Our Ideal Summer

[JCSunsfan]

Just interested in your thoughts.

1. Get top two pick in the lotto. (What are we, like a 1 in 3 chance for this?)

2. Draft Okafor. No, not Howard or anyone else. Okafor is exactly what this team needs. He'll be our starter at center for 10 years. He is the best shot-blocker in the draft since David Robinson. He will make everyone look better on D.

3. Deal the Cleveland pick and Eisley or White for nothing (expansion draft). I would consider dealing Barbosa or the rights to Milos, even.

4. Sign Kobe. I still have mixed feelings about this based upon certain principles I hold dear, but purely from a bball perspective its a go.

5. Resign Dice for the vet min for 1 year.

All these things are realistic possibilities.

Pg JJ, Barbosa, Milos.
Sg Kobe, CJ
Sf Shawn, Zarko
Pf Amare, Dice, Lampe
C Okafor, Voshkul

Yup, I like that roster--and it is possible, with just a little luck.

So what do we do if we can't sign Kobe, or if we can't draft Okafor?

 

[mkapp]

I think the suns need to focus on building this team around Stat and JJ. IF they go for Kobe, Marion has to go. Dont trade away another great future player in Milos, trade Barbosa first. Eisley is done, Dice needs to go. Lampe and Jahidi wont cut it. Okafor sounds like the best choice. Have Zarko as the 6th man, and get a free agent to shore up our horrible bench. Tada! Serious contenders in a few years. Did I mention Marion has to go?

 

[Skkorpion]

The Suns aren't going to make a run at Kobe. I believe this.

I'm not a hoops draft guru but won't Okafor be the #1 pick? Bettter hope for a lucky ping pong ball.

 

[slinslin]

Okafor is too small to play center. The Suns would draft Howard if they can.

And of course the Suns will try to get Kobe. Everyone who doesn't think they will is "dreaming".

And to say Vujanic is a great future player and we should rather trade Barbosa is insane. Vujanic might become a solid player if we are lucky.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

A 6'9 center in the Western Conference? Only if the Suns are prepared to not have an answer in the post for the Shaqs, Duncans, and yes, Dwight Howards of the NBA for another 10 years. The Suns best bet for a good center is Lampe

 

[George O'Brien]

1. Atlanta is the only team that is certain to take Howard if they get the first pick Chicago and Orlando are certain to take Okafor unless they trade the pick. I think Washington would trade the pick since they don't need another big man and no SF is worthy of being #1. So my guess is the Suns would have a 50-50 chance of getting Okafor if they get the #2 pick.

2. If (as expected) the Suns do not get one of the top two picks, I would trade down with a team like Boston that has three picks.

3. Moving Eisley would be tough unless the Bobcats really wanted the Suns lottery pick. It is not clear how much it would take for the Bobcats to draft White. The Cleveland picks looks like it will be good for next year, so maybe.

4. Kobe only happens if Eisley or White are moved which is not a sure thing. It is also not a sure thing that Kobe will be going anywhere since he can stay put and get $14.6 million plus be a FA next year when the rape case has died down.

5. Re-signing Dice will probably require a two year deal, but with opt out clauses.

I think the suns need to focus on building this team around Stat and JJ. IF they go for Kobe, Marion has to go. Dont trade away another great future player in Milos, trade Barbosa first. Eisley is done, Dice needs to go. Lampe and Jahidi wont cut it.

1. We don't know if Vujanic is going to be a great player or not. Nor do we know if he will be an NBA PG. I hope he will be, but there is a big jump from Europe to the NBA.

2. Lampe is 19 years old, played in the a Spanish development league a year ago and has just started to play center. On this you've decided he won't make it?

3. As for Dice, since starting for the Suns they have won four out of six games. He has had two double doubles and has shot 58% from the field. He has averaged 7.8 rpg in spite of having only two boards due to foul trouble against the Spurs. Considering he has hardly played in two years and is just getting comfortable playing, I think those are pretty good stats.

This is a terribly young team and most top teams have a few veterans. Dice has been getting good reviews for his on the court leadership.

4. I think most of us expect White to be gone by next season, but I think he will be missed. He is strictly a role player, but he gives the Suns the toughness and physical presence that can be very valuable when playing monsters like Shaq. White needs to lose weight and become quicker plus develope better ball handling and free throw shooting skills. I doubt he will be back, but I'm not sure how the Suns will replace what he does.

