Scraping the bottom of the FA barrel

[Mainstreet]

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?

Agreed. I want him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

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?

then my bad and yes.

 

[F-Dog]

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.

He also tore up summer league a couple of years, and IMO he was one of the better players in Larry Brown's 15-man rotation last year.

I agree with the part about the pole, though.

 

[F-Dog]

Looks like I was wrong about DeShawn Stevenson.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2538921

Free agent DeShawn Stevenson agreed to terms with the Washington Wizards on Thursday, his agent, Mark Bartelstein told ESPN.com.

According to Bartelstein, Stevenson agreed to a two-year contract worth the NBA minimum salary. Since he has six-plus years of service, that would be $932,015 for the first year. Stevenson has a player option in the second year of the contract.

The deal is a pretty big blow to Stevenson financially. He opted out of a contract this spring that would have paid him $3 million and then turned down a three-year, $10 million contract from the Magic in early July.

Stevenson then changed agents and agreed to the deal with the Wizards.

"There just isn't much money left out there," Bartelstein said. "This gives DeShawn an excellent opportunity to play significant minutes on a very good team. I think by next summer, the rest of the league will see his real value and he'll earn back the money he lost."

...

 

[Chaplin]

Stevenson is a head case and wouldn't get significant minutes with us, so even entertaining the idea of Stevenson being "available" to the Suns is moot.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm inclinded to go for Lampe because I think he might get better and most of the "affordable" guys aren't going to get minutes either.

 

[JoRain]

Well - here's another (probably not so good) idea about who Suns might sign - Ndudi Ebi. He's 6-9 and he's 22 year old. The guy right now is being coached by Olajuwon and he thinks Ebi is ready to return to NBA.
Some guys here are considering Kandi-man, i mean Ebi can't be worse than him

 

[The Commish]

Well - here's another (probably not so good) idea about who Suns might sign - Ndudi Ebi. He's 6-9 and he's 22 year old. The guy right now is being coached by Olajuwon and he thinks Ebi is ready to return to NBA.
Some guys here are considering Kandi-man, i mean Ebi can'r be worse than him

I was so pissed when he spurned the U of A to go pro. Definately not one of the best decisions, but then again he did get paid. So what do I know?

 

[JoRain]

Well - i also read about Dajuan Wagner and his comeback. He recently scored 65 points in Cherry Hill League, including 15 three point shots, and the very next day scored 67 points in Rankin/Anderson league.
also maybe not the worst posibility to sign

here's the article about him - http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/15195609.htm

 

[F-Dog]

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/sports/hawks/stories/0805wright.html

Center Wright returning to Hawks

By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 08/05/06

The Hawks have reached an agreement with free agent center and former Hawk Lorenzen Wright on a two-year contract worth an estimated $6 million, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Wright, a 6-11, 250-pound 10-year veteran, played the past five seasons in Memphis, alongside All-Star center Pau Gasol. He started 58 of 78 regular season games for the Grizzlies this past season and averaged 5.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while playing just 21.7 minutes per game.

Wright spent two seasons with the Hawks, 1999-00 and 2000-01, posting a career high scoring average (12.4) during his second season.

Drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the seventh pick in the 1996 draft, Wright has career averages of 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds. He fills a huge need for the Hawks as the backup center to fourth-year pro Zaza Pachulia.

Also, Jake Voskuhl has re-signed with Charlotte. I believe the terms were 2 years, $4m.

 

[George O'Brien]

I knew Wright's market value had shrunk, but I'm stunned.

 

[Joe Mama]

I knew Wright's market value had shrunk, but I'm stunned.

given the other money being spent right now I'm actually surprised he got $3 million per season.

Joe

 

[JCSunsfan]

So where are we anyway. I would say that we need at least 5 guards, 5 forwards, and 3 centers going into the season.

Guards: Nash, Bell, Barbosa, Banks

Forwards: Marion, Diaw, Junior, Pike, Marks

Centers: Stoudemire, Thomas, Burke

It looks to me like we need another guard. While I am not all that excited about Marks and Burke, the bodies are still there at the positions.

If one or two of our guards go down, Diaw, Pike or Junior will have to play guard.

 

[Chaplin]

Pike is a GF, so I don't see the problem with him playing guard--other than the fact that he can barely play, period. You pay the minimum for a player, you get a minimum player.

 

[George O'Brien]

In a pinch, Boris can play guard and probably fairly well. I think it is much more important that the Suns have confidence some guys who can play inside rather than who the #5 guard is going to be.

 

[Joe Mama]

So where are we anyway. I would say that we need at least 5 guards, 5 forwards, and 3 centers going into the season.

Guards: Nash, Bell, Barbosa, Banks

Forwards: Marion, Diaw, Junior, Pike, Marks

Centers: Stoudemire, Thomas, Burke

It looks to me like we need another guard. While I am not all that excited about Marks and Burke, the bodies are still there at the positions.

If one or two of our guards go down, Diaw, Pike or Junior will have to play guard.

we are fine at point guard at this point. I would love to see the team add another swingman who could cover the 2 in a pinch. More importantly I would like to see someone who can play the 4... whether that's a 3/4 or a 4/5.

Joe

 

[F-Dog]

we are fine at point guard at this point. I would love to see the team add another swingman who could cover the 2 in a pinch. More importantly I would like to see someone who can play the 4... whether that's a 3/4 or a 4/5.

Joe

Agreed.

I keep coming back to Viktor Khryapa--he seems like almost exactly what the Suns need, for almost exactly the salary they're willing to pay. By now, though, Paxson would probably ask for the Suns' pick next year and Cleveland's, too...he did give up J.R. Smith for a couple of seconds, though.

