George O'Brien
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KTAR
Talk to the Suns
Posted: Feb. 6, 2004
Jerry Colangelo completed the double-dip of Suns programming on the 620 Sportsline Thursday night when he joined KTAR’s Dave Burns on his “Talk to the Coach” program. The weekly Phoenix hoops gabfest centered on the return of Amaré Stoudemire to the lineup and included discussions on the team’s plans for free agency this summer, as well as the ruling on the NFL’s Maurice Clarett.
Dave Burns: Good to see Amaré Stoudemire back in a Suns uniform (Wednesday) night, 21 points, as you guys fall just al little shy of beating Portland.
Jerry Colangelo: Portland came out shooting the lights out and we were a little discombobulated with Amaré coming back. There are always adjustments when people are out and come back. I thought that for the last five or six games our group has been playing very competitively. A little short on manpower but playing very competitively. Now with Amaré back we’re going to have to get back into a groove. Maybe I’m not seeing something, but we like our team. I like our young players and I like our future.
Burns: Offensively it looked to me like the team had almost forgotten how to play basketball with a low-post presence. You talk about dicombobulation and it seemed like it took a while for everyone to remember how to play with a real big, powerful four like Amaré Stoudemire (Wednesday) night. Would you agree?
Colangelo: Yeah, I think so. It’s all about rotation defensively and we paid a price. But the bottom line is that the way they were shooting the ball, including non-shooters who were shooting the ball pretty well, it was one of those games where, if you had a chance to come back, you might run out of gas, and I think that kind of happened. We missed three or four free throws down the stretch that might have been the difference, but when you dig that big a hole, it’s tough to come out with a win.
Burns: I know much was written, much was said, about Amaré Stoudemire making his return. Was there any sort of pressure that he was putting on himself, the coaches, anybody trying to get him on the floor sooner than he wanted to.
Colangelo: There was no pressure, no pressure on him whatsoever, because we go just the opposite direction when it comes to things like this. Especially with a young player, he has to feel himself when it’s absolutely time. What is important, and sometimes young players are impressionable, they do hear a lot of things from various people, some of them may not be as good of input as you might want it to be, so we have to be sensitive to all of that. It worked out fine. He’s ready to go and we’re happy to have him back.
Burns: Do you know, has he told you whether he plans on participating in the ‘got milk’ Rookie Challenge game at the All-Star (Weekend), the one with the rookies against the sophomores?
Colangelo: I’m assuming he’s going to participate. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.
Caller (Dale, Phoenix): After a game, after a loss, sometimes I see some of your players partying around town with the opposing team, and I just wanted to get your feelings on that. I know it’s a business and a lot of these guys like to stick together.
Colangelo: First of all, I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about without having any specifics. They’re individuals who have the right to do what they wish to do, as long as they’re not doing anything they shouldn’t be doing. They’re all individuals. We don’t control their lives. If they are with players from other teams, socializing, going out for dinner, going to a club, there’s nothing legally wrong with that. We can’t really get into everyone’s personal lives unless something happens that has an impact on their job and their relationship with us and standing in the community.
Burns: But being with a player from an opposing team, that’s just part of the fraternal life that is being an NBA basketball player?
Colangelo: I think so. People compete on the field or on the floor, without question, but when the game is over with, I think all of that is set aside, for the most part.
Caller (Chris, Phoenix): I really like our young players. I wish we had more wins, but you have to sacrifice what you do for now, I understand that. I was just wondering, with the money under the cap right now, I was wondering if we think we were going to go after a free agent this summer, or the following summer? And also, I want to ask about this kid over in Europe, if it’s looking like he’s going to be with us next season?
Colangelo: My prediction would be that Milos Vujanic will be with us next year because he’s indicated he wants to come and we believe he can.
Caller (Chris, Phoenix): I think with him and (Leandro) Barbosa, I know they’re young, but I really think that’s a good point guard combination.
Colangelo: Yes… And your question regarding free agency, we’re doing everything we’re doing to be in a position to sign a free agency or two for this coming season, that’s the plan. We will be spending during the offseason.
Burns: Your team does not get any All-Star selections. Fair, not fair? Your reaction when the announcements came down and there were no Suns in there.
Colangelo: Well, that’s the way it goes. Last year we had (Stephon) Marbury and (Shawn) Marion and we had the Rookie of the Year, etc. This is a different year. Shawn’s numbers aren’t that far off from where he was a year ago, but the team’s performance has some impact on how players are selected. Joe Johnson is playing about as well as any player at his position in the league right now, but this happened real late. If he had had a full season of this kind of performance under his belt, he would have made it, probably. Amaré, he’s going to have his opportunities, and many of them, in the future.
Burns: The ruling that came down on Maurice Clarett and the NFL and at least the initial steps toward an age restriction being lifted when it comes to the eligibility for the players in that league. is this something that you felt it was just a matter of time until the NFL had to be like the rest of the professional sports leagues when it came to this matter?
Colangelo: They’ve been blessed, for whatever reason. Either it hasn’t been challenged or the challenge wasn’t strong enough to overrule the rule they have in place. I remember as if it were yesterday with Spencer Haywood challenged the NBA rule and that opened up the draft to underclassmen. I kind of wondered why they had this immunity and number two, probably at some point in the future it would change.
