Notice a Pattern in This List of Worst Contracts?

[ASUCHRIS]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba

(Hint - our hometown heroes may be prominently involved)

 

[AzStevenCal]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9030601/the-worst-contracts-nba

(Hint - our hometown heroes may be prominently involved)

You're usually anti-Sarver, I'm surprised to see you support him so strongly. Yes, in hindsight, Robert was a genius in not spending the big bucks on Johnson and Amare.

The Beasley deal is kind of strange. The main reason he makes that list isn't that he's so bad and he's paid so much, it's that we play him. It's sad when you can come much closer to getting your money back by not letting the guy ever suit up but that's been the case with Michael.

Steve

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You're usually anti-Sarver, I'm surprised to see you support him so strongly. Yes, in hindsight, Robert was a genius in not spending the big bucks on Johnson and Amare.

Ha, yep. That was the point I was going for. Surprised to see no Channing appearance. Other than that, pretty much every player we've been involved with (including Gordon) has made the list.

I also do appreciate Simmons attacking Sarver at every turn. He's the anti-Midas, and has made my favorite team irrelevant.

The Beasley deal is kind of strange. The main reason he makes that list isn't that he's so bad and he's paid so much, it's that we play him. It's sad when you can come much closer to getting your money back by not letting the guy ever suit up but that's been the case with Michael.

One in a string of many awful decisions. I would have taken a 1 year flyer on Beasley, but it's hard to imagine he'd be this putrid.

 

[Errntknght]

Phoenix has ducked (or been saved by more foolish teams) the worst deals they could have been involved in: Joe Johnson, Amare, and Gordon. Childress and Beas are pretty puny by comparison in absolute dollar terms - but if you look at them as how much Phoenix paid percentage wise, compared to the next highest bidder, they would probably top the list.

 

[Errntknght]

ASUCHRIS:

I would have taken a 1 year flyer on Beasley, but it's hard to imagine he'd be this putrid.

Not really, I expected him to worse than he has been.

 

[Mainstreet]

Phoenix has ducked (or been saved by more foolish teams) the worst deals they could have been involved in: Joe Johnson, Amare, and Gordon. Childress and Beas are pretty puny by comparison in absolute dollar terms - but if you look at them as how much Phoenix paid percentage wise, compared to the next highest bidder, they would probably top the list.

The Suns just didn't do things right with Joe Johnson. If the Suns had signed Joe Johnson to that reported 55M contract extension and traded him before it expired that would have been sweet. Then they could have traded Marion when he was in his prime. No way Joe Johnson was worth that 119M contract he signed with the Hawks in 2010.

The Suns were smart to not offer Amare a guaranteed 100M contract but were lucky the Hornets saved them by matching Gordon. Obviously signing Childress, Warrick and Turoglu were huge blunders. I can't believe there was even any competition when the Suns signed Beasley. If the Suns wanted to gamble on Beasley they should have offered him a larger one year contract with the other two years team options.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The Suns just didn't do things right with Joe Johnson. If the Suns had signed Joe Johnson to that reported 55M contract extension and traded him before it expired that would have been sweet. Then they could have traded Marion when he was in his prime. No way Joe Johnson was worth that 119M contract he signed with the Hawks in 2010.

The Suns were smart to not offer Amare a guaranteed 100M contract but were lucky the Hornets saved them by matching Gordon. Obviously signing Childress, Warrick and Turoglu were huge blunders. I can't believe there was even any competition when the Suns signed Beasley. If the Suns wanted to gamble on Beasley they should have offered him a larger one year contract with the other two years team options.

This.

 

[95pro]

imo signing JJ for 55mil would have been at least one championship. we were so close, he was that 2 we needed that eventually jRich filled as best as he could. would have been worth it.

this year, luckily the hornets saved us.
we did a nice job by not over paying for amare.
then JJ went on to get his from the hawks after we decided to short change him. i use the term "short change" him cause the 5mill extra would have put us close yet again to the finals imo. thats just my opinion. i mean if he didn't pan out, his playoff experience and play would and has earned himself nicer paydays.

 

[cly2tw]

Suns did nothing right not to sign Amare to that contract. They gave the same amount of money to Childress/Frye/Warrick(?), whom Amare outperformed by far all 3 together, even with the injury-depleted output over the last 3 years!

Anybody watching Amare lately? Or have watched him tear it up 2 years ago before Melo joined Knicks? When healthy, he is still an absolute beast. And he was injury weakened, not because his knees were breaking down, but because he had DAntoni as his head coach again for almost 2 years who would play him to the ground as he did him during Suns time. And the lockout could not have happened to a worse time to him, which totally ruined his recovery rhythm.

And he's added a low-post game nobody thought he would, in just over one summer and 2 weeks of tuition under Dream and already better than Dwight's move who had been featured this way over his whole career! Remember game 6 in 2010 WCF against Lakers? He'd beat his man at will but couldn't finish due to triple help-D at the basket. But in his current form, he'd have scored most of those chances.

