What if we hadn't done the Steph deal?

[JCSunsfan]

1. We'd be drafting 12-15 range instead of the 1-7 range (Ok, 7-8).

2. We all be really ripped about how this team underperformed this year.

3. We would have absolutely no cap flexibility for another 2 years.

4. JJ would still be struggling.

5. The team would be about $13 million more in the red this year (or we would have had to give up Barbosa, Casey or our own future picks to dump Googs).

6. We would not have Lampe.

7. We would not be planning on Milos being here next year.

8. We would think that the idea of the Suns signing Kobe would be hilarious.

9. Signing Dampier or Camby would be out of the question.

10. We would be arguing about whether we should be trying to move Steph or Shawn this summer in order to get out of the mess we're in.

11. Amare and Steph would be openly feuding by now.

12. Amare would have averaged 17 and 8 since the All-star break, instead of 25 and 9.

13. We'd be wondering whether Barbosa would be able to get any minutes--ever.

14. We'd be looking at the summer with tremendous apprehension wondering if everything was going to blow up.

15. Penny would still be whining, while closing every quote with "but I'm a team guy."

 

[Joe Mama]

IMO...

5. The team would be about $13 million more in the red this year (or we would have had to give up Barbosa, Casey or our own future picks to dump Googs).

Actually I don't think they would have bothered trying to trade Tom Gugliotta because moving him would not have been enough to put them under the luxury tax without the salary cap relief Charlie Ward's buyout provided.

9. Signing Dampier or Camby would be out of the question.

I believe signing Dampier or Camby is still out of the question, but we don't need to turn this thread into another argument about them.

13. We'd be wondering whether Barbosa would be able to get any minutes--ever.

He wouldn't be getting starters minutes, but he would definitely be getting 10 minutes per game or so as a backup. I'm not sure we would be so worried about this anyhow because Marbury is clearly better than him at point guard. That is if you forget about the chemistry problems between Marbury and Stoudemire. I think this team will be much better next season if Barbosa is getting 20-25 minutes per game instead of 30+ minutes per game.

14. We'd be looking at the summer with tremendous apprehension wondering if everything was going to blow up.

That's right. We would be talking about trading Marbury and Shawn Marion. Marbury would obviously be the more valuable commodity in a trade, but there's no way they would get as much as New York gave to get him. The only consolation would be that the Colangelos would not need to trade away multiple draft picks strictly for the purpose of saving money because Tom Gugliotta would already be done here.

Joe Mama

 

[elindholm]

1. We'd be drafting 12-15 range instead of the 1-7 range (Ok, 7-8 ).

A late push for the playoffs would have been unlikely, but perhaps not completely impossible. The "bubble" teams were on fire in January and it looked like a team would have to get 47 or 48 wins to make the postseason. But as it turned out, a mere 43 wins was enough to claim the eighth seed. The Suns were 12-22 before the trade, with Stoudemire contributing almost nothing. Would 31-19 have been possible as his health improved?

3. We would have absolutely no cap flexibility for another 2 years.

The team would be able to use the MLE (at least one summer) without going into luxury tax range. That's not a bad situtation to be in.

5. The team would be about $13 million more in the red this year

If the team makes a profit, do we get any of it? No. In general, it's bad if the franchise loses money, but if it's only one or two bad years, that's not necessarily a big problem. The Suns were going to be in okay shape once Gugliotta came off the books. Not as good as they are now, but okay.

6. We would not have Lampe.

No, but the Suns would have Trybanski. Will Lampe end up being that much better? So far, it's only speculation. A big guy who is merely bad isn't an improvement over one who is downright terrible, because the Suns will go to small ball -- as they did at the end of this year, with McDyess -- rather than play a true center that doesn't give them confidence.

8. We would think that the idea of the Suns signing Kobe would be hilarious.

Many still do. An empty dream isn't worth a whole lot, especially once it's over.

11. Amare and Steph would be openly feuding by now.

The alleged "chemistry problems" between Stoudemire and Marbury have been blown completely out of proportion. You have a couple of non-commital quotes from Stoudemire once Marbury was gone, plus the general observation that both need the ball to be effective. That's about it. Yes, they would have to adjust to one another's games, but that will also happen when and if the Suns get a second All-Star-level player (or third, if you count Marion, who has certainly made an adjustment).

12. Amare would have averaged 17 and 8 since the All-star break, instead of 25 and 9.

But we don't like players who are concerned only about their individual statistics, so this is irrelevant. Might the team have more wins? Isn't that what matters?

14. We'd be looking at the summer with tremendous apprehension wondering if everything was going to blow up.

Instead, our apprehension is that the team will fail to make any significant additions. Choose your poison.

15. Penny would still be whining, while closing every quote with "but I'm a team guy."

Yep -- sure am glad he's gone!

 

[George O'Brien]

I really like Lampe's potential, even if he is not really a center. He is possibly the team's best mid range shooter already. I expect he will become much more of player if he is serious about weight training and becoming tougher.

That being said, I think the Suns need another big man who is already a physical defender, rebounder, and shot blocker.

 

[Yuma]

I read yesterday we had a WORSE record with Marbury than without him!! Of course Amare was missing during part of that. So we probably would have picked HIGHER up if the stats held up!! Look it up, our record got better OVERALL AFTER MArbury left, even counting that initial losing streak we went through!!!

 

[F-Dog]

I really like Lampe's potential, even if he is not really a center. He is possibly the team's best mid range shooter already. I expect he will become much more of player if he is serious about weight training and becoming tougher.

I'm still not convinced of Lampe's potential, but I love his toughness.

I've been rooting for him since draft day, because of the way he handled himself after his stock fell through the floor. It's sweet to be able to root for him on the Suns, now.

 

[George O'Brien]

I'm still not convinced of Lampe's potential, but I love his toughness.

I believe Lampe has incredible potential, but it is hardly certain he will live up to it.

The TV guys were saying that he is 285 pounds (but doesn't look fat) and is 7'0" with a sweet jumper, the ability to dribble the ball, and is reputed to be a very good passer. He is pretty quick and is very smooth going to the basket. He's inconsistent, but he moves his feet and has shown the ability to block shots.

But he still looks clueless at times on the court, idoes not attack the basket on to get rebounds, and is not able to keep big men out of the paint.

I think that if he works hard, gets a lot stronger and spends time learning how to play, he could be a very good player.

 

[Goldfield]

I really like Lampe's potential, even if he is not really a center. He is possibly the team's best mid range shooter already. I expect he will become much more of player if he is serious about weight training and becoming tougher.

That being said, I think the Suns need another big man who is already a physical defender, rebounder, and shot blocker.

I agree 100%

He could be a good backup Center/PF