Talk to the Suns
Posted: Feb. 6, 2004
Jerry Colangelo completed the double-dip of Suns programming on the 620 Sportsline Thursday night when he joined KTAR’s Dave Burns on his “Talk to the Coach” program. The weekly Phoenix hoops gabfest centered on the return of Amaré Stoudemire to the lineup and included discussions on the team’s plans for free agency this summer, as well as the ruling on the NFL’s Maurice Clarett.
Dave Burns: Good to see Amaré Stoudemire back in a Suns uniform (Wednesday) night, 21 points, as you guys fall just al little shy of beating Portland.
Jerry Colangelo: Portland came out shooting the lights out and we were a little discombobulated with Amaré coming back. There are always adjustments when people are out and come back. I thought that for the last five or six games our group has been playing very competitively. A little short on manpower but playing very competitively. Now with Amaré back we’re going to have to get back into a groove. Maybe I’m not seeing something, but we like our team. I like our young players and I like our future.
Burns: Offensively it looked to me like the team had almost forgotten how to play basketball with a low-post presence. You talk about dicombobulation and it seemed like it took a while for everyone to remember how to play with a real big, powerful four like Amaré Stoudemire (Wednesday) night. Would you agree?
Colangelo: Yeah, I think so. It’s all about rotation defensively and we paid a price. But the bottom line is that the way they were shooting the ball, including non-shooters who were shooting the ball pretty well, it was one of those games where, if you had a chance to come back, you might run out of gas, and I think that kind of happened. We missed three or four free throws down the stretch that might have been the difference, but when you dig that big a hole, it’s tough to come out with a win.
Burns: I know much was written, much was said, about Amaré Stoudemire making his return. Was there any sort of pressure that he was putting on himself, the coaches, anybody trying to get him on the floor sooner than he wanted to.
Colangelo: There was no pressure, no pressure on him whatsoever, because we go just the opposite direction when it comes to things like this. Especially with a young player, he has to feel himself when it’s absolutely time. What is important, and sometimes young players are impressionable, they do hear a lot of things from various people, some of them may not be as good of input as you might want it to be, so we have to be sensitive to all of that. It worked out fine. He’s ready to go and we’re happy to have him back.
Burns: Do you know, has he told you whether he plans on participating in the ‘got milk’ Rookie Challenge game at the All-Star (Weekend), the one with the rookies against the sophomores?
Colangelo: I’m assuming he’s going to participate. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.
Caller (Dale, Phoenix): After a game, after a loss, sometimes I see some of your players partying around town with the opposing team, and I just wanted to get your feelings on that. I know it’s a business and a lot of these guys like to stick together.
Colangelo: First of all, I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about without having any specifics. They’re individuals who have the right to do what they wish to do, as long as they’re not doing anything they shouldn’t be doing. They’re all individuals. We don’t control their lives. If they are with players from other teams, socializing, going out for dinner, going to a club, there’s nothing legally wrong with that. We can’t really get into everyone’s personal lives unless something happens that has an impact on their job and their relationship with us and standing in the community.
Burns: But being with a player from an opposing team, that’s just part of the fraternal life that is being an NBA basketball player?
Colangelo: I think so. People compete on the field or on the floor, without question, but when the game is over with, I think all of that is set aside, for the most part.
Caller (Chris, Phoenix): I really like our young players. I wish we had more wins, but you have to sacrifice what you do for now, I understand that. I was just wondering, with the money under the cap right now, I was wondering if we think we were going to go after a free agent this summer, or the following summer? And also, I want to ask about this kid over in Europe, if it’s looking like he’s going to be with us next season?
Colangelo: My prediction would be that Milos Vujanic will be with us next year because he’s indicated he wants to come and we believe he can.
Caller (Chris, Phoenix): I think with him and (Leandro) Barbosa, I know they’re young, but I really think that’s a good point guard combination.
Colangelo: Yes… And your question regarding free agency, we’re doing everything we’re doing to be in a position to sign a free agency or two for this coming season, that’s the plan. We will be spending during the offseason.
Burns: Your team does not get any All-Star selections. Fair, not fair? Your reaction when the announcements came down and there were no Suns in there.
Colangelo: Well, that’s the way it goes. Last year we had (Stephon) Marbury and (Shawn) Marion and we had the Rookie of the Year, etc. This is a different year. Shawn’s numbers aren’t that far off from where he was a year ago, but the team’s performance has some impact on how players are selected. Joe Johnson is playing about as well as any player at his position in the league right now, but this happened real late. If he had had a full season of this kind of performance under his belt, he would have made it, probably. Amaré, he’s going to have his opportunities, and many of them, in the future.
Burns: The ruling that came down on Maurice Clarett and the NFL and at least the initial steps toward an age restriction being lifted when it comes to the eligibility for the players in that league. is this something that you felt it was just a matter of time until the NFL had to be like the rest of the professional sports leagues when it came to this matter?
Colangelo: They’ve been blessed, for whatever reason. Either it hasn’t been challenged or the challenge wasn’t strong enough to overrule the rule they have in place. I remember as if it were yesterday with Spencer Haywood challenged the NBA rule and that opened up the draft to underclassmen. I kind of wondered why they had this immunity and number two, probably at some point in the future it would change.