 

[JS22]

I think the suns need to focus on building this team around Stat and JJ. IF they go for Kobe, Marion has to go. Dont trade away another great future player in Milos, trade Barbosa first. Eisley is done, Dice needs to go. Lampe and Jahidi wont cut it. Okafor sounds like the best choice. Have Zarko as the 6th man, and get a free agent to shore up our horrible bench. Tada! Serious contenders in a few years. Did I mention Marion has to go?

Wait. You say lampe wont cut it, but you want zarko as our sixth man?

Or are you saying that lampe wont cut it at starting center? And yet, you say dice needs to go?

 

[Chaplin]

The Suns aren't going to make a run at Kobe. I believe this.

I'm not a hoops draft guru but won't Okafor be the #1 pick? Bettter hope for a lucky ping pong ball.

Suns are absolutely going to go after Kobe if he's available. No question in my mind. How hard they'll pursue him, though, is the question.

We won't get one of the top 2 picks. I'll say it again, we're not that lucky.

 

[nathan]

The Suns better not dump the lottery pick just to clear space for Kobe and then fail to get him.

 

[Chaplin]

The Suns better not dump the lottery pick just to clear space for Kobe and then fail to get him.

Remember, our ability to sign Kobe relies on us getting rid of Jahidi or Eisley. If neither of those guys are gone by draft time, we are definitely keeping the pick, because if neither White or Eisley are shipped out, we wouldn't have enough money for Kobe anyway. So we'll take the pick anyway.

So really, this posturing about whether we will keep the draft pick is moot, since a Kobe signing is more dependent on not having White or Eisley than the draft pick.

Late June should be a VERY interesting time for Suns fans.

 

[George O'Brien]

The Suns better not dump the lottery pick just to clear space for Kobe and then fail to get him.

The only way the Suns can unload Eisley would be with the lottery pick. It is expensive, but $13 million over two years for a guy who could be replaced for $1 million a year is awfully expensive as well.

Getting rid of Eisley would put the Suns at $27.5 million. Even if it cost $4 million to sign Dice and Vujanic, it would still leave the Suns at $31.5 million or $13.5 below the projected salary cap. Plus, by keeping White, the Suns would have ideal trade bait for later in the season since he has an expiring contract. Unless they used White in trade, his contract coming off next year would open up some money for signing their JJ and Amare to long term deals.

$13.5 is enough to offer a six year $100 million contract to Kobe or two above mid cap deals if the Kobe thing falls through.

By contrast, using the lottery pick to move White is a terrible idea unless the Kobe thing comes through. Not only does Eisley have a extra year on his contract, but White is a lot more valuable player than Eisley.

 

[Ryanwb]

Phoenix is an ideal place for Kobe because he obviously wants to get out of the limelight of LA. We have nice weather, nice people (well except me) and a pretty nice little homegrown franchise that everybody in the valley will root for once they start winning again (hey they have fairweather fans in LA too)

Whoever thinks he wants to go to Denver is smokin it, he wants to put Colorado behind him forever.

Phoenix is in desperate need of a marquee superstar and Kobe would fill that void.

That said...I hate the bastard

 

[George O'Brien]

Most assumptions are that the Lakers would prefer to lot Kobe walk than do a sign and trade. I'm not really convinced. If Kobe walks, Payton walks, and Malone retires, the Lakers would still only be down to just under $45 million.

Their remaining players are George, Fisher, Fox, Cook, Rush, and Walton that are still under contract. Some of their other role guys like Russell, Medvedenko, and Grant are free agents. This does not look like a playoff team.

With Shaq getting $29.5 million next season and $32.4 million, the Lakers are not going to be able to clear enough space to do more than mid cap for a free agent until 2006. But the Lakers could get a couple of very good players to support Shaq in a sign and trade. Also with a sign and trade, the Lakers could still use their mid cap. I would not discount that happening.

 

[Joe Mama]

I'm not so sure Kobe Bryant wants to escape the limelight of Los Angeles. It seems more like he just wants to get away from Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson.

A few weeks ago it sure sounded like there was a reasonable chance Gary Payton would walk regardless of what Kobe Bryant does this summer. Who knows though? The Lakers are definitely better with Kobe Bryant, but I'm not so sure they couldn't compete without him as long as GP and Karl Malone are both healthy.

