Old Suns vs. New Suns

[DeAnna]

Very interesting analysis on the 2 contrasting styles:

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=7

We have found that, when of equal overall talent, the more offensively oriented team will win more often than not (in all sports)," Bessire said.

He looks like he is just some guard in this league," he said. "Nash is most brilliant when he runs the open court.

 

[bigfoot]

I think you pasted the wrong link.

 

[Errntknght]

yep, that link is to the 'starting new thread' page on this site.

 

[LV-Suns]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2008/11/21/20081121newsuns1122.html

 

[cly2tw]

what's all about anyway? nostalgic of DA's days here? let's see, we sold Rondo, Rudy, Rodriguez for cash because he wouldn't play rookies. and we missed out on Salmons and got Banks instead. what else is new that we don't have talent left to play some alternative b ball?

 

[SunsTzu]

what's all about anyway? nostalgic of DA's days here? let's see, we sold Rondo, Rudy, Rodriguez for cash because he wouldn't play rookies. and we missed out on Salmons and got Banks instead. what else is new that we don't have talent left to play some alternative b ball?

Don't kid yourself the Suns sold those players because of the ownership. D'Antoni always put his best players on the court with the Suns, rookie or not.

 

[cly2tw]

Don't kid yourself the Suns sold those players because of the ownership. D'Antoni always put his best players on the court with the Suns, rookie or not.

which rookie did he do? LB was the only he loved.

 

[SunsTzu]

which rookie did he do? LB was the only he loved.

Let's take a look at the rookies he had in his tenure:

03-04
Barbosa(played 30mpg when DA took over for Johnson)
Zarko
Lampe

04-05
Vroman(DA gave him a shot as a starter)

05-06
Dijon Thompson

06-07
Amare Stoudemire(he was the draft pick that year apparently)

07-08
Alando Tucker
DJ Strawberry

The only guys still in the league are Barbosa(who actually got alot of PT as a rookie) and Tucker(who has yet to prove he belongs). Vroman, Zarko, Lampe, Thompson and Strawberry have all had shots with other clubs and couldn't make it with them either.

 

[cly2tw]

Let's take a look at the rookies he had in his tenure:

03-04
Barbosa(played 30mpg when DA took over for Johnson)
Zarko
Lampe

04-05
Vroman(DA gave him a shot as a starter)

05-06
Dijon Thompson

06-07
Amare Stoudemire(he was the draft pick that year apparently)

07-08
Alando Tucker
DJ Strawberry

The only guys still in the league are Barbosa(who actually got alot of PT as a rookie) and Tucker(who has yet to prove he belongs). Vroman, Zarko, Lampe, Thompson and Strawberry have all had shots with other clubs and couldn't make it with them either.

If you paid attention during his tenure, you might not read quotes like that he wouldn't want to play rookies. So, the management during that time with him as the GM for 2 years decided to save money for the owner, which was a prudent decision given their assessment of what to come in regular season under DA. So, we didn't have any rookies of much talent was a result of his system. In fact, his rotation was mainly 7-men and he boasted to have light practices to save energy for games. So, talented rookies might not have developed anyways. Even the talented ones like Amare and LB still have massive holes in their games 5 years into the league. That's not coincidence! So, for the long run good of the franchise, it's a wise decision to part ways with him and his system.

 

[Mainstreet]

If you paid attention during his tenure, you might not read quotes like that he wouldn't want to play rookies. So, the management during that time with him as the GM for 2 years decided to save money for the owner, which was a prudent decision given their assessment of what to come in regular season under DA. So, we didn't have any rookies of much talent was a result of his system. In fact, his rotation was mainly 7-men and he boasted to have light practices to save energy for games. So, talented rookies might not have developed anyways. Even the talented ones like Amare and LB still have massive holes in their games 5 years into the league. That's not coincidence! So, for the long run good of the franchise, it's a wise decision to part ways with him and his system.

The Suns management never turned the money saved from not using draft picks to improve the team. The GM is responsible for securing talent through the draft or FA and did neither. As I recall D'Antoni was a puppet GM for one season with Griffin making the calls.

