Scraping the bottom of the FA barrel

[F-Dog]

Just another progress report, to give an idea of what's left in free agency for the Suns and their $1.5m:

Too expensive: Al Harrington, Chris Wilcox, Drew Gooden, Bonzi Wells, Reggie Evans, Jumaine Jones, Melvin Ely, Lorenzen Wright, Keith Van Horn, DeShawn Stevenson

Guards: Eddie House, Tony Delk, Jannero Pargo, Rick Brunson


OK, now for the realistic possibilities:

Wings: DerMarr Johnson, Jim Jackson, Lamond Murray, Qyntel Woods, Matt Barnes(?)
F/Cs: Scot Pollard, Antonio Davis (?), Maciej Lampe, Alan Henderson, Michael Bradley, Bo Outlaw
Centers: Kelvin Cato, Jake Voskuhl, Loren Woods, Olowokandi, Ostertag

I guess Pollard is the new option #1.

Edit--italicized players are now off the market.

 

[meth]

I believe Jannero Pargo will play for Panathinaikos Athens next season.

 

[arthurracoon]

scott pollard?

 

[mjb21aztd]

Say hello to our new 7'0 stiff fa signing Greg Ostertag

 

[JS22]

Call me crazy, but I think Voskuhl would have been a better signing than Marks. At least we know he can hit the jumper.

I'd also like to see them bring back DerMarr Johnson, but that won't happen.

 

[The Commish]

I know 'Kandi is somewhat of a cancer, but he's probably the best option for a big man. I wouldn't mind Kato or Pollard either.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I know 'Kandi is somewhat of a cancer, but he's probably the best option for a big man. I wouldn't mind Kato or Pollard either.

Rather have Kandi then Pollard as well

 

[Gaddabout]

No love for Qyntel Woods? At least he'd be a player D'Antoni would play.

 

[The Commish]

No love for Qyntel Woods? At least he'd be a player D'Antoni would play.

Call me crazy, but anyone that gets caught running a dog fighting ring out of their house should NOT get a spot on this team.

 

[Mainstreet]

Seeing that Amare is not going to Japan because he is not ready is worrisome for me. See top thread titled Team USA, page 6.

The Suns need to get some quality depth at the 4/5 and not just hope KT's wheels hold up this coming season... and Amare regains his explosiveness.

 

[F-Dog]

No love for Qyntel Woods? At least he'd be a player D'Antoni would play.

Qyntel is by far the best player left on the 'board'. I really doubt the Suns will pursue him, though.


Pollard's problem is his knees--he's heading for Brian Grant territory. Kandi...isn't useful. (Justin Reed was far more effective last year.) And I don't know what the story is with Antonio Davis, but he was notably unenthusiastic about playing for $14m last year (even when he was healthy), and Phoenix is a long way from Chicago.

Who knows, maybe the Suns will suck it up and offer their spot to DerMarr.



I think Jackson Vroman is hanging around the Mavericks right now, trying to get back from a broken wrist. Not sure why the Suns lost their enthusiasm for him.

 

[_Ra]

I'm not so worried about Amare 's comeback. Amare without his explosiveness is what?...

A taller Elton Brand.

Besides, Amare will be playing next to Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw. If Amare can average 20ppg and 8rpg, we can go all the way. People forget that Boris and Shawn are not stiffs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm not so worried about Amare 's comeback. Amare without his explosiveness is what?...

A taller Elton Brand.

uh - did you watch Elton Brand this season? First, he's always been a bettter rebounder than Amare and Elton's explosiveness was pretty sick this year. Amare without his explosiveness ain't a taller Elton Brand. That's a joke.

 

[_Ra]

I rarely saw any significant explosiveness out of Brand during the playoff series. Just a bunch of jump shots.

 

[SirStefan32]

I wouldn't mind seeing Little jake back in Phoenix. I always liked him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I rarely saw any significant explosiveness out of Brand during the playoff series. Just a bunch of jump shots.

you're kidding right? You didn't see Brand blocking 5 shots in 4 games against us? You didn't see him bodying up our gusy in the low-post, mauling them and then putting up layups... you didn't see 30 ppg/11 rebounds against us?