What would it be like if Suns gave Amare that contract, chose to play him no more than 32 min for say 20p/7r stats, asked him to develop that low-post game Woodson requested (while DA would want 3pt shots or bulking up to play C from Amare) and to continue improvement on D under Gentry (his current D on NYK is actually quite good not worse than any other scoring PF such as Bosh, Boozer, Aldridge)? A final appearance or even title was not just dream, with a 2-year younger Nash and 1 or 2 roster moves (no Frye, ship Barbosa for something better, continued and motivated improvement by RLopez). We'd be on the same level with Mavs/Heat in 2011 or OKC in 2012.

PS: In some sense, all these Frye, Childress, Warrick, Brooks (for Dragic), Beasley fiasco would not have happened, had we given that damn deal to Amare. And even with the same issues Amare had on the Knicks, it'd be financially a better move in hindsight because the team would have still been the talk in town for 3 more years with better ticket sales etc.

 

[BC867]

Suns did nothing right not to sign Amare to that contract. They gave the same amount of money to Childress/Frye/Warrick(?), whom Amare outperformed by far all 3 together, even with the injury-depleted output over the last 3 years!

Anybody watching Amare lately? Or have watched him tear it up 2 years ago before Melo joined Knicks? When healthy, he is still an absolute beast. And he was injury weakened, not because his knees were breaking down, but because he had DAntoni as his head coach again for almost 2 years who would play him to the ground as he did him during Suns time. And the lockout could not have happened to a worse time to him, which totally ruined his recovery rhythm.

And he's added a low-post game nobody thought he would, in just over one summer and 2 weeks of tuition under Dream and already better than Dwight's move who had been featured this way over his whole career! Remember game 6 in 2010 WCF against Lakers? He'd beat his man at will but couldn't finish due to triple help-D at the basket. But in his current form, he'd have scored most of those chances.

What would it be like if Suns gave Amare that contract, chose to play him no more than 32 min for say 20p/7r stats, asked him to develop that low-post game Woodson requested (while DA would want 3pt shots or bulking up to play C from Amare) and to continue improvement on D under Gentry (his current D on NYK is actually quite good not worse than any other scoring PF such as Bosh, Boozer, Aldridge)? A final appearance or even title was not just dream, with a 2-year younger Nash and 1 or 2 roster moves (no Frye, ship Barbosa for something better, continued and motivated improvement by RLopez). We'd be on the same level with Mavs/Heat in 2011 or OKC in 2012.

That's a jump! The Knicks with Amar'e starting weren't on the same level with the Mavs, Heat or OKC.

The difference was adding Chandler at Center (who had made the difference to the Mavs) and Amar'e leaving the lineup, freeing up Carmelo to do his thing.

Amar'e has not shown himself to be a major difference maker to a team and certainly not championship calibre.

Plus, at the time, his knees and eye problem were risks. I believed the Suns did make the right decision to not re-sign Amar'e and I still believe it.

 

[Phrazbit]

]Suns did nothing right not to sign Amare to that contract. They gave the same amount of money to Childress/Frye/Warrick(?)[/B], whom Amare outperformed by far all 3 together, even with the injury-depleted output over the last 3 years!

Anybody watching Amare lately? Or have watched him tear it up 2 years ago before Melo joined Knicks? When healthy, he is still an absolute beast. And he was injury weakened, not because his knees were breaking down, but because he had DAntoni as his head coach again for almost 2 years who would play him to the ground as he did him during Suns time. And the lockout could not have happened to a worse time to him, which totally ruined his recovery rhythm.

And he's added a low-post game nobody thought he would, in just over one summer and 2 weeks of tuition under Dream and already better than Dwight's move who had been featured this way over his whole career! Remember game 6 in 2010 WCF against Lakers? He'd beat his man at will but couldn't finish due to triple help-D at the basket. But in his current form, he'd have scored most of those chances.

What would it be like if Suns gave Amare that contract, chose to play him no more than 32 min for say 20p/7r stats, asked him to develop that low-post game Woodson requested (while DA would want 3pt shots or bulking up to play C from Amare) and to continue improvement on D under Gentry (his current D on NYK is actually quite good not worse than any other scoring PF such as Bosh, Boozer, Aldridge)? A final appearance or even title was not just dream, with a 2-year younger Nash and 1 or 2 roster moves (no Frye, ship Barbosa for something better, continued and motivated improvement by RLopez). We'd be on the same level with Mavs/Heat in 2011 or OKC in 2012.

PS: In some sense, all these Frye, Childress, Warrick, Brooks (for Dragic), Beasley fiasco would not have happened, had we given that damn deal to Amare. And even with the same issues Amare had on the Knicks, it'd be financially a better move in hindsight because the team would have still been the talk in town for 3 more years with better ticket sales etc.

