Summer 06’ hypothetical...

[GatorAZ]

One that doesn’t get brought up as much as Joe leaving, suspensions, injuries and Shaq trade etc...

The Suns match the Clippers offer for Tim Thomas ($24m) instead of signing Marcus Banks and Jalen Rose ($22.5m)

 

[Ronin]

Smh @ D’antoni laughing at the Clippers offer.

 

[Hoop Head]

Smh @ D’antoni laughing at the Clippers offer.

Where are you seeing this?

 

[GatorAZ]

Smh @ D’antoni laughing at the Clippers offer.

They thought he’d come back for MLE. Damn Clipps.

 

[Mainstreet]

They thought he’d come back for MLE. Damn Clipps.

Tim Thomas signed with the Clippers for the MLE (starting at $5.4 million) except they gave him a 4 year contract.

Suns didn't want to cough up that much money.

Signing Marcus Banks was a bad move.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Tim Thomas was a natural fit with D’antoni. He would’ve looked nice with amare.

 

[Hoop Head]

Tim Thomas signed with the Clippers for the MLE (starting at $5.4 million) except they gave him a 4 year contract.

Suns didn't want to cough up that much money.

Signing Marcus Banks was a bad move.

Yeah, IIRC the Suns weren't willing to go over 3 years for Tim. It might have even been 2 years with a team option for year 3. I know the Clippers going 4 years meant that he was basically done here though. It hurts we spent the same money that could have brought him back on Marcus Banks, who sucked from day 1.

 

[GatorAZ]

Yeah, IIRC the Suns weren't willing to go over 3 years for Tim. It might have even been 2 years with a team option for year 3. I know the Clippers going 4 years meant that he was basically done here though. It hurts we spent the same money that could have brought him back on Marcus Banks, who sucked from day 1.

I think it came down to the projected roster not necessarily the price. With Amare and KT coming back they were ok overpaying a guard not another forward. The Suns extended Diaw that summer as well.

In hindsight regarding this specific topic you try to unload KT and pay TT.

 

[Raindog]

Well, by now we all know how D'Antoni feels about filling out his rosters with post players vs. guys who stand 25 feet from the basket.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think it came down to the projected roster not necessarily the price. With Amare and KT coming back they were ok overpaying a guard not another forward. The Suns extended Diaw that summer as well.

In hindsight regarding this specific topic you try to unload KT and pay TT.

they should have just signed TT and for once had their front court completely loaded and interchangeable. Dude was a great swag/swing F/C for DA's system. And he would have been the big man they desperately needed for who else... the Spurs.

Was furious when we let him go. He came in late in the season on a prove it deal, he proved how important he was to the team and then they let him go so they could sign an absolutely atrocious backup PG.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, by now we all know how D'Antoni feels about filling out his rosters with post players vs. guys who stand 25 feet from the basket.

true, but TT did both, and shot a lot of threes for us, 4 per game playing the 5 at over 43%. Shot 4.7 the next year at 39%. We would have beaten that Spurs team with that extra GOOD body, won the title, and probably would have the next year as well, even if they got rid of KT in that unbelievably disgusting move dumping 2 first round picks, which began the domino game of then moving Marion for Shaq.

 

[Ronin]

Where are you seeing this?

I spent the past couple of days looking for the article and have come up with zilch. Sorry.

 

[Mainstreet]

One thing sticks in my mind in regard to the Suns giving Tim Thomas a new contract. D'antoni said something like he will break your heart.

It's been awhile but I took it to mean, if you pay the guy he will break your heart. I'm not sure if anyone else remembers the comment or the meaning.

The Suns should have paid him. So much better than paying Marcus Banks.

 

[Hoop Head]

One thing sticks in my mind in regard to the Suns giving Tim Thomas a new contract. D'antoni said something like he will break your heart.

It's been awhile but I took it to mean, if you pay the guy he will break your heart. I'm not sure if anyone else remembers the comment or the meaning.

