TNT last night and Barkley

[B-Dogg]

On TNT last night they were discussing the Timberwolves and how they could not see that team winning because they did not have a defined style of play. I.E. a defensive team a running team, etc... Then he mentioned the Suns and while he did not agree with their style they did have a style. The problem he mentioned and I agree with him on this point and this point alone regarding the Suns is that their Bigs do not fit their system. Kurt Thomas, Brian Grant, and Burke do not fit in with style of ball the rest of the team plays. They are older and plodders that need to be on a walk down the court team they just do not work. We need to some how come up with an athletic big man and while there are not alot of great ones out there pick up someone like an ELY, Wilcox, Bender, that has not gotten the opportunity on their respective teams but may be like a Jermaine O'Neal and flourish when given the opportunity. Not only that but they may flurish further by playing in the Suns system, but unfortunatley it does not work with Thomas and Grant... JMHO.... and apparently Barkley's and Kenny's as well.

 

[Tank]

We have an athletic big man

He is sitting on the bench after having knee surgery...

 

[elindholm]

The game slows down in the playoffs. Thomas and Grant were acquired mainly for the postseason. Of course, no one expected that Stoudemire would get hurt and that even making the postseason would be questionable. But I don't think that anyone really expected Thomas to light it up during the regular season the way that Quentin Richardson did.

 

[zett]

The game slows down in the playoffs.

Traditionally yes! Although last year we were able to actually increase our scoring in the playoffs, its true only if both teams decide to make it true

 

[minercon]

This sounds like Bickley's column from this morning. We had an athletic big man last year and we did not renew his contract....Steven Hunter. He was not that expensive and fit the system.

 

[B-Dogg]

The game slows down in the playoffs. Thomas and Grant were acquired mainly for the postseason. Of course, no one expected that Stoudemire would get hurt and that even making the postseason would be questionable. But I don't think that anyone really expected Thomas to light it up during the regular season the way that Quentin Richardson did.

We need more than one athletic big man even when Amare comes back and I think it is a mistake to try and conform to the way other teams play we just are not going to be as good at it as they are we should continue to play the way we play post season and I dont think Thomas or Grant fit with this team period... They are both good players but somehow I dont think from what I've seen of either they make a difference guarding Duncan he is more than likely going to be guarded by Amare anyways and they cant cover Horry... So I dont but this postseason ********...

 

[myrondizzo]

This sounds like Bickley's column from this morning. We had an athletic big man last year and we did not renew his contract....Steven Hunter. He was not that expensive and fit the system.

we could only offer him 1/3-1/4 of the deal he got in philly.

 

[haverford]

we could only offer him 1/3-1/4 of the deal he got in philly.

Are we sure he wouldn't have taken less, even a third of the ultimate Philly offer, to stay? It's not unheard of.....

 

[sunsfn]

Are we sure he wouldn't have taken less, even a third of the ultimate Philly offer, to stay? It's not unheard of.....

They offered him the max they could give him.

However, at the time they signed Bell I was wondering if they could have gotten him for less and saved that for Hunter.?

 

[haverford]

They offered him the max they could give him.

However, at the time they signed Bell I was wondering if they could have gotten him for less and saved that for Hunter.?

The question is when and which max, because the negotiations were dependent on how much money was left to play with. Right? Ahhh, feh, who cares, spilled milk and all that. Hunter left, and Suns management, for whatever reason, never seemed that interested in keeping him...

 

[sunsinsider]

How about because Hunter sucked? We did not want him and if not for Amare's injury we would not even be talking about Hunter what the hell did he ever do?

 

[haverford]

At the risk of devolving to a pissing match, the guy did not "suck." He was a semi-important component of a 62 win team last year.

 

[sunsinsider]

Sorry but Hunter was responsible for winning about as many games last season as Paul Shirley! Hunter maybe mabye had 5-8 solid games in the entire season and none of them EVER back to back. He is what he is a tall guy with no offensive skill and adequate D and sometimes blocks some shots.

 

[Gaddabout]

How about because Hunter sucked? We did not want him and if not for Amare's injury we would not even be talking about Hunter what the hell did he ever do?

I still insist Hunter was the difference between running away with the Memphis series and unecessary heartache in an extended series. He was also instrumental in more than one game against Dallas -- so much that Dallas pursued him in the off-season.

I am baffled that so few people understood his merit to the team. The reason he is gone is because D'Antoni just didn't like his game, whether he produced or not. I don't think that's a statement of uselessness, but one of personal preference.

 

[haverford]

I still insist Hunter was the difference between running away with the Memphis series and unecessary heartache in an extended series. He was also instrumental in more than one game against Dallas -- so much that Dallas pursued him in the off-season.

I am baffled that so few people understood his merit to the team. The reason he is gone is because D'Antoni just didn't like his game, whether he produced or not. I don't think that's a statement of uselessness, but one of personal preference.

What he (or she?) said.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Sorry but Hunter was responsible for winning about as many games last season as Paul Shirley! Hunter maybe mabye had 5-8 solid games in the entire season and none of them EVER back to back. He is what he is a tall guy with no offensive skill and adequate D and sometimes blocks some shots.

dude, i hate to be disparaging, but this post begs it. your comment is just plain stupid. hunter was an important cog. was he amare, nash, jj, q, marion, or jjax? no. but he was a role player off the bench. and he was a role player off the bench of a type that we no longer possess. take off your homer-glasses and be objective.

 

[Yuma]

I guess I am in the middle on Hunter. He was better than most guys remember, to me at least, BUT I don't think he was worth 76er money. So I am sad to see him go, but I think he just became too pricey for us. Maybe if we can trade for some of the guys Barkley mentioned, but for the cap and how we were situated, I just don't think Hunter was a viable option. If Hunter would have taken less to play with us, he would be getting a lot of run right now and could garner the huge jack a couple years down the road. He went for security now, and I can't really blame him. I think Bickley misled on the Hunter option just to rile folks up.

 

[Billythekid]

I guess you know what your getting with Thomas. A slow plodder who can't jump but is physical and long. Hunter was young still learning and showed real signs of being very good, and also realling bad. But he was developing. He also was physically a good fit for this team because he was quick and ran with everyone else.

When Amare is back i think you'll see why we got KT. He will mesh alot better because they won't take over what each is trying to do, but just KT alone on this team, reminds me of Luc Longley trying to gel into a fast breaking team.

 

[minercon]

If Amare comes back this year, we will gel quite well. However, come next summer it will be the "same ole, same ole thing"...... trading season and 5 or 6 will be gone. This team never ever has any continuity to it.

No one can tell me that Amare didn't know he had a bad problem with the knees all summer...waited and signed a huge contract (which I don't blame him and probably his agent told him to be quiet). As you get older you know about all your aches and pains that don't go away and so do these players because of the roughness of the game. They know things aren't right.

D'Antoni lost at least 2 games for us so far, and I almost expired when he made coach of the year last year. Nash and Amare should have gotten that honor, because they made him....not vice versa.

I am sick and tired of every year reading how the team needs chemistry because they don't know each other (none of the other teams at the top of the pecking order ever seem to use that phrase) These guys are professionals and after training camp they know each other's game, plus they usually practice off and on during the preceding weeks before October 1.

Bet those Clippers will surprise everyone. They are doing awful well, but will admit I do not what teams they have played so far.

 

[CaptainInsano]

I knew the clippers would be an above average team but I didn't see them doing as well as they are now. The problem is Cassell is prone to get injured (or re-injured) at some point of the season and is out for the rest of it. Once he goes the team will not be able to contend.

If he stays healthy they could actually be dangerous and even make it into the 2nd round of the playoffs.