How deep are the Suns(when healthy)

[Goldfield]

Just guessing we get Salmons & sign Lampe. I see a rotation like this...

Amare/KT/Lampe
Marion/Amare/Diaw
Diaw/Marion/Jr
Bell/Barbosa/Jr(I think he plays SG over Salmons because of the 3 ball)
Nash/Barbosa/Salmons

Amare is the key. If he is healthy we are deeeep. If not we are good but still small with little help up front...

 

[panfolk]

Personally I see

Nash/Salmons/Barbosa
Bell/Barbosa/Salmons
Marion/Diaw/JR/Salmons
Amare/Diaw/Marion
KT/Diaw/Amare/Lampe/Burke

with Diaw winning the sixth man award I think with a healthy KT and Amare JR is squeezed out of the rotation for the most part

 

[Folster]

I'm not a fan of depth charts that list the same players multiple times at different postions. It's misleading by making us look deeper than we actually are because we have so many players that can play multiple positions. A couple injuries and the depth chart dries up real quickly.

I prefer

Nash, Salmons?
Bell, Barbs
Marion, JJ, Ski
Stoudemire
Diaw, KT, Burke

TT would have been nice at the 4 spot. I think it's a more accurate look at our depth.

 

[Nasser22]

I say:
Diaw/KT/Lampe
Amare/Marion/Diaw
Marion/Salmons
Bell/James Jones
Nash/Barbosa


Something like that. Marion and Amare are better at their own positions and after that surgery I wouldn't want to put Amare at a position that's tougher for him. Salmons should get playing time as the back-up shooting guard and Barbosa will be in when Nash is resting. Salmons' offense should be better playing on the Suns. D'Antoni and the rest of the coaching staff still likes Barbosa at PG for some reason so that is where he will stay at. I expect Diaw and Salmons to handle the ball most of the time though. You could switch Salmons and Jones' position even though I expect both to get plenty of playing time.

That's a pretty good line-up right there with nice depth if Amare can play well.

I don't really disagree with you, I'm just changing the line-up around a bit.


Edit: Diaw is too good not to start but Kurt is important to the D and he will get a lot of PT also. It would be good to cut down on his minutes just a bit because of his age and we'll need him more in the playoffs.

 

[panfolk]

I'm not a fan of depth charts that list the same players multiple times at different postions. It's misleading by making us look deeper than we actually are because we have so many players that can play multiple positions. A couple injuries and the depth chart dries up real quickly.

I prefer

Nash, Salmons?
Bell, Barbs
Marion, JJ, Ski
Stoudemire
Diaw, KT, Burke

TT would have been nice at the 4 spot. I think it's a more accurate look at our depth.

Skita was waived... and though it is deceptive in the way you mentioned it's also more accurate in showing how the minutes will break down IMHO.

 

[Folster]

Ski is Piatkowski.
Anyone with the polish ski on the end of their name I call ski.

 

[Nasser22]

I think all Piatkowski will be doing with the Suns is sharing jokes with Pat Burke on the bench and waving his towel when Amare goes for a dunk.

 

[Folster]

I think all Piatkowski will be doing with the Suns is sharing jokes with Pat Burke on the bench and waving his towel when Amare goes for a dunk.

That's why I have him number three in the sf spot. I could see him getting some time though.

 

[panfolk]

Ski is Piatkowski.
Anyone with the polish ski on the end of their name I call ski.

Aha, you had him at SF instead of SG which is what confused me.

 

[nathan]

Nash/Barbosa
Bell/Salmons
Marion/Jones/Piatkowski
Diaw/Lampe
Stoudemire/Thomas/Burke

I wouldn't mind another PF/C to replace Burke as Thomas is the only decent interior defender.

 

[Folster]

I thought he was a sf at 6'7", if not I'll move him to the two.

edit: ahh just checked it, he's a tweener.

 

[Nasser22]

That's why I have him number three in the sf spot. I could see him getting some time though.

Sorry, just interpreted it wrong. I'm sure he could be in there a few games if they need an extra shooter for like 5 minutes. I'm just not too happy about that signing even though it was for the minimum. It's been a boring off-season for me.