Nothing would really surprise me this summer. I'm just praying they don't...

1. Get out of the draft altogether just to unload Jahidi White. However I might forgive them if they were able to get Kobe Bryant with the money saved.

2. Sign Joe Johnson to a massive extension.

3. Sign players like Okur, Q. Richardson, or Mark Blount to big contracts.

4. Draft Dwight Howard. This guy is a couple years away from being a regular contributor in the NBA, and defensively I think he sucks.

5. Head into next season with the same were. I like Barbosa, but I think he is a bench player. They are definitely better with him in the game right now. That's because there are other options are Casey Jacobsen and Howard Eiseley.

Joe Mama

 

[Brandon_Webb]

So is it a non option for them to go over the cap and try to get Kobe?

 

[scotsman13]

for me the best thing that the suns can do this summer is.

1. not waste money on someone like kobe. (kobe isnt the answer to this teams problems time is).

2. let barbosa, amare, lampe, milos, zarko, spend summer working together.

3. lampe need to go on a work out over the summer and add some mass.

4. barbosa need to spend the summer with a ball in his hands passing to others. also working on his mid range game.

5. zarko needs to spend the summer shooting the 3 until he gets it back.

6. make the draft count, dont just give away their lottery pick to eisley.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm not so sure Kobe Bryant wants to escape the limelight of Los Angeles. It seems more like he just wants to get away from Shaquille O'Neal and Phil Jackson.

A few weeks ago it sure sounded like there was a reasonable chance Gary Payton would walk regardless of what Kobe Bryant does this summer. Who knows though? The Lakers are definitely better with Kobe Bryant, but I'm not so sure they couldn't compete without him as long as GP and Karl Malone are both healthy.

Nothing would really surprise me this summer. I'm just praying they don't...

1. Get out of the draft altogether just to unload Jahidi White. However I might forgive them if they were able to get Kobe Bryant with the money saved.

2. Sign Joe Johnson to a massive extension.

3. Sign players like Okur, Q. Richardson, or Mark Blount to big contracts.

4. Draft Dwight Howard. This guy is a couple years away from being a regular contributor in the NBA, and defensively I think he sucks.

5. Head into next season with the same were. I like Barbosa, but I think he is a bench player. They are definitely better with him in the game right now. That's because there are other options are Casey Jacobsen and Howard Eiseley.

Joe Mama

I mostly agree.

1. I oppose using the lottery pick to move White. He has an expiring contract and can actually play.

2. I would wait on JJ until he becomes a RFA.

3. I don't like Okur. I expect Q to go to Denver if he doesn't stay with the Clips. I would not give a huge contract to Blount based on a couple of good months, but I think he may be the most cost effective of any of the free agents but if his price goes up - no way.

4. If the Suns draft second, I think they would take Howard even though he is not ready. I think they would probably use the pick in a trade for more than just cap space.

5. It is a forgone conclusion the Suns will at least sign Vujanic. If nothing else, they may pick up a role player or two on short term contracts.

 

[minercon]

As someone said early on in this thread...I must be dreaming. Scottsman has about the best scenario that matches my thinking.

Why is everyone so negative about Barbosa? I think for his age he does just fine. JJ has been disasterous IMO at point. We seem to lose ground. Barbosa gives a different element as PG and charges the hoop and man he is fast. Already some are talking of Marion being traded. Disgusting IMO!!! Lampe has showed lots of promise and has a GOOGS outside shot which is great as it draws people out. With the NBA it all comes down to figures. We cannot afford 5 high salaried players at 5 positions. We will be paying our 2,3,and 4 position players big money. To me Barbosa will not command as much so forget Nash as an elective too.

Yes, I am dreaming....I don't think we will see Kobe in a Suns uni.....hurray!!!

First of all his troubles will not be over by the first day of free agent signings. The girl involved in his case is not going before and testifying once again until the end of April. DRAGGING IT OUT FOREVER!!! Do you think his defense or Kobe wants the trial to begin before the playoffs are over? Who in their right mind is going to FOREGO all the other free agents they could possibly get if they do not know whether Kobe is going to be available. The Lakers are the only ones that may take a chance with lots of clauses in the contract in case he loses in court.

Does anyone think that the C's are willing to take a chance at not signing any other free agents for a CHANCE at Kobe. They may end up losing big time on this gamble.

