Who Is The Suns MVP now?

[shazaam6]

How valuable is Amare to the SUNS? I think it is just unfortunate we finally get a decent center and we don't make the playoffs. Why? AMARE is missing games and we are losing. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Build around Amare.

 

[Blackification]

How can you say that??!?!? Nash is the MVP.. Amar'e does not even play defense.. he should be able to guard the wide open point guard charging at him and the power forward on their team and then get the rebound and go and pass it to shaq so everyone can be happy, Amar'e is an egomaniac he can never be MVP. Nash and Shaq have a perfect relationship Amar'e is a locker room cancer! /sarcasm

Face it people he has been the scapegoat all year and the day after he went out the team was exposed.

 

[nashman]

Yeah Amare is the future....NOT!

 

[Bufalay]

Yeah Amare is the future....NOT!

Well done Borat, you finally mastered that joke.

 

[lou_skywalker]

Jeez people, its Robin

 

[CharlieTheBull]

Nash ? Are you kidding ? Every PG in the league can score 30 against him.Lou is the MVP.

 

[dodie53]

Hill.

 

[SirStefan32]

How valuable is Amare to the SUNS? I think it is just unfortunate we finally get a decent center and we don't make the playoffs. Why? AMARE is missing games and we are losing. Coincidence? I don't think so.

Build around Amare.

Nobody ever disputed the fact that Amare is the best overall player the Suns have. Nash was the best player a couple of years ago, and Shaq was the most dominant player in recent history. Both of them are old and near the end of their careers. Of course Stoudemire is a better player at this point in time. Nobody in their right mind is disputing that.

You, like most Amare fans, are missing the entire argument here. Nobody is arguing Amare is not better than Shaq or Nash. We are arguing that Amare, as good as he is, is not somebody you can build around. Simple math- if you extend Stoudemire at $22-$25 mil per season, you are spending 30-40% of your payroll on him and you simply don't have enough to build around that, unless you are Dallas or New York.
In addition to that, Stoudemire has some serious injury problems. There is a reason the best package Suns were offered for Stoudemire consisted of Tyrus Thomas and Drew Gooden.

Amare is a good player, but realistically, building around him is not an option.

 

[Chaplin]

As much that people hate to hear it, the #1 guy to rebuild around is LB. Hands down. He's the most dynamic player and he has improved a lot over the past 2 months or so.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

IMO, Barbosa.

 

[boisesuns]

I would agree on barbosa as well. Give that guy more playing time.

 

[FArting]

Shaq

 

[Goran Stoudemire]

It's funny to see the Barbosa love now. If Amare didnt have the freak eye injury, we would be in the playoffs and we would all be talking about how great Amare is. Instead we are out of the playoffs. Barbosa isnt a impact player against all teams. He isnt a player that will get you to the playoffs. He is a great piece to have off the bench at a good price

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It's funny to see the Barbosa love now. If Amare didnt have the freak eye injury, we would be in the playoffs and we would all be talking about how great Amare is. Instead we are out of the playoffs. Barbosa isnt a impact player against all teams. He isnt a player that will get you to the playoffs. He is a great piece to have off the bench at a good price

I never hated Barbosa.

Amare isn't the impact player against all teams either.

 

[Goran Stoudemire]

I never hated Barbosa.

Amare isn't the impact player against all teams either.

He most certainly is especially in the playoffs.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

He most certainly is especially in the playoffs.

Shaq has always played well in the playoffs, so has Nash.....

 

[Gambo is a Turd]

Is no one a valid answer? I honestly don't think we have 1 player we can really build around. We have some of the supporting pieces, but that's it. The player we are going to build around is either going to have to come from FA (unlikely Sarver spends the dollars) or the draft (not many picks) so I am afraid we are going to be struggling for several years.

I think the best way for us to get faster sooner is to admit defeat, blow the team up, create as much cap room as possible, and acquire as many picks as possible. Then maybe we can be good again in 3 years or so.

