Rumor: Earl Clark for Solomon Jones

[Folster]

Minor Deal In The Works?: League sources revealed yesterday that the Indiana Pacers and the Phoenix Suns have held informal talks about swapping seldom used Suns' forward Earl Clark and equally unused Pacer's center Solomon Jones.
The deal would basically shed $200,000 off of Phoenix's payroll and give them another body for the center position, and add some rebounding to the bench.
The Pacers have been looking for a power forward and when given time Clark has proven he can score the ball, something Indiana would like to see more of from their power forward spot.
Clark has been unable to find a groove with the Suns who opted not to pick up his third year rookie contract, so like Solomon he is basically an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Both teams seem interested in making the deal as it solves problems for both teams; however sources warned the talks were on going and could just as easily fall apart as come together, neither team seemed poised to pull the trigger yet, but there was more than a passing interest in the deal from both sides.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?STORY_ID=18146#ixzz17j2QEZmL

He is 6'10" 245 lbs. and in his 5th year out of South Florida he is averaging 4.6 ppg and 3 rpg in 13.9 minutes per game this season. I thought he looked fairly good against us as he managed 5 pts. and 6 rebs. in 22 minutes. He definitely is not the answer to our frontcourt problems, but he looks like a slight improvement over Barron. Barron is averaging 3.6 ppg and 3.7 rpg in 17.4 minutes for us. I guess we should just trust the Suns new scouting department and see if they can find a few diamonds buried on opposing team's benches.

You can find a link to his stats here.


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[Chaplin]

Coro won't confirmed this rumor. He says he hasn't heard anything about it.

 

[Folster]

If our scouting department sees something in Jones, then fine; but if he's just a big body, then I'd rather keep Clark.

For Earl Barron? Sure.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

If our scouting department sees something in Jones, then fine; but if he's just a big body, then I'd rather keep Clark.

For Earl Barron? Sure.

Yep...it's a shame Clark can't get more minutes, at the very least he would seem to help with some of our defensive/rebounding woes. No reason with his size and skill that he couldn't be a decent backup big man, at least.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i don't trust any part of our front office in talent evaluation. nice waste of a mid-round pick in clark (for whom i had some hope).

 

[tobiazz]

i don't trust any part of our front office in talent evaluation. nice waste of a mid-round pick in clark (for whom i had some hope).

They will get a chance to redeem themselves with another mid-round pick this year

 

[Folster]

From Gambo via twitter:

There is no truth to the reports/rumors that the Suns are going to deal Earl Clark to Indiana for Solomon Jones -- there is nothing there!

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns cannot evaluate talent there is an argument to be made for trading a mid first round pick or protected lotto for a young player that already shows potential. The Suns scouting has never been the same since the death of Percudani.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Changes at the end of the bench mean nothing. We need a potential starting pf.

Adding a healthy Lopez would probably help as much as anything else.

Dropping a wing or two, without picking up an additional player, would be a help. Dump Hedo.

 

[Mainstreet]

From Gambo via twitter:

Only in Coro I trust. However, this was only a rumor anyway.

 

[Chaplin]

If the Suns cannot evaluate talent there is an argument to be made for trading a mid first round pick or protected lotto for a young player that already shows potential. The Suns scouting has never been the same since the death of Percudani.

Solomon Jones is a scrub and wouldn't help. I don't prefer keeping Clark for on-court purposes, but certainly he would have value as a salary-matcher in a potential future trade.

I've read some stuff from Indiana fans that are all over this trade--they generally think that Jones is one of their worst, or THE worst, rotation player they have.

 

[Mainstreet]

Solomon Jones is a scrub and wouldn't help. I don't prefer keeping Clark for on-court purposes, but certainly he would have value as a salary-matcher in a potential future trade.

I've read some stuff from Indiana fans that are all over this trade--they generally think that Jones is one of their worst, or THE worst, rotation player they have.

I wasn't responding to this particular trade rumor. I was thinking about packaging a player like Childress or Warrick and a first round pick for a legitimate PF. Hedo will probably be hard to move.

 

[Chaplin]

I wasn't responding to this particular trade rumor. I was thinking about packaging a player like Childress or Warrick and a first round pick for a legitimate PF.

Ah. So we're on the same wavelength there.

 

[Michael]

I seriously hope the Suns won't trade Clark. I'm not saying that he's gonna be a future all star, but I wouldn't be surprised either. From the brief time on the court you can see his talent and skill. He's agile for his size, his jumper looks good and he has potential to become a solid defender. It's obviously difficult to get into the flow of a game when you enter in garbage time. As soon as he's gonna get more minutes and confidence, I expect him to be a valuable part of the Suns (or some other team...).

 

[jagu]

Championship!!!

 

[asudevil83]

I seriously hope the Suns won't trade Clark. I'm not saying that he's gonna be a future all star, but I wouldn't be surprised either. From the brief time on the court you can see his talent and skill. He's agile for his size, his jumper looks good and he has potential to become a solid defender. It's obviously difficult to get into the flow of a game when you enter in garbage time. As soon as he's gonna get more minutes and confidence, I expect him to be a valuable part of the Suns (or some other team...).

I dont really see the point in holding onto hopes for the kid. He's a UFA after this season, so the odds of him staying are pretty slim no matter how he develops.

 

[dodie53]

Championship!!!

too bad it's only a rumor
hehe

 

[Errntknght]

I imagine Devil is right about Clark trying another team next year regardless. I would have liked to see him have a chance with consistent minutes this year but I don't really think he'll ever reach a fraction of his potential.

He seems to have what I call 'shootitis' - he just has a tremendous urge to shoot whenever he gets the ball in his hands. Even when guys like that can suppress the urge, the ball sticks in their hands too long while they fight it off - and they are not thinking about what they should be. Two other guys that I thought had the same syndrome were Marcus Banks and Maciej Lampe. Its not that are not good shots (in practice they're probably great shooters) - its that battling their demon keeps them for ever getting their heads in the game and they never learn to shoot in rhythm in games.

Out and out gunners like Eddie House never have any conscience about firing it up and some of them become modest successes in the league.

 

[jagu]

too bad it's only a rumor
hehe

I already sent out an order for custom made Championship teeshirts with Solomon Jones and NAsh photoshopped and holding up the trophy...

 

[Superbone]

I already sent out an order for custom made Championship teeshirts with Solomon Jones and NAsh photoshopped and holding up the trophy...

Add Earl Barron in there and I'll buy 10!

 

[JS22]

It's sad, really. This team went from being within 2 games of the NBA Finals to a team looking at Solomon Jones and starting Earl Barron at center. At BEST they'll gel and swim above .500, with a possible upset in the first round. (They proved me wrong last year, but this team just doesn't seem to have it.)

I don't disagree with not signing Amare. A max contract for a guy who averages about 21/8 and plays no defense? Eh. Not too sure. But if I'd have known they'd just blow the money I would have preferred Amare staying.

 

[Chaplin]

It's sad, really. This team went from being within 2 games of the NBA Finals to a team looking at Solomon Jones and starting Earl Barron at center. At BEST they'll gel and swim above .500, with a possible upset in the first round. (They proved me wrong last year, but this team just doesn't seem to have it.)

I don't disagree with not signing Amare. A max contract for a guy who averages about 21/8 and plays no defense? Eh. Not too sure. But if I'd have known they'd just blow the money I would have preferred Amare staying.

Starting Earl Barron. Yes, agreed. But looking at Solomon Jones? Never happened. It was a false rumor.