletic talent to play defense but he tries hard so Amare should go. We'll see.

I hope Kerr and Sarver know that Barbosa and Amare are exciting, rare basketball talents. If they trade them they had better get something better or else many Suns fans I know will quickly lose interest. Suns have been on the map because of their exciting offense led by Nash, but when you lose all the complementary players that could play reasonable defense-Marion, KT, Bell, and surprisingly Diaw, you have a huge weakness or fatal flaw in the TEAM. Amare and Nash need defensive players around them and the defensive players need Amare and Nash to have a successful TEAM. Obvious to me but what do I know I just play simple league and pickup basketball but the most successful teams always seem to have the least weaknesses.

Add to our strengths, don't trade one strength for another. Just my opinion.

 

[pokerface]

Good thread to flush out all the haters. I will listen to reason but make a legit argument once in a while. Nash has the most deficiency defense wise and you know who is always calling Amare out on his defense. The only defense for Nash, which isn't even a legit defense, is that he doesn't have the ability/athletic talent to play defense but he tries hard so Amare should go. We'll see.

Don't you think it's far more important to have a defensive minded big man versus a defensive point guard?? I mean c'mon already....Besides that, Nash not only scores but makes the rest of the team better...thats why he gets more of a pass.


But whatever, trade Nash and Amare both for all I care!

 

[mojorizen7]

Don't you think it's far more important to have a defensive minded big man versus a defensive point guard?? I mean c'mon already....Besides that, Nash not only scores but makes the rest of the team better...thats why he gets more of a pass.


But whatever, trade Nash and Amare both for all I care!

I'm not sure which is the bigger need....probably at the rim.
I know having both just makes sense if you want to build a solid defensive team. You've got to be able to defend at the point of attack.....and at the rim. Our best defenders have been SF's(Marion,Hill,Barnes,Dudley) and that just isn't gettin' it done as a team.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Oh give it another year..another year...its always the same thing. Meanwhile, the team is more boring than ever and falling further behind other teams.

Um no, but whos suggesting that? That rarely happens, Boston landing KG and Ray Allen a few off seasons ago was the extremely rare exception to the rule.

So the Suns should blow it up after the contracts have expired and they have no assets, no 2010 draft pick, and have completely shot themselves in the foot? Im going to say that plan is a few feet short of brilliant.

Amare can be part of the 2010 FA class. A lot of teams are clearing space for that, and a lot of teams aren't going to get LeBron and Wade, Amare will be in the next group of highly coveted guys that some GM will pay a ton of cash too.

Huh? We have one expiring in Shaq and not much talent. What people like myself have proposed is finding moves that can return expirings just for the sake of match of salaries, not as some goal unto themselves. Then, try to bring back young talent (something the Suns are short on) and draft picks (something the Suns are incredibly short on).

This just doesn't make any sense. The Suns can't do a lot in the summer of 2009 because they're going to do a lot in the summer of 2010? When did that become a rule or an advisable strategy?

The Suns have got some players now who are either at their trade value peak, or have already passed it, they need to unload them sooner rather than later. The Cavs are already looking to ship Wallace and Pavlovich to NJ for Vince Carter, perhaps possibly because Kerr and our idiotic Front Office wasn't aggressive in when dealing with them.

Haters, they gonna hate.

 

[HooverDam]

Haters, they gonna hate.

Well thats a well reasoned, thoughtful response.

I am the furthest thing from an Amare hater. Ive said multiple times Im all for the Suns building with him, but if they can get a good deal for him, they ought to consider it. Your plan is quite honestly, stupid. If the Suns go forward with it, they're in for years of mediocrity like the Jason Kidd years, do you really want to relive that?

 

[mjb21aztd]

Yeah I hope we keep the team togather one more year and see how we do under Alvin Gentry a full year under his system. It's a shame Terry Porter did not work for us but I think if we keep Amare and the rest of the team togather we will do good under Gentry this year and make the playoff's. I also hope Lopez works out still have little faith in him not much though lol.

I am looking forward to next year GO SUNS