I guess we'll have plenty of time to wait and see, since the FA market seems to be nearly closed.

 

[George O'Brien]

Actually the free agent market is not closed, it's just that there is a dearth of willing buyers and willing sellers.

The guys we might like are typically RFA's that want more than we can afford and would have to be sign and trades anyway: Wilcox, Gooden, and Ely. The same is true with Reggie Evens, although he's not really a fit for the Suns. Their teams will keep them if they could be had for a reasonable price.

Wells and Harrington have been working on sign and trade deals all summer, yet remain unemployed. Neither are all that good a fit for the Suns, but it doesn't matter since their prices are outrageous.

The rest of the guys unrestricted are either not particularly good or have health issues. Is Scott Pollard healthy? If he is, he's probably available for the minimum. But he hasn't been healthy in a long time and might not be skilled enough even if he is.

 

[Mainstreet]

Agreed.

I keep coming back to Viktor Khryapa--he seems like almost exactly what the Suns need, for almost exactly the salary they're willing to pay. By now, though, Paxson would probably ask for the Suns' pick next year and Cleveland's, too...he did give up J.R. Smith for a couple of seconds, though.

I guess we'll have plenty of time to wait and see, since the FA market seems to be nearly closed.

I would give up the two first round picks you mention for Viktor Khryapa if push came to shove and his contract could be extended. I don't want any RFA's coming up again soon. I really like his game and I think he could play all three frontline positions if necessary. He is very versatile but tends to play inside where he can rebound. I've said it before, he reminds me of a poor man's Kirilenko.

However, isn't there a waiting period before Chicago can trade him (90 days)?

 

[Errntknght]

I've been coveting Khryapa ever since the first game against Portland. He's just the kind of player the Suns need - strong! And he's plenty athletic. Heck, I'd be tickled to give up our two lesser picks next year for him, especially when I think of all the other ways the Suns may get rid of those picks.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Agreed.

I keep coming back to Viktor Khryapa--he seems like almost exactly what the Suns need, for almost exactly the salary they're willing to pay. By now, though, Paxson would probably ask for the Suns' pick next year and Cleveland's, too...he did give up J.R. Smith for a couple of seconds, though.

I guess we'll have plenty of time to wait and see, since the FA market seems to be nearly closed.

I like this guy too. I was really impressed with him last spring when he performed so well against us in Portland. He presents a dilemma for Skiles, because he could take playing time away from his younger forwards thus hindering the development of someone like Tyrus Thomas.

Skiles has to find minutes for Wallace, PJ Brown, Sweetney, Nocioni, Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Khryapa.

The price might be high now, but he might be more affordable as a mid-season pickup. His deal is basically 1.2 million, and we have a 1.8 million trade exception from the Grant and #21 to Boston deal on draft day. We'll have that for a year, so we could pick him up without having to give up a player at any point during the season.

 

[sunsfn]

I like this guy too. I was really impressed with him last spring when he performed so well against us in Portland. He presents a dilemma for Skiles, because he could take playing time away from his younger forwards thus hindering the development of someone like Tyrus Thomas.

The price might be high now, but he might be more affordable as a mid-season pickup. His deal is basically 1.2 million, and we have a 1.8 million trade exception from the Grant and #21 to Boston deal on draft day. We'll have that for a year, so we could pick him up without having to give up a player at any point during the season.

It would be good to get him, but I thought I read that when the trade was made Chicago wanted him as part of the trade?

 

[F-Dog]

It would be good to get him, but I thought I read that when the trade was made Chicago wanted him as part of the trade?

I think the Bulls were highly motivated to trade down, just because there was no chance Tyrus Thomas would go in the first three picks. They weren't going to receive a Portland first-round pick in the deal, no matter what limitations they offered to make on it, and they probably didn't want to deal with Travis Outlaw, either, so Khryapa was the next-best thing.

Heck, I'd be tickled to give up our two lesser picks next year for him, especially when I think of all the other ways the Suns may get rid of those picks.

Value-wise, Khryapa isn't worth two picks, since his rookie contract only runs for two more years. Frankly, he's probably not worth one pick in next year's draft, which is supposed to be the best since 2003 (the last three picks in the first round of that draft were Josh Howard, Barbosa and Kendrick Perkins).

The problem is, there isn't an obvious answer for the Suns' depth issues. Because of that, I'd be happy if the team traded their worst pick for Khryapa, but more than that and they're getting screwed.

 

[Mainstreet]

If Khryapa could be obtained from Chicago for the Suns worst first round pick next year, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I see Lonny Baxter is going to Italy. I still feel he can play although his stats don't support this. Maybe I'm just sentimental about that Maryland team. I just wished the Suns had given him a look.

Also I don't know where Marcus Fizer is playing but I particularly think his game would fit in Phoenix's system as he is adequate shooter and rebounder. He is also not afraid to bang a little. If I were the Suns I would have picked him up last season when he was available.

Also anyone know about Malik Rose's contract ($$$) and availabity from New York?

And I even wonder if the Suns have even thought about bringing in a player like Predrag Drobnjak. I think he is in Europe. He is a nice big center that can shoot and was nice player for Seattle a few years back.

There must be a dozen players or more players that I have some interest... to fill out the Suns roster. I hope the Suns have been looking at some of these players as options. I actually think some of these players could get a little playing time with Phoenix.

I mean some of these players (who might be had reasonably) aren't half bad or could fill a role for the Suns as an inside player at the end of the bench. If we're talking about scraping the bottom of the barrel, then the Suns should take a look at some of these prospects and I'm sure there are many more that I haven't even thought about.