Again, Im not saying I agree wth the sentiment, but you asking for thatkind of statement from the organization seems to assume that they feel he would help.
Yes, that's true. On the other hand, I think it is absurd to believe that Mutombo would not help the Suns. If you established a bunch of conditions -- like maybe he had to be the starting center, or he had to play so many minutes, or he had to be on the floor in crunch time -- then yes, I can see how it might hurt.
But how can it hurt to have him on the roster? Will the Suns face times this season in which their big men are in foul trouble? Absolutely. Will they face times in which they're getting run over by an opposing center, powerless to stop him? I'd count on it. Will they face times in which they're repeatedly getting beat on the perimeter and could really use a shot blocker in the lane? I don't see why not.
Even if Mutombo were used only as a "situational defender," it seems clear to me that he would help. Of course, he might not be interested in such an assignment, especially not for what the Suns would be willing to pay. But again, that's not the point.
So maybe the Suns could have said, "We don't think that Mutombo would play a big role for us, and we know that he wants to go someplace where he'll see a lot of minutes." That would have been fine too. I just think to say, "We have no interest in Mutombo, period" -- which was basically the statement -- shows an alarming lack of concern about the problem this team has at center.
