Suns likely to give up first-round pick
John Gambadoro
Special for azcentral.com
Jun. 14, 2004 10:30 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In all likelihood the Phoenix Suns wouldn't face having to give up a first-round pick to clear salary cap space if they had just held on to Brevin Knight. Knight was in the final year of his contract last season when he was shipped to the Washington Wizzards on Nov. 5 in a deal for big man Jahidi White. The Suns were somewhat soft in the middle and liked the 6-foot-9, 290-pounder's wide body. Feeling he could he give them a physical presence the team lacked, plus some much needed rebounding, the Suns decided it was worth taking on White's contract, which had two years remaining on it.
White had fallen into disfavor with the Wizards coaching staff, as the team opted to go with younger players who had more upside. White was a second-round pick of Washington in 1998 and in five years there averaged 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Phoenix was willing to take a chance on White because he was athletic and, with only Scott Williams and Jake Voskuhl manning the center spots, it desperately needed help at that position in the tough Western Conference.
White actually made a contribution early. He had 13 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes in his Suns debut on Nov. 7, a 96-88 win over Memphis. A few nights later he chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes during a loss to Atlanta. But that was about the extent of White's contributions. While White played on adrenaline those first few games in Phoenix, his true form came out in a game against Detroit, when he had his hand up looking to come out of the game due to exhaustion in the very first quarter. White clearly was not in the best of condition when he arrived and after those few early bright spots, he failed to establish himself as the force in the middle the Suns were hoping for.
He ended the season with the Suns with averages of 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 61 games. And with a year left on his contract at $5.9 million, the Suns would certainly like to rid themselves of his final year and free up more money under the salary cap to go after free agents.
Which is why the Suns have been working for the last few months on the June 22 expansion draft. The easiest way to move White is to have the Charlotte Bobcats take him in the draft. While Charlotte may not want White, they are interested in players who only have a year remaining on their contracts. Those players will give the Bobcats flexibility and allow them to be a big player in free agency for 2005. But Charlotte's interest in White comes with a price and that will likely be a first-round draft pick and possibly cash. To entice Charlotte to take White, the Suns appear willing to give up a first-round pick. Not the seventh overall pick in this year's draft, but more than likely the future No. 1 that the Cleveland Cavaliers owe the Suns, a pick that is lottery protected. Charlotte can parlay taking White into a future No. 1, maybe some cash and the team would be tied to White for only one year.
Just how much Phoenix can get under the projected salary cap of $45 million will depend on not only the expansion draft, but also the NBA draft. If White is picked, as expected, by Charlotte the Suns will be at around $29 million for next season. The 7th overall pick will count roughly $2.3 million on the salary cap, so if the Suns determine that they need more than $16 million available to hit their free agency needs, they could trade either out of the first round this year or trade down in the first round to save money.
Just what the Suns will do with between $16 and $19 million in cap room is the million-dollar question. Of course they have their hearts set on Kobe Bryant, but a Plan B could include going after the Mavericks' Steve Nash and Detroit's Mehmet Okur. Those players will average somewhere between $8 and $10 million on a multi-year deal and the Suns could very well be in a position to get both of them. While the Suns like Manu Ginobli, it appears the San Antonio Spurs will match any offer and keep him. If the Suns don't get what they want in free agency, expect them to sign a few veteran players to one-year deals so they have the same cap flexibility to hit the market with again next year.
Several players could replace White as a big body on the roster. If not Okur then either Vlade Divac or Antonio McDyess, who could return on a one-year deal could be the option. Either way it looks like Jahidi White will have a new home next week. [/font]
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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I don't mind giving Cleveland's future pick but hopefully the Bobcats will bite with just cash incentives (although i think that's unlikely) [/font]
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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]$8-10 million for Nash and Okur is WAY TOO MUCH!! Nash is getting old and Okur hasn't done anything to warrant that much money [/font]
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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I like the idea of signing few veteran players for one-year deals to keep our cap flexibility [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]but I don't think anyone would risk signing knowing they might be back next season[/font]
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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]so many questions and possibilites... [/font]
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ONLY week and half untill the expansion draft and the 2004 draft
John Gambadoro
Special for azcentral.com
Jun. 14, 2004 10:30 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In all likelihood the Phoenix Suns wouldn't face having to give up a first-round pick to clear salary cap space if they had just held on to Brevin Knight. Knight was in the final year of his contract last season when he was shipped to the Washington Wizzards on Nov. 5 in a deal for big man Jahidi White. The Suns were somewhat soft in the middle and liked the 6-foot-9, 290-pounder's wide body. Feeling he could he give them a physical presence the team lacked, plus some much needed rebounding, the Suns decided it was worth taking on White's contract, which had two years remaining on it.
