Really, the Suns couldn't do anything?

[CardShark]

Really? You don't read the AZ Republic, who said D'Antoni was the driving force behind getting Shaq. Supposedly Kerr was reluctant to do it. I'm guessing Sarver was for it, too. It was shortly after that, they asked D'Antoni to preach more D, and he got his panties in a bunch and left town.

Kerr is the one that said it was his idea, and that if it worked , he would look like a genius, but if it didn't, he would look like a moron.

 

[jagu]

We got Sasha Pavlovic, what more do Suns fans want?

 

[JCSunsfan]

The Arizona Republic is not my gospel. I do know DA said he could win it without Shaq. Is it too far fetched that DA just went along with Sarver and Kerr amid the PR? The telling sign to me (that it was not DA's idea) he initially tried to play Shaq at the high post. DA knew Shaq would clog the lane and disrupt his offense playing in the the low post but that eventually had to happen because of Shaq's limitations away from the basket. This messed up DA's system. Also as you say, Kerr was pressuring DA to play more defense and the Suns had no defender in the middle. I think DA accepted Shaq to appease Sarver/ Kerr. Clearly the Suns were not built for defense no matter how Kerr bantered about it. Terry Porter quickly found that out the next season. I bet DA was glad to get out of Phoenix just like BC.

The Republic reported that Mike D was the one pushing for Shaq. Mike himself told local media, one the air that he was the one pushing for it. He has not gone back on it to this day. Kerr said it, Sarver said it. When all the witnesses tell the same story, you might as well believe it.

If Mike D was just repeating a prepared company line, he would have recanted it by now.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Kerr is the one that said it was his idea, and that if it worked , he would look like a genius, but if it didn't, he would look like a moron.

Kerr said it was his decision. He did not say that Mike D wasn't pushing for it. Kerr was being clear that the decision was not being forced upon him by Sarver.