The Suns should have paid him. So much better than paying Marcus Banks.

I can kind of understand the comment because TT had a pretty dodgy reputation and that was part of why they didn't want to commit to him for so long. He was your typical contract year guy who turned it on when it was time to get paid and coasted a lot. Of course he didn't play anywhere that was that good so perhaps he was maturing here in Phoenix, finally.

What really makes it a kick to the gut is the Banks signing. It's part of why I'll defend Sarver when some claim he'll never spend money, he's shown that he will spend it but he'll spend it foolishly. Almost every move that gets judged as a financial decision has another move where that money gets spent but done in a way that no one would have thought, like paying Warrick, Childress, and Hedo instead of Amare and of course the TT/Banks nonsense.

 

[Mainstreet]

I can kind of understand the comment because TT had a pretty dodgy reputation and that was part of why they didn't want to commit to him for so long. He was your typical contract year guy who turned it on when it was time to get paid and coasted a lot. Of course he didn't play anywhere that was that good so perhaps he was maturing here in Phoenix, finally.

What really makes it a kick to the gut is the Banks signing. It's part of why I'll defend Sarver when some claim he'll never spend money, he's shown that he will spend it but he'll spend it foolishly. Almost every move that gets judged as a financial decision has another move where that money gets spent but done in a way that no one would have thought, like paying Warrick, Childress, and Hedo instead of Amare and of course the TT/Banks nonsense.

That's been a problem with Sarver. Contrary to popular opinion, he will spend the money but he will not always spend it wisely. Not extending Joe Johnson before he became a RFA is another example.

Keeping Tim Thomas would have been so much better than signing Marcus Banks.

 

[95pro]

Who even made the Banks signing happen?

 

[Mainstreet]

Who even made the Banks signing happen?

D'Antoni may have been been the acting GM.

 

[Cheesebeef]

That's been a problem with Sarver. Contrary to popular opinion, he will spend the money but he will not always spend it wisely. Not extending Joe Johnson before he became a RFA is another example.

Keeping Tim Thomas would have been so much better than signing Marcus Banks.

Sarver is the definition of penny-wise, pound foolish.

 

[GatorAZ]

That's been a problem with Sarver. Contrary to popular opinion, he will spend the money but he will not always spend it wisely. Not extending Joe Johnson before he became a RFA is another example.

Keeping Tim Thomas would have been so much better than signing Marcus Banks.

That went out the window when they couldn’t afford to keep KT for the last year of his deal. I also doubt they trade for Shaq if they couldn’t have gotten rid of Banks’ contract. They really started pinching around 2007.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sarver is the definition of penny-wise, pound foolish.

No denying this is where we are.

I think Sarver gave Ryan McDonough the independence to change things but he blew it with bad drafts and poor player personnel decisions.

 

[Mainstreet]

That went out the window when they couldn’t afford to keep KT for the last year of his deal. I also doubt they trade for Shaq if they couldn’t have gotten rid of Banks’ contract. They really started pinching around 2007.

Yeah. The Suns did a lot of foolish stuff besides giving up two first round picks to trade Kurt Thomas who had value

Later on, the Sonics even traded Kurt Thomas for a first round pick.

 

[Yuma]

Ever since we lost the coin flip for Lew Alcindor, we have been playing catch up for 50 years!

 

[GatorAZ]

Yeah. The Suns did a lot of foolish stuff besides giving up two first round picks to trade Kurt Thomas who had value

Later on, the Sonics even traded Kurt Thomas for a first round pick.

And Pop put him on Shaq in the playoffs who was awful that series. You know they had some laughs at our expense.

 

[Mainstreet]

And Pop put him on Shaq in the playoffs who was awful that series. You know they had some laughs at our expense.

Kurt Thomas was a very underrated player especially on defense so it's no surprise.

 

[1Sun]

D'Antoni may have been been the acting GM.

Correct. That was D'Antoni's move.