White had fallen into disfavor with the Wizards coaching staff, as the team opted to go with younger players who had more upside. White was a second-round pick of Washington in 1998 and in five years there averaged 6.4 points and 6.4 rebounds. Phoenix was willing to take a chance on White because he was athletic and, with only Scott Williams and Jake Voskuhl manning the center spots, it desperately needed help at that position in the tough Western Conference.
White actually made a contribution early. He had 13 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes in his Suns debut on Nov. 7, a 96-88 win over Memphis. A few nights later he chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds in 27 minutes during a loss to Atlanta. But that was about the extent of White's contributions. While White played on adrenaline those first few games in Phoenix, his true form came out in a game against Detroit, when he had his hand up looking to come out of the game due to exhaustion in the very first quarter. White clearly was not in the best of condition when he arrived and after those few early bright spots, he failed to establish himself as the force in the middle the Suns were hoping for.
He ended the season with the Suns with averages of 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 61 games. And with a year left on his contract at $5.9 million, the Suns would certainly like to rid themselves of his final year and free up more money under the salary cap to go after free agents.
Which is why the Suns have been working for the last few months on the June 22 expansion draft. The easiest way to move White is to have the Charlotte Bobcats take him in the draft. While Charlotte may not want White, they are interested in players who only have a year remaining on their contracts. Those players will give the Bobcats flexibility and allow them to be a big player in free agency for 2005. But Charlotte's interest in White comes with a price and that will likely be a first-round draft pick and possibly cash. To entice Charlotte to take White, the Suns appear willing to give up a first-round pick. Not the seventh overall pick in this year's draft, but more than likely the future No. 1 that the Cleveland Cavaliers owe the Suns, a pick that is lottery protected. Charlotte can parlay taking White into a future No. 1, maybe some cash and the team would be tied to White for only one year.
Just how much Phoenix can get under the projected salary cap of $45 million will depend on not only the expansion draft, but also the NBA draft. If White is picked, as expected, by Charlotte the Suns will be at around $29 million for next season. The 7th overall pick will count roughly $2.3 million on the salary cap, so if the Suns determine that they need more than $16 million available to hit their free agency needs, they could trade either out of the first round this year or trade down in the first round to save money.
Just what the Suns will do with between $16 and $19 million in cap room is the million-dollar question. Of course they have their hearts set on Kobe Bryant, but a Plan B could include going after the Mavericks' Steve Nash and Detroit's Mehmet Okur. Those players will average somewhere between $8 and $10 million on a multi-year deal and the Suns could very well be in a position to get both of them. While the Suns like Manu Ginobli, it appears the San Antonio Spurs will match any offer and keep him. If the Suns don't get what they want in free agency, expect them to sign a few veteran players to one-year deals so they have the same cap flexibility to hit the market with again next year.
Several players could replace White as a big body on the roster. If not Okur then either Vlade Divac or Antonio McDyess, who could return on a one-year deal could be the option. Either way it looks like Jahidi White will have a new home next week. [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I don't mind giving Cleveland's future pick but hopefully the Bobcats will bite with just cash incentives (although i think that's unlikely) [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]$8-10 million for Nash and Okur is WAY TOO MUCH!! Nash is getting old and Okur hasn't done anything to warrant that much money [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I like the idea of signing few veteran players for one-year deals to keep our cap flexibility [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]but I don't think anyone would risk signing knowing they might be back next season[/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]so many questions and possibilites... [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] [/font]
ONLY week and half untill the expansion draft and the 2004 draft