Brand ain't a jump shooter - he's a pound it down low, back to the basket player who can step out and nail the 15 footer. He's a total throw-back. In other words, nothing like the freak of nature Amare was. Amare ggame was bust you down off the dribble, fly past you, dunk on your face. His post-moves were, well, undeveloped. He also doens't have the wingspan of Brand, nor was as good of a rebounder/shot blocker before the injury. I don't see how he's going to get better than Brand or even as good after it next year.

 

[Gaddabout]

Brand has freakishly long arms and while not baseline-to-baseline agile, he is very explosive within his area, particularly on defense.

 

[nowagimp]

you're kidding right? You didn't see Brand blocking 5 shots in 4 games against us? You didn't see him bodying up our gusy in the low-post, mauling them and then putting up layups... you didn't see 30 ppg/11 rebounds against us?

Brand ain't a jump shooter - he's a pound it down low, back to the basket player who can step out and nail the 15 footer. He's a total throw-back. In other words, nothing like the freak of nature Amare was. Amare ggame was bust you down off the dribble, fly past you, dunk on your face. His post-moves were, well, undeveloped. He also doens't have the wingspan of Brand, nor was as good of a rebounder/shot blocker before the injury. I don't see how he's going to get better than Brand or even as good after it next year.

You know Ra, cheese is tellin it like it is. Brand was a legitimate MVP candidate this past year. If he shoots a jumper its because he's not being guarded on that shot, with the idea that his defender doesnt want to deal with him off the dribble, moving into the lane area. Brand just takes what the D gives and if its really packed in he'll kill you with the jumper. The suns just didnt have anyone who could deal with him with the dribble and his back to the basket in the lane area.

 

[Chaplin]

I agree. A "taller Elton Brand" is looking real nice right about now, isn't it?

 

[Nash]

I'd trade Amare straight up for Brand now, ignoring salary match and stuff like that. Is there such a thing as a 'taller Brand' ? bring him into the team then! <Amare surely isn't that>

 

[Errntknght]

I wonder if we could finagle Jake Tsakalidis from Memphis? True, he wouldn't provide us a ton of insurance against a major PF/C injury because he'd have trouble playing heavy minutes over an extended stretch of games. Still 15-20 minutes per night would be very helpful in that event.

I was comparing his per minute stats with KT's and I was surprised to see that he rebounded at about the same rate last year - which is a big step up from the way he rebounded when he played here before. He's not the defender Kurt is overall but he does body up to bigs and he still blocks some shots - 25% less than Hunter but he doesn't make near as many useless attempts as Steven does.

He would clog up the middle on offense but if Amare isn't driving much that wouldn't be a big deal and he does score at a decent rate (higher that KT) and shoots 60% from the field.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wonder if we could finagle Jake Tsakalidis from Memphis? True, he wouldn't provide us a ton of insurance against a major PF/C injury because he'd have trouble playing heavy minutes over an extended stretch of games. Still 15-20 minutes per night would be very helpful in that event.

I was comparing his per minute stats with KT's and I was surprised to see that he rebounded at about the same rate last year - which is a big step up from the way he rebounded when he played here before. He's not the defender Kurt is overall but he does body up to bigs and he still blocks some shots - 25% less than Hunter but he doesn't make near as many useless attempts as Steven does.

He would clog up the middle on offense but if Amare isn't driving much that wouldn't be a big deal and he does score at a decent rate (higher that KT) and shoots 60% from the field.

I don't think Big Jake could play at the Suns pace. He might be of some help in the playoffs in the half-court, but IMO, I do not consider him a viable option. I would rather have Hunter for the TE if I had to make a choice between the two players. At least Hunter can run and play effectively on occasion for the Suns.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I agree. A "taller Elton Brand" is looking real nice right about now, isn't it?

it would be if that's what we have - but there's really no basis for believing that it is indeed the case.

 

[Joe Mama]

Qyntel Woods? What are you guys on today? The guy was a big name in a draft a few years ago. That's about all he's done. The Phoenix Suns would not touch him with a 10 foot pole.

Joe

 

[Chaplin]

it would be if that's what we have - but there's really no basis for believing that it is indeed the case.

My comment had NOTHING to do with Amare. I simply said having a player that's like a taller Elton Brand would be quite something. You don't agree?