Voluntary Workouts & Amare Update

[jbeecham]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_060916.html

Forward Jumaine Jones, who is sitting out voluntary workouts after spraining his ankle, was surprised to see Nash and Amaré Stoudemire on the floor two months before the season starts. “It tells me that I’m in the right place, that I made the right decision,” he said. “To see the MVP here working, and so many people starting to focus in already — it gives you a good feeling.”

Stoudemire, sporting a Nashlike buzz cut of his own, impressed observers with his athleticism and improved strength on Monday but took Tuesday off. Stoudemire said his left (microfracture surgery last October) knee is “great” and his right knee (arthroscopic surgery in April) is “catching up quickly.”

“It’s night and day from where it was in July (at Team USA camp), from finishing in traffic to agility and explosiveness,” he said. “My goal is to be ready to roll when the bell rings. I’m going to get there.”

 

[DevonCardsFan]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/tribune_060916.html

Forward Jumaine Jones, who is sitting out voluntary workouts after spraining his ankle, was surprised to see Nash and Amaré Stoudemire on the floor two months before the season starts. “It tells me that I’m in the right place, that I made the right decision,” he said. “To see the MVP here working, and so many people starting to focus in already — it gives you a good feeling.”

Stoudemire, sporting a Nashlike buzz cut of his own, impressed observers with his athleticism and improved strength on Monday but took Tuesday off. Stoudemire said his left (microfracture surgery last October) knee is “great” and his right knee (arthroscopic surgery in April) is “catching up quickly.”

“It’s night and day from where it was in July (at Team USA camp), from finishing in traffic to agility and explosiveness,” he said. “My goal is to be ready to roll when the bell rings. I’m going to get there.”

Season just start!!! Stuff like this gets me so pumped!!

 

[jbeecham]

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/banks_060915.html

Banks Impressive in Voluntary Workouts

By Brad G. Faye, Suns.com
Posted: Sept. 15, 2006


With voluntary workouts beginning this week at the US Airways Center, newly acquired backup point guard Marcus Banks has gotten his first opportunity to play alongside a handful of his new teammates.

Workout participants have also included primary playmaker and two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, returning All-Star big man Amaré Stoudemire, as well as veteran sharpshooter Eric Piatkowski, another offseason addition.

"I wanted to come down, get here early and get in shape," Banks said. "We leave (for Italy) on September 29th and I want to be ready. I'm coming off a pretty solid year last year and want to continue stepping my game up and this is a great chance to do that."

Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin feels the UNLV product’s showing this week has already been enough to raise eyebrows.

"I think (assistant coach) Phil Weber is doing a great job working with him and his shooting has really impressed me," Griffin said. "Phil is an amazing shooting instructor and I'm really looking forward to watching Marcus this season."

Banks signed with the Suns over the summer with the goal of winning an NBA Championship in mind. With the core group of guys he will have surrounding him throughout the upcoming 2006-07 season, Banks feels there is no reason that goal could not soon become a reality.

"I just want to enjoy life with my new teammates and win," he said. "I didn't get to the playoffs last season like I'd hoped and am looking forward to the things I think we'll be able to do here in Phoenix.

The four-year NBA veteran says fitting in has not been an issue thus far as he's feeling right at home here in the Valley.

"The guys have just been great, I already feel like family. The organization has embraced me with open arms from the moment I got here. I know Shawn (Marion) from having played with him a few times in Vegas and am really anxious to get out there with my other new teammates and just have some fun."

 

[Chaplin]

Most of these articles are standard feel-good pieces, but as a fan, it's hard to not read them with a big smile on your face.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm going into this season with ZERO expectation, but I can't wait to see what this team is gonna be like - I hope I'm as pleasantly surprised this year as I was last year... and the year before that!

 

[Ballamania]

I am going to expect the division title and if amare and k.t. can play effectively and injury free the majority of the time, then the sky's the limit. i also really want to see banks harrass someone else the length of the court besides nash. that crap was irritating. he and raja will bother the hell outta some people this year.

 

[sly fly]

I want it all this year. I don't want the Suns to turn into Sacramento-lite.

Anything less than a Finals visit... would be depressing.

BTW, I'm calling it right here. Marcus Banks will turn into a fan favorite and be one of Phoenix's sparkplugs for years to come.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

I'm going into this season with ZERO expectation, but I can't wait to see what this team is gonna be like - I hope I'm as pleasantly surprised this year as I was last year... and the year before that!

So you don't even expect them to make the playoffs?

 

[SactownSunsFan]

I want it all this year. I don't want the Suns to turn into Sacramento-lite.

Anything less than a Finals visit... would be depressing.

BTW, I'm calling it right here. Marcus Banks will turn into a fan favorite and be one of Phoenix's sparkplugs for years to come.

I think Marcus Banks will take over our PG duties once Steve decides to retire.

 

[SunsTzu]

I'm going into this season with ZERO expectation

No offense but it's hard to believe you have 0 expectations after you're take on Marion in the playoffs.

