Gentry:"Guard who guards you, like elementary school."

[lou_skywalker]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2009/03/29/20090329spt-suns.html

defense has been and remains a problem for the Suns. This is getting pathetic and we must make drastic changes this offseason even if its trading our beloved core for picks and new players.

What do you think?

 

[Ninjafish]

I thought our beloved core was already broken up and drastic changes were made and that's why we're in this predicament in the first place.

 

[Roca Dolla]

hahahaha see yall next season! without nash and shaq!!!

 

[Mainstreet]

I thought our beloved core was already broken up and drastic changes were made and that's why we're in this predicament in the first place.

The Suns are now just like scrambled eggs with Kerr making FO decisions. Just trading or selling all those draft picks away sickens me. How can Suns fans feel good about the upcoming draft, making reasonable trades or making another coaching decision with Kerr steering the ship?

 

[AzKarl]

Do we even have a 1st round pick this year?

I thought it was traded when we unloaded Kurt Thomas's contract etc.. Can anyone confirm what draft picks we do have? I think we are screwed if we end up in the lottery because someone else owns the pick.

 

[elindholm]

No, it's next year that the Suns are screwed because someone else (OKC) owns their lottery pick. The Suns do have their own first-round pick this summer.

 

[slinslin]

I thought our beloved core was already broken up and drastic changes were made and that's why we're in this predicament in the first place.

Nope you are wrong, the changes weren't drastic enough that is the problem.

They made minor changes, got a defensive minded hard nosed coach and thought that would be enough to change the mentality of this team.

Unfortunately some players like Nash, Bell and Barbosa were just bad at slow pace, they started bitching, Nash was like I said much worse , a turnover machine in the slow paced games and a defensive liabitity which is a killer combo.

So in order to somewhat save the season they fired Porter and folded the plan to play some defense and slow the game down to win a championship, unfortunately in hindsight this will be a bad move because they are back at zero unless Gentry can enforce a defensive philosophy after this roster is purged off the one dimensional run and gun players.

 

[Ninjafish]

Nope you are wrong, the changes weren't drastic enough that is the problem.

They made minor changes, got a defensive minded hard nosed coach and thought that would be enough to change the mentality of this team.

They made gigantic changes. In 2007, we had a championship level team, two years later and we only have three players from that team (Two of which are injured).

So in order to somewhat save the season they fired Porter and folded the plan to play some defense and slow the game down to win a championship, unfortunately in hindsight this will be a bad move because they are back at zero unless Gentry can enforce a defensive philosophy after this roster is purged off the one dimensional run and gun players.

Or maybe it wouldn't have been a bad move if Amare hadn't got injured. Maybe they score 140 on every team until they win the championship. Who knows.

 

[cly2tw]

Gentry had himself to blame. If he recognized lack of energy and defensive problem, didn't he know that all started with Nash? I'm not blaming it on Nash since he can't do much better there, but the coach gotta rest Nash for better defense in a back2back. Look how many minutes the starters played! How could you ask them to be better than what they did on defense in b2b game?

 

[shazaam6]

Shaq "It starts with the man on the ball."

Shaq Nash

 

[lou_skywalker]

Shaq "It starts with the man on the ball."

Shaq Nash

lol yeah unfortunately Nash's age limits his effectiveness on defense even if he works his ass off. He just gets shaken by young PGs like CP3 or D-Will.
He has been great for us, but I think we should let him explore other options.
His departure would be painful, but it would surely help the Suns to rebuild.

 

[mojorizen7]

Shaq "It starts with the man on the ball."

Shaq Nash

I was wondering when someone was going to mention this little big tidbit from that article.
Ouch.

 

[shazaam6]

Nash could say "Free throws are the easiest shot in basketball. No one is guarding you, so how can someone miss so many free points?" How many games would have been wins if Shaq could average 75%?

Shaq is right but he shouldn't be pointing out others shortcomings in print.

 

[arwillan]

Let's hope nash and or shaq can be packaged for a higher first-rounder this year. Lawson will probably be available a few spots above where we're drafting, but moving up that little wouldn't be worth packaging shaq or nash for. If we could come out with Thabeet, I'd be thrilled. Amare and Thabeet together could really be something if Thabeet turns out to be the Camby type player a lot of people hope/think he will be.

 

[Sunburn]

Y do you think we can get Thabeet or Lawson?

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I would loooooove thabeet here if we can find our way up in the draft

 

[shazaam6]

Shaq isn't a great defender anyway he shouldn't be talking. What if Amare had said it instead of Shaq. At least Amare talks about improving his own defense and not pointing out others faults.

Wouldn't Shaq's 20 million expiring contract be valuable to us or to another team? Shouldn't we expect to get something really good in a trade or just let it expire and have 20 million off the payroll to sign some free agents in 2010?

Sarver will have Kerr call around and give up our 2009 1st round pick and Barbosa to have Shaq's 20 million contract taken off the books for next year.

Can Sarver just sell Shaq's contract to the Lakers for a couple of cheap players and cash to equal 20 million?

Shaq's top 10 moments of 08/09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmUHvaHPa4Y&feature=dir

 

[slinslin]

I wouldn't mind to trade up for Thabeet either but probably not in the top5.

But it will take more than that to become a defensive team and it starts with the offense, pace and players who can only play effective basketball at a fast pace..

 

[Covert Rain]

lol yeah unfortunately Nash's age limits his effectiveness on defense even if he works his ass off. He just gets shaken by young PGs like CP3 or D-Will.
He has been great for us, but I think we should let him explore other options.
His departure would be painful, but it would surely help the Suns to rebuild.

Nash's limited defensive ability limits Nash's effectiveness on defense (not just age). Everything else I agree with. Get what you can now. Anybody who thinks this team can retool around an aging PG and Shaq is crazy. Unless we could pull off some sort of blockbuster trade with Amare that would bring back multiple pieces in return. I just don't see it happening if the offers the Suns were getting for Amare were any indication.

 

[jandaman]

Get Butler and their first round pick + filler for Stoudemire.

Arenas, Jamison and Stoudemire is a nightmare in the East, 2 "bigs" who can play SF/PF/C between them 2 who are 30 point threaths nightly... and Arenas who is a deadset scorer and has shown capabilities to make passes.

Give them Barbosa too...

 

[Cheesewater]

Give them Barbosa too...

Did you bump your head?

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Get Butler and their first round pick + filler for Stoudemire.

Arenas, Jamison and Stoudemire is a nightmare in the East, 2 "bigs" who can play SF/PF/C between them 2 who are 30 point threaths nightly... and Arenas who is a deadset scorer and has shown capabilities to make passes.

Give them Barbosa too...

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