What Took Eight Hours?

[George O'Brien]

One tidbit in the story about the Suns signing of Nash that has not drawn comment is that the Suns took eight hours to work out the agreement.

It wasn't about the money. Steve's agent told the Suns what they wanted and the Suns met that price. If money was all it was about, then the whole thing should have taken a half hour including time for a rest room break.

Seriously, I think the time was spent explaining what the Suns are planning to do and why Nash has a better chance to get to the finals in Phoenix than in Dallas. As I said, if it was only about the money the conversation would have brief.

On the surfact that looks like a tough selling job. The Mavs won 52 games this season and tied for the division title a year earlier. They have a number of very talented players and one of the most creative coaches in the NBA. By contrast, the Suns won only 29 games and coach with limited NBA experience. Why should the Suns have a better chance of winning?

The answer is that the Suns have one thing the Mavs don't have - Amare. The easiest path to the finals is to have a strong low post player and Stoudemire has a chance to be one of the best. Amare has done some pretty amazing things over the past two years, but imagine what it would be like if he teamed up with a great passing PG.

In those eight hours, I would be horribly shocked if they didn't suggest that this could be the next great combo along the lines of Stockton to Malone. As PG on the Mavs, Nash's contribution could be overlooked in the midst of their collection of outside shooter. But by passing to Amare in the paint, Nash's visibility could become huge - especially if the Suns become title contenders.

The Jazz got to the finals a couple of times and were consistent contenders during most of the 90's. But I'm not sure the Jazz had an SF the equal of Marion and JJ is potentially as good or better than Horny (more defense, rebounds, etc. and not quite the shooting and assists). Certainly the Suns will be a better running team than any team that started Ostertag. But the Suns have some other assets as well.

I suspect they also talked about Lampe. He may not be ready yet, but his combination of size, shooting, and ball handling skills will be something the old Jazz team could only dream about. This could turn into one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA as early as this this season.

NBA players are about more than just money. They are about ego and winning. Nash might have received a similar offer from Denver or Utah (they have the cap space), but neither team could offer a chance to become part of a combination like Stockton to Malone.

"Stay in Dallas and you can become an All Star. Come to Phoenix and have a chance to get into the Hall of Fame."

 

[elindholm]

I figured they just kept giving him coffee, and wouldn't let him leave the room to pee unless he agreed to a deal. After eight hours, he finally couldn't stand it anymore.

 

[George O'Brien]

I figured they just kept giving him coffee, and wouldn't let him leave the room to pee unless he agreed to a deal. After eight hours, he finally couldn't stand it anymore.

I'd comment, but I've go to go the toilet.

 

[hcsilla]

The Jazz got to the finals a couple of times and were consistent contenders during most of the 90's. But I'm not sure the Jazz had an SF the equal of Marion and JJ is potentially as good or better than Horny (more defense, rebounds, etc. and not quite the shooting and assists). Certainly the Suns will be a better running team than any team that started Ostertag. But the Suns have some other assets as well.

All these comparisons seem to be forgetting one thing: coaching.

Utah had a great coach and a very effective gameplan and system. Moreover every single contender team in the last 15 years (I didn't really follow the NBA before) had a great coach.

We may have the best All-Time team on paper while we still don't win anything on the court.

 

[George O'Brien]

All these comparisons seem to be forgetting one thing: coaching.

Utah had a great coach and a very effective gameplan and system. Moreover every single contender team in the last 15 years (I didn't really follow the NBA before) had a great coach.

We may have the best All-Time team on paper while we still don't win anything on the court.

D'Antoni was considered to be one of the top coaching prospects prior to being promoted. He took over a team with its best player injured, three weeks later his starting PG was traded and he was forced to start a rookie with little PG experience, he had to deal with limited depth, and later injuries to his starting center and backup center (Voskuhl and White). Based on this you've decided he is not a good coach?

This season will be more of a test. He will have the summer to install a revised offensive scheme, work on the defensive scheme, be able take advantage of the greater maturity of his young players, and incorporate Nash and whoever else is obtained. We will get a much better handle of how good D'Antoni is this season.

 

[hcsilla]

I'm not saying that he is not a good coach. He just hasn't proven (yet) that he is.
Until he does we have no chance to be a contender team.

 

[elindholm]

Until he does we have no chance to be a contender team.

That's not necessarily true. The Suns went to the Finals under Paul Westphal and probably should have won. If Westphal is a great coach, someone should tell the rest of the league, since there is virually no interest in him.

 

[hcsilla]

Ok, Westphal is a good point but I do think that he is the exception not the rule.

