Suns Will Have to Adjust
By Craig Morgan, Tribune
East Valley Tribune
Jan. 6, 2004
CHICAGO - In tracing the chain of events that led to Monday's stunning trade of Stephon Marbury and Penny Hardaway to New York, Suns second-year guard Casey Jacobsen recalled the souvenir towels that the team distributed last season during their run to the playoffs.
Emblazoned on those rags was this Stephon Marbury quote: “We're not hungry. We're starving."
“We are still hungry, but we haven't played like we're starving this year," Jacobsen said.
The explanation was as cogent as any as the Suns struggled to digest the loss of their leader and resident superstar in an eight-player deal that stunned the league.
“He was a part of our nucleus," forward Shawn Marion said of Marbury. “It's definitely a shock."
The team's digression from last season was the most obvious explanation, center Scott Williams said, pointing to the team's last-place standing in the Pacific Division.
“As far as the on-court chemistry, we were always searching for that this year," he said. “We never really developed a comfort zone with any particular guys we had on the floor or a number of plays we could go to. We were stuck in the mud."
“There were a couple personnel changes," forward Tom Gugliotta said. “Bo (Outlaw) was part of that pressing defense that gave teams fits. We also changed offenses and that took us a while to get used to it. Is that enough to throw a team into a tailspin like we've been in? I don't think so. We're professionals. But you have to look at something like that."
Preseason aspirations turned into disappointment within the space of three months.
“The change was made so we're going in a different route now and we have to cope with it," said Marion. “As a young team this is where we have to pull together more now and learn from it. I guess it falls on me now to be the main, key example of that."
Williams said the trade creates opportunities for the younger players to shine.
“They can go out there with a level of comfort that they're going to get consistent minutes and get an opportunity to make mistakes," he said.
Guard Joe Johnson believes, in the end, that will benefit the team.
“Guys know what's at stake now," he said. “But I don't think it will affect me and I don't think it will affect this team negatively. I think, if anything, we're going to come out and work harder."