 

[cly2tw]

The Suns management never turned the money saved from not using draft picks to improve the team. The GM is responsible for securing talent through the draft or FA and did neither. As I recall D'Antoni was a puppet GM for one season with Griffin making the calls.

with all the nostalgy for DA, you guys forgot that DA even without the post of GM had kind of veto power on all moves. he and owner spent the money on Banks, instead of picking Rondo with the pick, for God's sake!

 

[Ciani]

with all the nostalgy for DA, you guys forgot that DA even without the post of GM had kind of veto power on all moves. he and owner spent the money on Banks, instead of picking Rondo with the pick, for God's sake!

The Rondo trade was pretty good at the time - the Suns shipped Grant's bad contract and got a 1st round pick - with which we drafted Rudy Fernandez and immediately sent to Portland along with Jones for cash. Possibly Sergio Rodriguez would have been a Sun if DA liked him, that one I blame on Coach D.

But I seriously doubt that the Fernandez trade was D'Antoni's idea, he can shoot and run the floor, a tipical DA player. I'm sure that the trade would have worked with Tucker as well, so I think it was Kerr's decision to keep him and not Rudy.

 

[cly2tw]

The Rondo trade was pretty good at the time - the Suns shipped Grant's bad contract and got a 1st round pick - with which we drafted Rudy Fernandez and immediately sent to Portland along with Jones for cash. Possibly Sergio Rodriguez would have been a Sun if DA liked him, that one I blame on Coach D.

But I seriously doubt that the Fernandez trade was D'Antoni's idea, he can shoot and run the floor, a tipical DA player. I'm sure that the trade would have worked with Tucker as well, so I think it was Kerr's decision to keep him and not Rudy.

At that time, neither would have played under DA. We were trying to win a championship without rookies and could sell the higher pick a lot more because Rudy was available for Portland. That's the bottomline. The fact Rudy had met DA's needs better on paper was not crucial, as long as he was rookie draft pick.

 

[Ciani]

At that time, neither would have played under DA.

How the hell do you know that? And Fernandez is not a tipical rookie, he has been a very good player here in Europe for years now.

Sun Tzu is right, D'Antoni always gave playing time for his best players. Name me just one player who DA ignored in Phoenix and later made a career somewhere else. There is none.

 

[Bufalay]

The Rondo trade was pretty good at the time - the Suns shipped Grant's bad contract and got a 1st round pick - with which we drafted Rudy Fernandez and immediately sent to Portland along with Jones for cash. Possibly Sergio Rodriguez would have been a Sun if DA liked him, that one I blame on Coach D.

That is true, Grant had a horrible contract. What was it 1 million for 1 year?

 

[Ciani]

That is true, Grant had a horrible contract. What was it 1 million for 1 year?

Fail.

In the summer of 2000 Grant signed a mega-deal with Miami: 7 years, $86 million.

 

[mojorizen7]

Whats the purpose of this thread?
My God people.... D'Antoni & run n gun are gone. Get some therapy, buy a video game,hire Eric the Clown to entertain you & move on.

 

[green machine]

Fail.

In the summer of 2000 Grant signed a mega-deal with Miami: 7 years, $86 million.

Epic Fail.

Grant was bought out by the Heat (or Lakers, I forget who he was with) and signed a very low deal with the Suns. The Suns were not responsible for the big contract he signed with Miami.

 

[cly2tw]

Epic Fail.

Grant was bought out by the Heat (or Lakers, I forget who he was with) and signed a very low deal with the Suns. The Suns were not responsible for the big contract he signed with Miami.

Grant got a two-year deal for the low-level exception of about 1.7mil. Considering luxury tax implication, they might have gotten a saving of around 3mil by swapping the pick with Celts.

 

[Bufalay]

Fail.

In the summer of 2000 Grant signed a mega-deal with Miami: 7 years, $86 million.

Nice combo, obnoxious and wrong.

 

[French Fries]

Nice combo, obnoxious and wrong.

Post of the day

 

[Ciani]

Epic Fail.

Grant was bought out by the Heat (or Lakers, I forget who he was with) and signed a very low deal with the Suns. The Suns were not responsible for the big contract he signed with Miami.

Eh, failing sucks You are right, I missed that (it was the Lakers btw).

But my point was that Sarver saved money and still got a 1st round pick in that move. You cant say that about the other trades - Rodriguez, Jones, Thomas - when we got nothing but cash for players and picks.