What do I dislike the most about this year besides losing consistently? The broadcasters at the beginning of the game and at halftime. They are always hyping up everyone that the Suns should go after. I doubt we will go after anyone they even suggest. I guess they are hoping the fans will buy tickets for next year.

This year has been a real bah humbug...

 

[JCSunsfan]

A few things, signing Kobe is not a risk from a legal standpoint. His contract is void if he is convicted. No money lost, no cap space lost. If the Suns can't sign Kobe, I think they'll sit on the money anyway. Believe me, they are going after Kobe this summer. I've been around this team long enough to see the signs. They might not get him, but they are going for it.

Okafor will be a center. He is 6-10. He is strong. He's a shot blocker. He is a rebounder. There is a shortage of centers in the league. He is the same size as Alonzo Mourning (with a very similar game) and Mourning played Shaq as well as anyone ever has.

The Suns are NOT going to overspend on marginal players. I firmly believe they have learned their lesson. If they resign JJ it will be to a reasonable contract, but probably larger than most people on this board would like.

Whether they trade the lotto pick probably depends upon where if falls. If its 1-3 they keep it. If its 5 plus, they might trade it.

We absolutely have NO BUSINESS WHATSOEVER TRADING DOWN IN THE DRAFT. Unless it includes getting a vet player we really want, it would be a very stupid move--sorry George. We don't need more young players, we have too many already. We need better quality not quantity. Quality, for the most part, is found at the top of the draft.

Unless Lampe changes his playing style, he is not our center of the future. He is 6-11 260 (more or less) but plays like a small forward. At this moment Lampe and Zarko are redundant. He's young though, maybe he will develop this.

We need rebounding, interior defense, a 10 ft jumper, and shot blocking from our center. To me, the best person to fill that role, is Okafor. I'd trade up to get him. Strangely enough, the next best player to fill that position is probably Camby, but he's such an injury risk.

Dice for the vet minimum or so is a no-brainer. With those pins in his knees, I doubt many other teams are going to risk much on him. If its a matter of equal offers (or even close offers), I believe he will stay with the Suns. He has become a vet leader. Watch him work with the younger players during games. He's not the same guy he was when he player here earlier.

 

[F-Dog]

My ideal offseason:


--Kobe goes to the Clippers, starts to add to his tattoo collection

--Vlade Divac and Brent Barry both agree to short-term contracts; Vujanic signs a 3-year deal with a team option

--the Suns win the lottery, trade down a few spots (getting rid of Eisley in the deal), and take the player who should have gone #1 anyway, but was too young and/or too foreign to catch enough buzz. Teams start kicking themselves as soon as the Suns' pick shows up in summer league.

--No Suns in the Olympics (except Vlade ). No injuries.

--Undefeated in summer league, killing teams left and right. Amare shows up to provide leadership but barely gets into the games.


I'm sure I'll think of some other things later...that will do for now, though.

 

[Chaplin]

My ideal offseason:


--Kobe goes to the Clippers, starts to add to his tattoo collection

--Vlade Divac and Brent Barry both agree to short-term contracts; Vujanic signs a 3-year deal with a team option

--the Suns win the lottery, trade down a few spots (getting rid of Eisley in the deal), and take the player who should have gone #1 anyway, but was too young and/or too foreign to catch enough buzz. Teams start kicking themselves as soon as the Suns' pick shows up in summer league.

--No Suns in the Olympics (except Vlade ). No injuries.

--Undefeated in summer league, killing teams left and right. Amare shows up to provide leadership but barely gets into the games.


I'm sure I'll think of some other things later...that will do for now, though.

And most likely, not one of those things will happen this summer.

 

[sly fly]

A few things, signing Kobe is not a risk from a legal standpoint. His contract is void if he is convicted. No money lost, no cap space lost. If the Suns can't sign Kobe, I think they'll sit on the money anyway. Believe me, they are going after Kobe this summer. I've been around this team long enough to see the signs. They might not get him, but they are going for it.

Okafor will be a center. He is 6-10. He is strong. He's a shot blocker. He is a rebounder. There is a shortage of centers in the league. He is the same size as Alonzo Mourning (with a very similar game) and Mourning played Shaq as well as anyone ever has.