 

[Gaddabout]

It's nice to have diversions like college football to not obsess.

 

[Cheesebeef]

No offense but it's hard to believe you have 0 expectations after you're take on Marion in the playoffs.

why is that? Last year was last year where we had a full season to show ewhat we were and I started to believe BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAW that we had a shot - to me, there's to many things that have to break right for us this year to go in with expectations - that's why I'm taking a wait and see approach - just like last year.

And, I'm really still not sure what the above even means - I praised him during the Clippers series when he played great and ripped the hell out of him when he went tortilla again in the WCF - what's your point?

 

[SunsTzu]

And, I'm really still not sure what the above even means - I praised him during the Clippers series when he played great and ripped the hell out of him when he went tortilla again in the WCF - what's your point?

Comment was because of the ripping you gave him. I don't understand how someone with zero expectations could be disappointed since they didn't expect anything in the first place.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Comment was because of the ripping you gave him. I don't understand how someone with zero expectations could be disappointed since they didn't expect anything in the first place.

not sure what you're not understanding here - as I said - I'm going INTO the season like I went into the last two seasons - KEY WORD BEING "GOING INTO" - meaning before the season starts I can't really have expectations, because of the question marks on the team, thus I will wait until I see how they play to make an assesment on how far I believe they will get - understand?

I explained it in my last post but apparently you a) didn't understand or b) just ignored it - but by the time the playoffs rolled around last year, I believed we DID have a shot and thus I had expectations which weren't met - I'm hoping that by the time the playoffs roll around ther questions I have about this team will have answers (good ones) and that my expectations at that point aren't let down like they were last year - get it?

 

[elindholm]

I don't understand how someone with zero expectations could be disappointed since they didn't expect anything in the first place.

There's a difference between low expectations and an absence of expectations.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't understand how someone with zero expectations could be disappointed since they didn't expect anything in the first place.

There's a difference between low expectations and an absence of expectations.

well said.

 

[SunsTzu]

and that my expectations at that point aren't let down like they were last year - get it?

I suppose I just view it differently. I went into last year with reasonably high expectations(Division crown even without Amare), yet was not let downat all with the way the year ended or with anyones preformance in the WCF(with exception to House and Jones who weren't really being counted on). Had the team been healthy and finished by losing to the Mavs, then I would have felt let down.

There's a difference between low expectations and an absence of expectations.

Is that the same as the difference between few posts and the absence of posting?

 

[Errntknght]

elindholm, "There's a difference between low expectations and an absence of expectations."

True, but the phrase was zero expectations and that means precisely an absense of expectations. Not that this is germane to the overall discussion... its just fun to nitpick.

 

[Nash]

knock it off guys! stop quibbling over minor semantics!

the board is beginning to sound bitter with pointless arguments in every 2nd thread.

 

[SunsTzu]

knock it off guys! stop quibbling over minor semantics!

Aye aye Cap'n!!

 

[elindholm]

True, but the phrase was zero expectations and that means precisely an absense of expectations.

Yes. I was clarifying how cheesebeef's claim of having "zero expectation(s)" could be consistent with his flip-flopping during last postseason.

 

[Cheesebeef]

True, but the phrase was zero expectations and that means precisely an absense of expectations.

Yes. I was clarifying how cheesebeef's claim of having "zero expectation(s)" could be consistent with his flip-flopping during last postseason.

huh? How was I flip-flopping last year during the playoffs? Because I called it like I see it saying Shawn was great in one series (which he was) and sucked in another (which he did)? That's called commenting on what's happening before your eyes rather than just blindly holding on to one opinion regardless of performance.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I suppose I just view it differently. I went into last year with reasonably high expectations(Division crown even without Amare), yet was not let downat all with the way the year ended or with anyones preformance in the WCF(with exception to House and Jones who weren't really being counted on). Had the team been healthy and finished by losing to the Mavs, then I would have felt let down.

actually, I wasn't let down by the team in the WCF, they did as best they could considering everything that was thrown at them - however, I was let down by Marion going Tortilla for the 2nd straight WCF - I thought that he had put that crap behind him with his stellar play against the Clippers and better play in the latter stage sof the Laker series... however, he proved me wrong and reverted to Tortilla form, and just like the previous year, I felt like an idiot after when Shawn raised my expectations in the 2nd round only to go GRANDE Tortilla against SA.

Hopefully, this season, we'll be so deep that it won't matter when Marion goes Tortilla again.

 

[elindholm]

huh? How was I flip-flopping last year during the playoffs?

Dude. I was just summarizing the argument for Errnt. I didn't mean anything by the characterization.

 

[George O'Brien]

I don't understand how someone with zero expectations could be disappointed since they didn't expect anything in the first place.

There's a difference between low expectations and an absence of expectations.

Absolutely.

I'm not sure what "realistic" expectations are until we see them play, but IMHO it would take a significant number of injuries to key guys for the Suns to fail to win 50. D'Antoni said he thought the team could win 55-60 without Amare and that's in line with my projection. I hope we won't have to find out.