Suns to sign Romain Sato (RUMOR)

[Divide Et Impera]

I'm REEEEEEEEEEALLY looking forward to seeing this guy play....

What's he gonna be like? Fat Lever? Orlando Woolridge? Robert Pack? Andre Iguodala?

 

[Divide Et Impera]

I just thought about how cool it would be, assuming Sato IS in fact a lock-down defender, to run a lineup of Barbosa-Bell-Sato-Marion-Stoudemire. That would be a scrambling, defensive force...

 

[arthurracoon]

Him and Amare are gonna dominate the summer league.

 

[JS22]

25.6 points per game? Wow, I knew he could get hot and score, but I did that he could score like that. The Italian league might be the second or third best basketball league in the world after the NBA according to the guys during the draft.

On top of that is supposed to be a great guy. He can really defend.

I can't wait to watch some summer league games. We will be logging at least all of the Las Vegas league.

Joe

You will? Nice!

I always wished that I could catch a few of the Suns summer league games, and now I'll be able to. I actually went back and watched a few of the regular season games using the Synergy app. It's nice being able to basically condense an entire game to about 30 minutes.

Love it.

 

[F-Dog]

Since Sato was drafted by the Spurs, I asked about him over at Spurstalk.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45090

 

[Gaddabout]

Since Sato was drafted by the Spurs, I asked about him over at Spurstalk.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45090

Yep, weak handles was the report on him out of college. Like I said, he's no combo guard. He's a 2 through and through.

It really amazes me, though. Handling the ball is the easiest skill, by far, to learn in basketball. It's tougher for the tall guys because their bodies are constantly growing and they don't have the advantage of muscle coordination the guards do.

Even with Sato's freakish wing span, ball handling shouldn't be his limitations -- not at 6-4.

 

[Joe Mama]

You will? Nice!

I always wished that I could catch a few of the Suns summer league games, and now I'll be able to. I actually went back and watched a few of the regular season games using the Synergy app. It's nice being able to basically condense an entire game to about 30 minutes.

Love it.

sorry buddy. The fan web site is down until at least next season. At that point, if we get the thumbs-up from the NBA, there will be a monthly fee.

Actually, we probably wouldn't have summer league available on a fan web site even if we did have it still up and running.

All of the summer league (at least Las Vegas) games will be shown on NBA TV the next day.

Joe

 

[JCSunsfan]

I am optimistic about this guy. He's fast, he defends, he shoots.

The know was he can't handle the ball, but that was two years ago. He's had experience now in Europe, and that's one of the easiest aspects of your game to improve.

The thing I am encouraged about is that he actually SCORED. There have been lots of Euros taken in the draft who haven't scored much--even in secondary leagues.

DAntoni must know something about his progress with his Italian connections.

 

[NastyOne]

I know was he can't handle the ball, but that was two years ago. He's had experience now in Europe, and that's one of the easiest aspects of your game to improve.

Tell that to Shawn Marion

 

[Errntknght]

A 6'5 SG who defends, scores and rebounds... screw summer league, sign him up now! With poor ball handling skills he's not a combo guard but we have Raja who is not a lot worse than Leandro. I think we should keep an eye out for Andre Barrett - since the Raps traded for TJ Ford, they may let Andre slip away... probably depends on whats happening with Mike James. Rick Brunson will probably available at the vet min this year.

 

[panfolk]

I think we should keep an eye out for Andre Barrett - since the Raps traded for TJ Ford, they may let Andre slip away...

Of the two thirds of the season I caught Barrett didn't play. From all reports I am still curious as to why the Suns let him go.

 

[George O'Brien]

Of the two thirds of the season I caught Barrett didn't play. From all reports I am still curious as to why the Suns let him go.

In two games, Barrett averaged 10 minutes a game and had only 1 assists per game.

Sato sounds like a solid pickup as a backup SG. He's not the PG everyone is looking for, but as a physical defender who can shoot - what's not to like?

 

[Cheesebeef]

In two games, Barrett averaged 10 minutes a game and had only 1 assists per game.

Sato sounds like a solid pickup as a backup SG. He's not the PG everyone is looking for, but as a physical defender who can shoot - what's not to like?

how about the fact that the guy washed out of the NBA and hasn't proven a damn thing. But hey, if first round draft picks couldn't make a contribution to this team, I'm sure some washout who hooped it up in Europe could do the trick as our backup SG!

