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I agree with this 100%. Even if they sold the #24 for cash, and get rid of JJ, it is better than obtaining the #8 and losing Kurt Thomas (proposed Charlotte deal)
With the extra money saved, Sarver can invest it and pay the LT.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0628boivin0629.html
Paola Boivin
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 28, 2007 10:45 PM
Liars and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
While a circus was under way on the main floor of US Airways Center, the Suns braintrust was busy performing a tenuous high wire act a floor above.
How does one balance what's best for the team with pleasing the public, a public that has spent the past week devouring Kevin Garnett rumors? Impossible, because anything short of acquiring Garnett is perceived as a failure.
So if you feel like you're nursing a hangover today without ever enjoying the party, you're not alone.
But if you're going to be mad at the Suns, make sure you're mad for the right reasons.
Don't be made at them for not acquiring Garnett. The speculation that circulated in recent days was mostly misinformation. Teams spreading lies. The Internet spreading rumors.
"The Garnett thing is just really . . . so difficult to even fathom because of those financial implications," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. "We have not pursued anything in that regard. I have not been out there making a lot of phone calls."
If you want to be mad at the Suns, hold them responsible for past sins that put them in an awkward situation on Thursday.
If they didn't have $17.6 million committed to Marcus Banks over the next four years (including $3.96 million next season), would they have sold their first pick for $3 million? Doubtful. Would they have had a better opportunity to acquire a top-10 pick? Likely.
Think about this: Fifteen minutes before the draft started, a team with the eighth pick that was willing to deal with the Suns (Charlotte) "went in a different direction," Kerr said. Had the Suns had a bit more flexibility, they likely could have made the deal and ended up with someone such as Florida's Joakim Noah.
Add their No. 29 pick, Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker - a sound choice, by the way - and the draft feels a whole lot better.
It will be hard for fans to swallow Kerr's comment that the Suns would have used their two first-round picks had they felt strongly about two players.
Wasn't Southern California guard Gabe Pruitt available? Wasn't Brazil's Tiago Splitter available? Even if he's not available this year, he seems like someone you would want in the organization.
But don't be mad at them for maintaining their core. If this team is really committed to winning a title next season, then any deal involving Amaré Stoudemire would have been ridiculous.
Trading Shawn Marion would have been ludicrous, too, unless the prize was Garnett, but the financial aspects of such a maneuver were too challenging.
So Stoudemire, Marion, Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are back next year. Don't be mad at the Suns for keeping that group intact.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni understands that fans might feel a letdown today.
"But remember, the (teams) who are really excited are the people who didn't have real good years," he said.
There's still time for the Suns to flex some off-season muscle. Freeing up money isn't the worst thing to happen to a team. In 2004, the Suns traded their No. 7 pick to Chicago for cash, a future pick and the draft rights to the 31st pick overall.
The move was criticized. Fans were upset because a rumored Tracy McGrady deal never came to fruition.
But the money the Suns saved in the deal helped secure a free agent named Nash two weeks later.
That turned out OK.
Don't go overboard about feeling let down. A team that was the second-best in the NBA last year is intact.
That's not a bad thing.
With the extra money saved, Sarver can invest it and pay the LT.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0628boivin0629.html
Paola Boivin
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 28, 2007 10:45 PM
Liars and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
While a circus was under way on the main floor of US Airways Center, the Suns braintrust was busy performing a tenuous high wire act a floor above.
How does one balance what's best for the team with pleasing the public, a public that has spent the past week devouring Kevin Garnett rumors? Impossible, because anything short of acquiring Garnett is perceived as a failure.
So if you feel like you're nursing a hangover today without ever enjoying the party, you're not alone.
But if you're going to be mad at the Suns, make sure you're mad for the right reasons.
Don't be made at them for not acquiring Garnett. The speculation that circulated in recent days was mostly misinformation. Teams spreading lies. The Internet spreading rumors.
"The Garnett thing is just really . . . so difficult to even fathom because of those financial implications," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. "We have not pursued anything in that regard. I have not been out there making a lot of phone calls."
If you want to be mad at the Suns, hold them responsible for past sins that put them in an awkward situation on Thursday.
If they didn't have $17.6 million committed to Marcus Banks over the next four years (including $3.96 million next season), would they have sold their first pick for $3 million? Doubtful. Would they have had a better opportunity to acquire a top-10 pick? Likely.
Think about this: Fifteen minutes before the draft started, a team with the eighth pick that was willing to deal with the Suns (Charlotte) "went in a different direction," Kerr said. Had the Suns had a bit more flexibility, they likely could have made the deal and ended up with someone such as Florida's Joakim Noah.
Add their No. 29 pick, Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker - a sound choice, by the way - and the draft feels a whole lot better.
It will be hard for fans to swallow Kerr's comment that the Suns would have used their two first-round picks had they felt strongly about two players.
Wasn't Southern California guard Gabe Pruitt available? Wasn't Brazil's Tiago Splitter available? Even if he's not available this year, he seems like someone you would want in the organization.
But don't be mad at them for maintaining their core. If this team is really committed to winning a title next season, then any deal involving Amaré Stoudemire would have been ridiculous.
Trading Shawn Marion would have been ludicrous, too, unless the prize was Garnett, but the financial aspects of such a maneuver were too challenging.
So Stoudemire, Marion, Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are back next year. Don't be mad at the Suns for keeping that group intact.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni understands that fans might feel a letdown today.
"But remember, the (teams) who are really excited are the people who didn't have real good years," he said.
There's still time for the Suns to flex some off-season muscle. Freeing up money isn't the worst thing to happen to a team. In 2004, the Suns traded their No. 7 pick to Chicago for cash, a future pick and the draft rights to the 31st pick overall.
The move was criticized. Fans were upset because a rumored Tracy McGrady deal never came to fruition.
But the money the Suns saved in the deal helped secure a free agent named Nash two weeks later.
That turned out OK.
Don't go overboard about feeling let down. A team that was the second-best in the NBA last year is intact.
That's not a bad thing.
