ESPN: Greatest Suns Team of All Time

[sportsgalorenet]

yeah, Amare is a great player..

 

[elindholm]

Also, although not relevant, Kareem Abdul Jabbar always spoke highly of AA and acknowledged he'd have loved to have the guy playing alongside of him.

Of course, if he were to play alongside Abdul-Jabbar, Adams would be at a smaller position than center....

 

[Mainstreet]

Adams was well before my time in Phoenix and mostly in a period I did not follow basetball. It sound like he was almost more of an SF than a center.

Was McLeod simply stubborn?

In the period from 83-84 until early 87-88 James Edwards was a backup center. He went from the Suns to Pistons and was part of Bad Boy team that won two NBA championships. He didn't have "great stats" in Phoenix, but he was pretty good with the Piston's.

They tried to make progress, but drafting guys like Nick Vanos in 85, Willaim Bedford drafted in 86, Armen Gilliam in 87 were disasters. The only drafted center of that period that did anything was Andrew Lang; but even he was just a journeyman. He went in the deal for Sir Charles, but stayed in the league a while.

The Suns got Edwads and Mark West though trades, but their worst trade was for a 6'11" white guy named Rick Robey.

Bedford and Gilliam were lottery picks. I don't know why they could't find a good big through the draft or do better through trading, but it sure wasn't due to lack of trying.

Just a few comments. Even though Alvin Adams was small for a center he played well as a high post center for the Suns with a nice shot from the top of the key and excellent passing skills to run the Suns offense. Edwards never impressed me as a center when he played for the Suns. As I recall Edwards played rather laid back. Nick Vanos died in a tragic plane crash. The Suns other big men were pretty much as described.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Of course, if he were to play alongside Abdul-Jabbar, Adams would be at a smaller position than center....

There's a 50 - 50 chance you're right. Yes, if AA joined Jabbar in Lakerland but what if Kareem moved to Phoenix? We all know the Suns play small at center by choice.

Seriously though, there was a reason I acknowledged it wasn't relevant. I figured it was worth mentioning just because it was such a favorite topic for Al McCoy. I think I even heard Chick bring it up a time or two.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

Nick Vanos died in a tragic plane crash.

Vanos's premature death has done wonders for his reputation. In fact he wasn't any better than any other fourth-rate center the Suns have trotted out over the years. That's nothing against him personally, since I've heard that he was a very fine human being.

 

[Mainstreet]

Vanos's premature death has done wonders for his reputation. In fact he wasn't any better than any other fourth-rate center the Suns have trotted out over the years. That's nothing against him personally, since I've heard that he was a very fine human being.

Nick Vanos was with the Suns for only two years. At the early age of only 24 (when he died) we'll never know the upside of the 7'2" center. I don't think it's fair to judge how he would have developed because the Suns clearly viewed him as a work in progress.

 

[elindholm]

Nick Vanos was with the Suns for only two years. At the early age of only 24 (when he died) we'll never know the upside of the 7'2" center. I don't think it's fair to judge how he would have developed because the Suns clearly viewed him as a work in progress.

Yes, that's certainly true; my point only is that they've had other 7' 2" young centers in the past as well. Had something tragic happened to Tsakalidis, who knows how well he might be remembered.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes, that's certainly true; my point only is that they've had other 7' 2" young centers in the past as well. Had something tragic happened to Tsakalidis, who knows how well he might be remembered.

Actually I can't remember anyone saying Nick Vanos would be the answer for the Suns at center. Many fans remember him fondly because of his tragic end. We got to see the ceiling of Tsakalidis. Suns fans never saw the ceiling of Vanos. However, you are right, death tends to bring the best hopes forward.

 

[BC867]

Even though Alvin Adams was small for a center he played well as a high post center for the Suns with a nice shot from the top of the key and excellent passing skills to run the Suns offense.

It is ironic that in evaluating Alvan Adams as a Center, you make no mention of defense or rebounding.

That in itself shows how mediocre he was in most aspects of the game.

 

[elindholm]

Adams became less effective as the league became bigger and more physical during his career. He lit the league up with 19/9/6 as a rookie, but that was all the way back in 1975-76. By the time he reached the end of his career in the late 80s, he was too routinely overpowered by the opposition.

Competent 7-footers used to be so rare that a guy like Tree Rollins, who never averaged either 10 points or 10 rebounds, could enjoy a respected career for nearly two decades. (He was a formidable shot blocker only during his first few season.) The novelty of extreme height has now become commonplace, which is bad news for unskilled bigs as well as undersized skill guys.