 

[Goldfield]

I say:
Diaw/KT/Lampe
Amare/Marion/Diaw
Marion/Salmons
Bell/James Jones
Nash/Barbosa


Something like that. Marion and Amare are better at their own positions and after that surgery I wouldn't want to put Amare at a position that's tougher for him. Salmons should get playing time as the back-up shooting guard and Barbosa will be in when Nash is resting. Salmons' offense should be better playing on the Suns. D'Antoni and the rest of the coaching staff still likes Barbosa at PG for some reason so that is where he will stay at. I expect Diaw and Salmons to handle the ball most of the time though. You could switch Salmons and Jones' position even though I expect both to get plenty of playing time.

That's a pretty good line-up right there with nice depth if Amare can play well.

I don't really disagree with you, I'm just changing the line-up around a bit.


Edit: Diaw is too good not to start but Kurt is important to the D and he will get a lot of PT also. It would be good to cut down on his minutes just a bit because of his age and we'll need him more in the playoffs.

I think it makes sence to NOT play Amare at center to protect him so to speak.

I think Diaw Marion & Amare will be our "main" front court next year with KT giving rests to any of the three since they are all interchangable...

I think Jr will get the nod at SF being 6'8" and pretty active inside IMO. I also think his shooting will get him time at SG alittle.

Salmons will play a big role helping rest Nash. But I think Barbosa will get alot of time at both guard spots.

But I know one thing. This team will have alot of combinations available.

 

[panfolk]

Does Lampe have the speed to guard PFs right now? Is that what he's playing in the Summer Leagues? I thought with the mention of him on Aldridge that they would both be the biggest guy on the floor for their respective teams.

 

[Goldfield]

Lampe is pretty athletic I think he could play both 4 & 5

Not to mention he can flat out shoot if nothing else. Which would fit in with Amare inside.

 

[F-Dog]

I'm not a fan of depth charts that list the same players multiple times at different postions.

Me either.

G: Nash, Raja, Barbosa, Salmons?
F: Marion, Diaw, J.Jones
C: Amare, KT

The other guys aren't getting meaningful minutes, even if the Suns have injuries. That includes Lampe if the team signs him.

The Suns still need one more legit player IMO. A shooting forward like Jumaine Jones would be perfect--even KVH would be all right, on a one-year deal--but they could also sign another guard (Banks? Delk?) and move Salmons to forward.

 

[panfolk]

Or they could obey the sig and sign CJ Seriously, I'd prefer Banks.

 

[Nasser22]

Lampe is better than Keith Van Horn. I'd rather have him get some minutes.


Edit: Banks would be okay I guess...

 

[Folster]

With CJ, the Ski signing would be horrible.

 

[F-Dog]

Or they could obey the sig and sign CJ Seriously, I'd prefer Banks.

Me too, but he's going to be expensive.

The advantage with CJ is, he'll take the minimum, and he's already proven he can make D'Antoni's rotation (and not kill the team while he's in there). I don't see another minimum-salary player on the market who's capable of providing useful depth for this team, this year.

 

[panfolk]

We might not get the chance to sign CJ as he is with the Nuggets summer team and if he impresses at all they could sure use him.

 

[F-Dog]

With CJ, the Ski signing would be horrible.

PK might be OK in an emergency role, but he wasn't a viable regular last season, and I don't see why that would change this season.

 

[panfolk]

So could we have

Nash/Salmons
Bell/Barbosa/CJ/Ski
Marion/JR
Amare/Diaw
KT/Lampe/Burke

with an additional 7 foot scrub thrown in for luck? That shouldn't break the bank, right?

 

[George O'Brien]

I hate this way of evaluating depth. Draft Express uses the: inside, wing, and point designations. Even that's limited when looking at the Suns. Assuming the Suns actually get Salmons (not confirmed as yet)

Rotation:
Inside: Stoudemire, Diaw, KT
Wing: Marion, Jones, Bell
PG: Nash, Barbosa, Salmons

Marion and Jones can go inside
Barbosa and Salmons can play off the ball

That's a nine man rotation. PK, Burke, and perhaps Lampe would not be expected to be rotation players. That's 12.

Right now I'd expect the 13th slot to be a minimum guy.