JCSunsFan, "So
Without Amare's offense, and with Hunter's defense, we are an equally dominating team?"
I've been plugging for more of Hunter all year but I wouldn't bet that Hunter instead of Amare would hold up very long.
"Anyone else here believe that for us to win in the playoffs we need to see more of Hunter?"
I think it's very likely, which is the main reason I've thought D'Antoni should play Steven more - and play him in a front court with Amare and Shawn some of the time. If he has to go to it, they're going to be doing it with almost no experience playing together. That's a real coaching blunder because there has no reason for him not to have done it except his desire to 'prove' his philosophy.
"And that keeping Hunter through the summer (he has a player option) is important.
I know we need a center, by I don't know of a center we could possibly get that has any more potential to fit with this team than does Hunter."
I agree we should work at keeping Hunter but they may have another option if Steven flees - Mikki Moore(Clippers) is a UFA and he's much like Hunter. Less potential but more experienced and consistent. I haven't heard any one talking about Moore as a useful commondity but I think he'd fit well with the Suns and we don't need a full time center.
Frankly, I'd try to raid the Clips this summer. Rick Brunson is a UFA and would be a good backup at PG. I doubt if anyone is looking at him for their starting PG so he might be there to be stolen. Now Bobby Simmons(also a UFA) is no longer flying below the radars but if we knew we were losing JJ, I wouldn't mind seeing Simmons taking his slot. Getting him and staying under the salary cap, however, may not be compatible... I think he'll get at least the full MLE and I'm not even sure we'll have that to work with. I'm assuming the team will shed Bo and I hope they shed Waltuh but even then we don't have much cap space...
