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http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0816suns0816.html
Suns get veteran post Grant at bargain price
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 16, 2005 12:00 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Brian Grant is well known in the NBA for his philanthropy, but his choice to play in Phoenix is no charitable endeavor.
The Suns snagged a bargain Monday by coming to terms with the veteran post player for a two-year deal, starting at the $1.67 million biannual exception and adding a player option for a second season. With Grant still collecting $29.8 million in the next two years as the Lakers' amnesty waiver choice, he will be this season's richest Suns player. The wealth, born from a seven-year, $80 million deal in 1999 with Miami, freed Grant to pick a fifth NBA stop for pure basketball reasons.
About 20 teams inquired about Grant, whose waiver allows the Lakers to avoid the luxury tax on his due salaries. He weighed Chicago, Miami, New York and Denver but chose Phoenix, which is expected to sign him Wednesday after he clears waivers. [/font]
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[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Grant spurned "much more" lucrative offers to be another veteran Suns banger with defensive and rebounding prowess, like fellow power forward/undersized center Kurt Thomas.
"It's a great franchise, no doubt about it, with the best record last year, a great point guard and a need (for a big man)," Grant's agent, Mark Bartelstein said.
It helped that Grant has a tremendous respect for Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni, who served on Pat Riley's bench for two of Grant's four years in Miami. Relatives in the Valley and a call from Steve Nash also swayed Grant.
Grant, 33, has carried a work ethic beyond reproach that made him productive for a decade in Sacramento, Portland and Miami. Chronic knee tendinitis and a preseason neck injury got the best of him last season. He still had the penchant for playing through pain after seven surgeries.
Grant was limited to career-low stats and a reserve role. In Phoenix, being a solid backup with hustle and leadership to support Amaré Stoudemire would suffice.
"He's totally healthy," Bartelstein said. "People don't understand that affected him last year. He'll have a terrific season. You can bank on that."
The Grant pickup did not cease efforts to land swingman Michael Finley as a means of soothing the departure of Joe Johnson, whose trade to Atlanta should close Friday. Finley was waived just before 9 p.m. Monday, the deadline for amnesty cuts, as Dallas could not trade him to the East.
Miami was considered the favorite, if not a lock by some insiders, because Stan Van Gundy coached him at Wisconsin, he has the same agent as Dwyane Wade and the Heat has all of its $5 million midlevel exception available. Like Phoenix's hole at shooting guard, Finley could start as Miami's small forward.
Those signals could have been a decoy benefiting Phoenix, the last team Dallas wanted to help again after seeing Nash leave last year.
San Antonio, Denver and Detroit are also interested with two to four times more money to offer than Phoenix. The Suns have Nash, his close friend, and can give his veteran minimum of $1,138,500 because they have no salary-cap room.
The Suns also have engaged in talks regarding free-agent point guard Gary Payton, who has publicly expressed interest in backing up Nash. However, landing Payton could require using the $4.9 million trade exception Phoenix will get in the Johnson trade.
Although five deals are not official, Phoenix figures to have eight new players in the mix. Only Nash, Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Jim Jackson and Leandro Barbosa are expected back.[/font]
Suns get veteran post Grant at bargain price
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 16, 2005 12:00 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Brian Grant is well known in the NBA for his philanthropy, but his choice to play in Phoenix is no charitable endeavor.
The Suns snagged a bargain Monday by coming to terms with the veteran post player for a two-year deal, starting at the $1.67 million biannual exception and adding a player option for a second season. With Grant still collecting $29.8 million in the next two years as the Lakers' amnesty waiver choice, he will be this season's richest Suns player. The wealth, born from a seven-year, $80 million deal in 1999 with Miami, freed Grant to pick a fifth NBA stop for pure basketball reasons.
About 20 teams inquired about Grant, whose waiver allows the Lakers to avoid the luxury tax on his due salaries. He weighed Chicago, Miami, New York and Denver but chose Phoenix, which is expected to sign him Wednesday after he clears waivers. [/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][/font]
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Grant spurned "much more" lucrative offers to be another veteran Suns banger with defensive and rebounding prowess, like fellow power forward/undersized center Kurt Thomas.
"It's a great franchise, no doubt about it, with the best record last year, a great point guard and a need (for a big man)," Grant's agent, Mark Bartelstein said.
It helped that Grant has a tremendous respect for Suns assistant Marc Iavaroni, who served on Pat Riley's bench for two of Grant's four years in Miami. Relatives in the Valley and a call from Steve Nash also swayed Grant.
Grant, 33, has carried a work ethic beyond reproach that made him productive for a decade in Sacramento, Portland and Miami. Chronic knee tendinitis and a preseason neck injury got the best of him last season. He still had the penchant for playing through pain after seven surgeries.
Grant was limited to career-low stats and a reserve role. In Phoenix, being a solid backup with hustle and leadership to support Amaré Stoudemire would suffice.
"He's totally healthy," Bartelstein said. "People don't understand that affected him last year. He'll have a terrific season. You can bank on that."
The Grant pickup did not cease efforts to land swingman Michael Finley as a means of soothing the departure of Joe Johnson, whose trade to Atlanta should close Friday. Finley was waived just before 9 p.m. Monday, the deadline for amnesty cuts, as Dallas could not trade him to the East.
Miami was considered the favorite, if not a lock by some insiders, because Stan Van Gundy coached him at Wisconsin, he has the same agent as Dwyane Wade and the Heat has all of its $5 million midlevel exception available. Like Phoenix's hole at shooting guard, Finley could start as Miami's small forward.
Those signals could have been a decoy benefiting Phoenix, the last team Dallas wanted to help again after seeing Nash leave last year.
San Antonio, Denver and Detroit are also interested with two to four times more money to offer than Phoenix. The Suns have Nash, his close friend, and can give his veteran minimum of $1,138,500 because they have no salary-cap room.
The Suns also have engaged in talks regarding free-agent point guard Gary Payton, who has publicly expressed interest in backing up Nash. However, landing Payton could require using the $4.9 million trade exception Phoenix will get in the Johnson trade.
Although five deals are not official, Phoenix figures to have eight new players in the mix. Only Nash, Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Jim Jackson and Leandro Barbosa are expected back.[/font]
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