The Suns are NOT going to overspend on marginal players. I firmly believe they have learned their lesson. If they resign JJ it will be to a reasonable contract, but probably larger than most people on this board would like.

Whether they trade the lotto pick probably depends upon where if falls. If its 1-3 they keep it. If its 5 plus, they might trade it.

We absolutely have NO BUSINESS WHATSOEVER TRADING DOWN IN THE DRAFT. Unless it includes getting a vet player we really want, it would be a very stupid move--sorry George. We don't need more young players, we have too many already. We need better quality not quantity. Quality, for the most part, is found at the top of the draft.

Unless Lampe changes his playing style, he is not our center of the future. He is 6-11 260 (more or less) but plays like a small forward. At this moment Lampe and Zarko are redundant. He's young though, maybe he will develop this.

We need rebounding, interior defense, a 10 ft jumper, and shot blocking from our center. To me, the best person to fill that role, is Okafor. I'd trade up to get him. Strangely enough, the next best player to fill that position is probably Camby, but he's such an injury risk.

Dice for the vet minimum or so is a no-brainer. With those pins in his knees, I doubt many other teams are going to risk much on him. If its a matter of equal offers (or even close offers), I believe he will stay with the Suns. He has become a vet leader. Watch him work with the younger players during games. He's not the same guy he was when he player here earlier.

Bing, bing, bing... we have a winner!

 

[F-Dog]

And most likely, not one of those things will happen this summer.

Not even the part about the tattoos?

 

[George O'Brien]

My response to JCSunsfan

TRADE DOWN: I do NOT want to draft two players. My proposal to trade down is to have a draft pick available to bribe the Bobcats. My second option is to get future picks.

LAMPE: I am disappointed that Lampe is not more agressive on the boards, but I think this will change if he does enough weight training. In any case, I see him being more of a high post center along the lines of Divac and Brad Miller than a low post guy.

OKAFOR: I have been pushing for him all year. I don't care if he is only 6'9", he can play defense and block shots and rebound. Unfortunately there is no one else in the draft who can give the Suns that.

DICE: It actually makes economic sense for him to stay in Phoenix with a short term contract. Give him a year of staying healthy and he could get a much bigger contract that anyone would offer this summer. In any case, I agree he gives the Suns some veteran leadership they need.

 

[scotsman13]

A few things, signing Kobe is not a risk from a legal standpoint. His contract is void if he is convicted. No money lost, no cap space lost. If the Suns can't sign Kobe, I think they'll sit on the money anyway. Believe me, they are going after Kobe this summer. I've been around this team long enough to see the signs. They might not get him, but they are going for it.

after what we saw from the mcdyess when he left here the first time. i am sure that if we go after kobe and get him and then he is convicted. it will hurt this team. first of all we would lose out on time. and then maybe more importantly the chance to sign other players who might help us. i.e. to sign kobe we have to give up the rights to mcdyess. because we gave up those rights we have to wait 90 days before we can sign him (we only get kobe for the max money that we have) so we can only sign for a mle or part of that after we have spent all of the cap space for kobe. now mcdyess starts to worry about not knowing for sure if the suns are going to sign him so he takes an offer from the lakers (who have lost kobe, malone and payton). then late in sept. the word comes in a kobe is on his way to prison. we get back all of the money that would have given him but time has hurt us in this case and all of the other big free agents are gone. we even lose out on resigning harvey as a back up forward. now tell me that signing kobe didnt hurt us?

Unless Lampe changes his playing style, he is not our center of the future. He is 6-11 260 (more or less) but plays like a small forward. At this moment Lampe and Zarko are redundant. He's young though, maybe he will develop this.

lampe is just the right type of center for this team. the post is amares, what he needs is for the others to pull the players that are guarding them away from the post so that if they try to double team they have to come from far away. yes his defense does need to improve but he is only 19 years old. lampe game on the offensive end is mid to long range shooting. with this you dont need to worry to much about him picking up offensive fouls. now if he can develop a mean streak on the defensive end we can having it made. anyone that comes in gets hammered.

lampe and zarko are not even close as players. lampe is a stand still shooter who waits for the ball to come to him. zarko is more of a slasher who also can shoot the outside shot. zarko isnt the best outside shooter, his outside shot is just there to open up his driving. at this point both of them are not go defender. but zarko is a better shot blocker then lampe. lampe is bigger. zarko is quicker