Should the Suns Wait Until Late to Sign their Free Agents?

[George O'Brien]

I am guessing the Suns will focus on going after Kobe first while talking to some of the middle price big men like Mark Bount and Foyle. However, when it comes to guards, I suspect that waiting will make sense.

What got me thinking about this was a quote whereby Eric Williams of the Cavs can't understand why he should take a pay cut. Currently he is making $5.54 million yet his stats in Cleveland are 9.4 ppg on 36.6% shooting and 3.8 rpg in 27.5 minutes. He is considered a fairly good defender, but he is quite overpriced.

On another thread, Camby has been quoted as saying he is looking for a six year $60 million contract.

I can appreciate that these are negotiating positions, but I think they may reflect a terribly distorted view of the market for middle level players. I'm not convinced that the increasing fiscal discipline by NBA teams is entirely due to the luxury tax. I suspect that there are innumerable guys who are going to be in for a rude awakening this summer. I'm not talking about guys coming off injuries or are at the end of their careers. I'm talking about guys who somehow had big contracts in spite of never really being quite that good.

Some guys I expect will struggle with the new reality include:

Atlanta:
Bob Sura - $6.2 million
Wes Person - $7.7 million

Cleveland:
Eric Williams - $5.4 million

Indiana:
Danny Ferry - $4.5 million

San Antonio
Ron Mercer - $6.75 million

Utah:
Greg Ostertag - $8.6 million

All of these guys are vastly overpaid. Some like Mercer and Ferry are just not very good. Bob Sura for example has been playing reasonably well with the Hawks: 14.7 ppg, 42% shooting, 8.3 rpg, 5.3 rpg. He could be a valuable backup player at maybe $1.5 million, but it may take a few months for him to figure out that he can't get the king of money is currently getting.

 

[slinslin]

Those guys suck.

Ostertag could be nice for a cheap price but not starter material really.

Sura will probably be resigned by the Hawks real quick just like the Cavs are very likely resigning Eric Williams.

Person is having a horrible year.

 

[Joe Mama]

Those guys suck.

Amen. With the exception of Kobe Bryant it would seem the Phoenix Suns chose the wrong year to rebuild. Free agency is weak. The draft is weak. I just really hope the Suns do not make moves just for the sake of making moves. I hope they learned their lesson when they signed Tom Gugliotta.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

I just really hope the Suns do not make moves just for the sake of making moves.

Unfortunately they've now started up with the "playoffs or bust" talk already, which means the pressure to add someone this summer will be enormous.

 

[George O'Brien]

Amen. With the exception of Kobe Bryant it would seem the Phoenix Suns chose the wrong year to rebuild. Free agency is weak. The draft is weak. I just really hope the Suns do not make moves just for the sake of making moves. I hope they learned their lesson when they signed Tom Gugliotta.

Joe Mama

I doubt it. The problem with the lesson is that Googs put up decent numbers before being injured, but he lacked the athleticism to make up for dismal centers they had. Teams need to have players that compliment each other.

One of the reasons I do not agree with ideas about going after Dampier is that I don't think he would be a good fit for this team on offense. He would be helpful on defense, but his offense is all low post and he is not a great ball handler. I have similar worries about Foyle, but he won't command the same kind of cap killing contract.

This is why it is so important to establish coaching continuity - it becomes easier to figure out what kind of players are need to make the system work.

 

[Joe Mama]

I just really hope the Suns do not make moves just for the sake of making moves.

Unfortunately they've now started up with the "playoffs or bust" talk already, which means the pressure to add someone this summer will be enormous.

Come on now. I read that article today, and I didn't get the "playoffs or bust" feeling. In fact all of their talk from the coaches based on the Suns adding the right pieces to the puzzle this summer. If they can't do it or don't do it nobody is going to expect them to make the playoffs still.

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

This FA class isn't that weak. There is no guarantee next year will be better. It will probably be worse.
Especially once TMac signs an extension somewhere. Most of the interessting FAs next season are restricted too and there are no good unrestricted centers I think at all except maybe Ilgauskas.

Interessting FAs this season

PG
Damon Jones
Gary Payton
Jamal Crawford
Steve Nash
- Marquis Daniels, Brent Barry, Bob Sura

SG
Kobe Bryant
Jamal Crawford
Quentin Richardson
Marquis Daniels
Brent Barry
Stephen Jackson
Bob Sura

SF
Darius Miles
Rodney White?
Toni Kukoc?
Rasheed Wallace

PF
Stromile Swift
Rasheed Wallace

C
Marcus Camby
Eric Dampier
Mehmet Okur
Vlade Divac
Adonal Foyle
Mark Blount
Chris Mihm
Rasheed Wallace
Stromile Swift

 

[George O'Brien]

Some of the these guys are interesting only if they are cheap to provide depth or to be role players.

 

[SweetD]

For the money I would like to see Swift and Berry in Suns uni's next year.