 

[F-Dog]

Here's my guess as to what took so long:


--At the start of negotiations, every member of the Suns' delegation had to go into a small room and prove he knew all the words to Canada's national anthem.

--Bryan Colangelo kept excusing himself to go to the bathroom, where he would leave desperate, pleading messages on Kobe's answering machine.

--The Suns brought 65 million $1 bills, with which they filled a pool and invited Nash to go swimming.

--Steve Kerr challenged Nash to a three-point shooting contest, with the winner getting an extra $5m on his contract.

--JC kept calling Nash "Jason" during the talks, until finally, the other members of the team had JC's drink drugged, and then they rolled him into the trunk of the limo.

--The Suns had to detail their elaborate plans for making sure that Nash wouldn't accidentally run into Mike Bibby during the season.

--New owner Robert Sarver has an interesting quirk--he can't leave any building until he has it professionally appraised.

--Mike D'Antoni showed Nash all his mustache-grooming secrets, so that Nash would have a new 'look' for next season.

--After the negotiations were over, Amare took Nash to a party, where they both got really drunk and had some webhead take a bunch of pictures of them.

 

[sunsfn]

I think it took them 8 hours and a lot of money to convince Nash to cut his hair before JC would give him a contract.

 

[devilalum]

I think it took them 8 hours and a lot of money to convince Nash to cut his hair before JC would give him a contract.

I know you're joking but I don't think JC cares about the hair thing. He changed the entire team hair policy for the Dbacks to get Randy Johnson.

I think JC realizes that hair does not dictate a players maturity etc...

The worst Suns citizens (and there have been some real losers) have all had short conservitive hair.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

One tidbit in the story about the Suns signing of Nash that has not drawn comment is that the Suns took eight hours to work out the agreement.

It wasn't about the money. Steve's agent told the Suns what they wanted and the Suns met that price. If money was all it was about, then the whole thing should have taken a half hour including time for a rest room break.

Seriously, I think the time was spent explaining what the Suns are planning to do and why Nash has a better chance to get to the finals in Phoenix than in Dallas. As I said, if it was only about the money the conversation would have brief.

On the surfact that looks like a tough selling job. The Mavs won 52 games this season and tied for the division title a year earlier. They have a number of very talented players and one of the most creative coaches in the NBA. By contrast, the Suns won only 29 games and coach with limited NBA experience. Why should the Suns have a better chance of winning?

The answer is that the Suns have one thing the Mavs don't have - Amare. The easiest path to the finals is to have a strong low post player and Stoudemire has a chance to be one of the best. Amare has done some pretty amazing things over the past two years, but imagine what it would be like if he teamed up with a great passing PG.

In those eight hours, I would be horribly shocked if they didn't suggest that this could be the next great combo along the lines of Stockton to Malone. As PG on the Mavs, Nash's contribution could be overlooked in the midst of their collection of outside shooter. But by passing to Amare in the paint, Nash's visibility could become huge - especially if the Suns become title contenders.

The Jazz got to the finals a couple of times and were consistent contenders during most of the 90's. But I'm not sure the Jazz had an SF the equal of Marion and JJ is potentially as good or better than Horny (more defense, rebounds, etc. and not quite the shooting and assists). Certainly the Suns will be a better running team than any team that started Ostertag. But the Suns have some other assets as well.

I suspect they also talked about Lampe. He may not be ready yet, but his combination of size, shooting, and ball handling skills will be something the old Jazz team could only dream about. This could turn into one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA as early as this this season.

NBA players are about more than just money. They are about ego and winning. Nash might have received a similar offer from Denver or Utah (they have the cap space), but neither team could offer a chance to become part of a combination like Stockton to Malone.

"Stay in Dallas and you can become an All Star. Come to Phoenix and have a chance to get into the Hall of Fame."

I"m not sure that I'm buying this scenerio. I think that it came down to the money, in which Dallas did not want to match the amount. Also, having his parents live in Phoenix might play a little role as well.

 

[Joe Mama]

Didn't didn't take eight hours because Nash and his agent took the deal from the Phoenix Suns and went to Marc Cuban with it to see if he would match?

Joe Mama

 

[cepstrum]

Didn't didn't take eight hours because Nash and his agent took the deal from the Phoenix Suns and went to Marc Cuban with it to see if he would match?

Joe Mama

I would guess so. I think this whole 8 hour thing is being overanalyzed.

 

[slinslin]

Who says Mark Cuban didn't twist reality a little bit? It sure sounds quite honest but he might not want to reveal everything to make himself a target if the Mavs go down next season.