George O'Brien
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KTAR - Interview with Jerry 3-22=2004
There is a lot about Barkley, etc., so I am just pulling out the items I found most interesting.
Burns: Let’s talk about your Suns basketball team. They got the win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Lots of contributions from a lot of players. Talk about what you are beginning to see out of Maciej Lampe as he is starting to grow into his role with the Phoenix Suns.
Colangelo: He’s an intriguing young guy. He has size, he has toughness and he has a lot of skill. He can dribble, he can run, he can absolutely shoot the ball. His work ethic is fine. His game plan, as he told Coach Mike D’Antoni, he said, “I’m staying here all summer and I’m going to be your starting center next year.” You’ve got to like that. For a 19-year-old, he’s got a lot of self-confidence. We see spurts and he had a good game the other night. I think the fans really got into it in support of him. That’s a little glimpse of what this kid might be able to do consistently as grows into it.
Burns: Are you guys to the point, or have you been at the point for quite a while now, with the young team and really young guys even within the context of a young team, that playing time for the Lampe’s of the world and for some of the other young guys that you have, you want to see as much time of these guys as you possible can? Lampe’s going to get lots of minutes from here on out, do you think?
Colangelo: That was the game plan but it seems as though something happens all the time. I think Dice’s (Antonio McDyess) minutes were cut back and were going to come back and he gets a chance to play the other night, and I have to tell you that as good as he’s looked physically. He had some lift in his body. He was jumping all over the place and that’s the best by far that he’s looked since he’s been in a Suns uniform this time around. Maybe you just never know.
Burns: We were talking with Coach D’Antoni about this last week. The (Howard) Eisleys of the world and the McDysses of the world and the Jahidi Whites of the world, that’s got to be a difficult sell for them, but at the same time there are so many things you want to accomplish, as well, and guys you want to look at. Is it any wonder that you want to get a Leandro Barbosa as much playing time at the point guard as you possibly can.
Colangelo: The future of this franchise is with our young players. The veteran players are going to be role players in this particular group. What that mix looks like going into next season remains to be seen, as it relates to what we do in free agency and what we do in the draft. I think we could use some veteran leadership with a young team. That’s always a very important ingredient, but it’s also important for a bunch of young guys to learn to play together. We’ve got some pieces now and we need to add some pieces, but I’ve said all along, as difficult as the year has been, I think this team has a very bright future.
Caller (Patrick, Cave Creek): My second part is with Antonio McDyess, where he stands and whether or not he’s got another run in him with his knees, and whether or not the Suns are looking for a big man next year, maybe they can get a bargain in him and maybe he’s a sleeper for us.
Colangelo: I think you make a good point on Antonio. He left under unique circumstances a few years back and his career was never the same after that. He’s made a ton of money in this game and maybe we catch him on the rebound, if he’s willing to. And maybe he owes us one, if you will, and you may have a real bargain in McDyess and hopefully something like that might happen.
There is a lot about Barkley, etc., so I am just pulling out the items I found most interesting.
Burns: Let’s talk about your Suns basketball team. They got the win against the Milwaukee Bucks. Lots of contributions from a lot of players. Talk about what you are beginning to see out of Maciej Lampe as he is starting to grow into his role with the Phoenix Suns.
Colangelo: He’s an intriguing young guy. He has size, he has toughness and he has a lot of skill. He can dribble, he can run, he can absolutely shoot the ball. His work ethic is fine. His game plan, as he told Coach Mike D’Antoni, he said, “I’m staying here all summer and I’m going to be your starting center next year.” You’ve got to like that. For a 19-year-old, he’s got a lot of self-confidence. We see spurts and he had a good game the other night. I think the fans really got into it in support of him. That’s a little glimpse of what this kid might be able to do consistently as grows into it.
Burns: Are you guys to the point, or have you been at the point for quite a while now, with the young team and really young guys even within the context of a young team, that playing time for the Lampe’s of the world and for some of the other young guys that you have, you want to see as much time of these guys as you possible can? Lampe’s going to get lots of minutes from here on out, do you think?
Colangelo: That was the game plan but it seems as though something happens all the time. I think Dice’s (Antonio McDyess) minutes were cut back and were going to come back and he gets a chance to play the other night, and I have to tell you that as good as he’s looked physically. He had some lift in his body. He was jumping all over the place and that’s the best by far that he’s looked since he’s been in a Suns uniform this time around. Maybe you just never know.
Burns: We were talking with Coach D’Antoni about this last week. The (Howard) Eisleys of the world and the McDysses of the world and the Jahidi Whites of the world, that’s got to be a difficult sell for them, but at the same time there are so many things you want to accomplish, as well, and guys you want to look at. Is it any wonder that you want to get a Leandro Barbosa as much playing time at the point guard as you possibly can.
Colangelo: The future of this franchise is with our young players. The veteran players are going to be role players in this particular group. What that mix looks like going into next season remains to be seen, as it relates to what we do in free agency and what we do in the draft. I think we could use some veteran leadership with a young team. That’s always a very important ingredient, but it’s also important for a bunch of young guys to learn to play together. We’ve got some pieces now and we need to add some pieces, but I’ve said all along, as difficult as the year has been, I think this team has a very bright future.
Caller (Patrick, Cave Creek): My second part is with Antonio McDyess, where he stands and whether or not he’s got another run in him with his knees, and whether or not the Suns are looking for a big man next year, maybe they can get a bargain in him and maybe he’s a sleeper for us.
Colangelo: I think you make a good point on Antonio. He left under unique circumstances a few years back and his career was never the same after that. He’s made a ton of money in this game and maybe we catch him on the rebound, if he’s willing to. And maybe he owes us one, if you will, and you may have a real bargain in McDyess and hopefully something like that might happen.