The Suns were absolutely right to not sign Amare. They then were stupid with the money saved but its one bad option vs another. And as bad as Childress and Warrick were the Suns were able to get out from those disasters. If anyone thinks Sarver would have eaten 60-80 million to amnesty Amare they are kidding themselves.

We would not have been contenders with the battered remains of Amare. And Amare at this point is the most expensive 6th man in history and still so horrible defensively that the Knicks bench him when the game is on the line. Yes, he scores efficiently... then turns and gives just about all of it back on the other end with his absolute travesty of a defensive game.

The Knicks were playing much much better ball before Amare came back from injury (21-9 without him, 16-13 with)... and its not a coincidence.

 

[cly2tw]

That's a jump! The Knicks with Amar'e starting weren't on the same level with the Mavs, Heat or OKC.

The difference was adding Chandler at Center (who had made the difference to the Mavs) and Amar'e leaving the lineup, freeing up Carmelo to do his thing.

Amar'e has not shown himself to be a major difference maker to a team and certainly not championship calibre.

Plus, at the time, his knees and eye problem were risks. I believed the Suns did make the right decision to not re-sign Amar'e and I still believe it.

I was talking about a what-if lineup on the Suns in 2010/11 with Amare, Lopez, Hill, JRich, Nash starting, Dudley/Dragic/Amundson, plus more (say get another C llike Gortat, sign Frye to a smaller contract, etc.).

Amare is not Wade/LBJ or even Melo type of franchise player. But if stay healthy, he'd be the difference between one-and-out or ECF on the Knicks this year, provided Woodson is able to rein in Melo and JR Smith heroballs sufficiently. Watch some Knicks games, and see what days and nights like whether they involve Amare or not on that team. Yes, he is a difference maker and has been all this career.

 

[cly2tw]

The Suns were absolutely right to not sign Amare. They then were stupid with the money saved but its one bad option vs another. And as bad as Childress and Warrick were the Suns were able to get out from those disasters. If anyone thinks Sarver would have eaten 60-80 million to amnesty Amare they are kidding themselves.

We would not have been contenders with the battered remains of Amare. And Amare at this point is the most expensive 6th man in history and still so horrible defensively that the Knicks bench him when the game is on the line. Yes, he scores efficiently... then turns and gives just about all of it back on the other end with his absolute travesty of a defensive game.

The Knicks were playing much much better ball before Amare came back from injury (21-9 without him, 16-13 with)... and its not a coincidence.

Watch some ball before you make that claims out of imagination! Or browse the RM Knicks board and see how the sentiment moved way past that bias and how they are mad on Woodson for not closing games with Amare.

Amare was recovering well from the eye-related issues, he got further overly battered by playing for MDA again over almost 2 seasons.

 

[Phrazbit]

Watch some ball before you make that claims out of imagination! Or browse the RM Knicks board and see how the sentiment moved way past that bias and how they are mad on Woodson for not closing games with Amare.

Amare was recovering well from the eye-related issues, he got further overly battered by playing for MDA again over almost 2 seasons.

... What you bolded is my imagination? Is he a sixth man? Yes. Does he get benched in the clutch? Yes. Are the Knicks atrocious defensively when he is in the game? Yes.

I mean... there isnt a lot of grey area there. Knicks have been outscored by 16 with Amare on the court, they've outscored their opponants by 211 with him on the bench. They score 112 points per 100 possessions with him on the bench, 110 with him in the game, they surrender 106 with him on the bench, 111 with him on the court.

If he gets the ball in good possession to score he is still a solid offensive weapon, but his positives end there, his turnover rate is abysmal, even for a post player, and he is committing fouls like there is no tomorrow, he does not rebound or defend at a rate that justifies paying him 20 million... or even giving him starters minutes.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And Amare is going back for more surgery, out 6 weeks. It was the right decision to let him go then and it's still proving to be the right decision.

Steve

 

[Phrazbit]

And right on queue...

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/9035257/amare-stoudemire-six-weeks-left-knee-procedure

And dont try the "our medical staff can keep him healthy" line, because our crack staff wisely advised against resigning Amare to a guaranteed contract.

 

[devilalum]

13. Michael Beasley: three years, $18 million
Much better. You don't need advanced stats to tell you that it sucks to have Michael Beasley on your basketball team. Heck, you don't even need normal stats. But this is funny: Phoenix gets outscored by 11.2 points per 100 possessions with Beasley and 2.8 points without him. In other words, they'd improve by 8.3 points per 100 possessions simply by taping him to a Gatorade bucket for three hours a night. Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Beasley!

So true. Whoever thought Beasley was a good idea should be fired.

 

[Superbone]

So true. Whoever thought Beasley was a good idea should be fired.

That would be Mr. Lance Blanks our GM and chief talent evaluator.