 

[Errntknght]

The Suns signed Andre to a second 10 day contract, which we all expected since he looked okay, but the next day they cut him loose so he could sign on with the Raptors. No doubt they didn't think he had a long term future with the club but I didn't think it was a good time to be generous since we needed a better backup at point and Barrett looked better than Leandro and House for that job. I'd characterize it as misguided rather than generous...

 

[playstation]

how about the fact that the guy washed out of the NBA and hasn't proven a damn thing. But hey, if first round draft picks couldn't make a contribution to this team, I'm sure some washout who hooped it up in Europe could do the trick as our backup SG!

so far, we've had a wide-eyed chucker, a 3rd string center for the hawks, a banished guy from the street, and an undrafted guy that played in 4 leagues before the NBA come to phoenix and become good players/stars.

raw skill is all i'd look for at this point. guy can shoot AND play defense? on our team, he doesn't need any more skills.

 

[PhxGametime]

Sato is 6'3 and highly unlikely he can play the PG position... I remember myself and Joe Mama liking his defense but he tested pretty short at Draft Combine.

 

[SunsTzu]

He measured at 6'3 1/4 but it sounds like he can play bigger. Not only does he have a 6'11 wingspan but also a 8'6 1/2 reach.

 

[Joe Mama]

I just want to be clear that while I am excited about Sato on not counting on him to make the team. As cheese pointed out, the guy did not stick with an NBA team has first go around. It's hardly a sure thing that he'll do it this time.

I do think he has the tools to make the team though.

Joe

 

[sunsfn]

Hey, for the minimum, lets sign him up! We are looking for cheap players!!

 

[George O'Brien]

I just want to be clear that while I am excited about Sato on not counting on him to make the team. As cheese pointed out, the guy did not stick with an NBA team has first go around. It's hardly a sure thing that he'll do it this time.

I do think he has the tools to make the team though.

Joe

Sato did not catch on with a Spurs team that had five guards with guaranteed contracts. Obviously if he had been a huge hit they'd have moved someone, but he's hardly the first guy to get caught in the numbers game.

In any case, I like the idea of having another physical perimeter defender off the bench who has at least some offensive skills. Sounds like a guy who wasn't even drafted and bounced around the minors for a few years named Bell. l.

 

[Joe Mama]

Sato did not catch on with a Spurs team that had five guards with guaranteed contracts. Obviously if he had been a huge hit they'd have moved someone, but he's hardly the first guy to get caught in the numbers game.

In any case, I like the idea of having another physical perimeter defender off the bench who has at least some offensive skills. Sounds like a guy who wasn't even drafted and bounced around the minors for a few years named Bell. l.

I should probably mention something else about Sato. He is supposed to be a great guy. I remember watching a Xavier game a couple of years ago where they did a piece at halftime about him. They went on and on about what a great kid and a hard worker he was. I seem to remember that he had not been playing basketball for a long time either.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

This is from today's Caro article:

Nikoloz Tskitishvili was waived and picked up by Portland on Friday. Eddie House opted for free agency Friday, but both he and the Suns say he may return. Without them and Thomas, Phoenix has nine players under contract. That will give the members of Phoenix's Vegas Summer League team, especially Romain Sato, better shots at roster spots.

This suggests they have added him to the Las Vega roster.

 

[JS22]

sorry buddy. The fan web site is down until at least next season. At that point, if we get the thumbs-up from the NBA, there will be a monthly fee.

Actually, we probably wouldn't have summer league available on a fan web site even if we did have it still up and running.

All of the summer league (at least Las Vegas) games will be shown on NBA TV the next day.

Joe

Looks like I'll have to jump off a cliff, then.

I definitely enjoyed it while it was up, and would be more than willing to pay a monthly fee. Hopefully you are able to get the thumbs up from the NBA.

 

[JS22]

how about the fact that the guy washed out of the NBA and hasn't proven a damn thing. But hey, if first round draft picks couldn't make a contribution to this team, I'm sure some washout who hooped it up in Europe could do the trick as our backup SG!

Damn Cheese, it's getting old!

 

[mark1]

Sato may fill Suns need

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0705suns07050.html