 

[carey]

He most certainly is especially in the playoffs.

... dude was shut down by Scalabrine.

 

[Covert Rain]

Shaq has been the Suns best player and MVP this season IMO. NOT Amare. This team was already sliding before Amare went out. Please don't even mention the couple games after we switched systems because those were fools gold. The team has been sliding up an down the standings even pre-Amare injury. Of course, it would be nice to have his scoring and trips to the line in tight games but the Suns problem isn't offense. It's defense and rebounding and you can't depend on Amare for that. We have not been able to defend anybody and Amare doesn't change that.

IMO, this team needs a complete overhaul.

Trade Nash. His age, turnovers and lack of defense just makes zero since to hold on to if your blowing it up.

Trade Shaq. Despite him being the best Suns player this year IMO, his age and contract would hinder a team that is rebuilding.

Trade Amare. He is a great offensive player but does none of the things on the other side of the court consistently to build around. Not to mention he carries the most trade value bar none. I would not be against keeping Amare if this team could surround him with good defensive players at all the other positions. However, with cap implications on Amare's extension....I would doubt that would even be possible.

These team needs to rebuild from the ground up with a defense first mentality.

 

[Chaplin]

I think LB's growth on defense has either been unnoticed or plain ignored on this board. He's young, can take over a game and is a good teammate. Sure, he's no superstar, but he should be our one guy we shouldn't trade because he's a valuable piece. People forget how well he plays as a starter.

If I had my say, I'd rebuild around these players:

LB
Amundson
JRich
Barnes
and... yes, Amare

Maybe keep Goran around too.

But that's it.

 

[sunsallday]

It's funny how you guys all wanted Barbosa's head only a few months ago and now are praising him. I disliked Barbosa last year and he has proven to be a disappearing act in the playoffs. As much as we all criticize Amare, he does perform in the playoffs when we need it most. He has only had one bad playoff series(2008 against the Spurs) but you guys of course will jump on him at every chance you get.

However, Barbosa has shown major improvement and he needs to be our future starting SG for the rest of his career. He has begun to use his speed and cutting effectively and has really improved on defense when most of us thought he couldn't(if Barbosa can do it, then Amare can as well and if you think otherwise, you guys are haters who like to hate Amare for the sake of hating him). He is getting a lot of steals and is staying with his man.

Maybe if we become a contender somewhere down the line again, we could be in the top 3 in steals.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think LB's growth on defense has either been unnoticed or plain ignored on this board. He's young, can take over a game and is a good teammate. Sure, he's no superstar, but he should be our one guy we shouldn't trade because he's a valuable piece. People forget how well he plays as a starter.

If I had my say, I'd rebuild around these players:

LB
Amundson
JRich
Barnes
and... yes, Amare

Maybe keep Goran around too.

But that's it.

I would be OK with that with the Amare part being the possible only exception. I mean if we can get a package of defensive minded players or player at the PF position...trade Amare. If not, hold on to him and just keep loading up on defensive guys through FA and the draft.

Agree with Barbs. He has made strides. He seems to get steals every game now. Although, I sitll think he gets taken off the dribble too much but agree that he seems to have made improvements and would love to hang on to him.

 

[Blackification]

I would be OK with that with the Amare part being the possible only exception. I mean if we can get a package of defensive minded players or player at the PF position...trade Amare. If not, hold on to him and just keep loading up on defensive guys through FA and the draft.

Agree with Barbs. He has made strides. He seems to get steals every game now. Although, I sitll think he gets taken off the dribble too much but agree that he seems to have made improvements and would love to hang on to him.

My idea was to trade shaq and j-rich for a similar package.

 

[Chaplin]

I would be OK with that with the Amare part being the possible only exception. I mean if we can get a package of defensive minded players or player at the PF position...trade Amare. If not, hold on to him and just keep loading up on defensive guys through FA and the draft.

Unfortunately, I am in the camp that Amare will not be able to get us anything significant this summer because of his eye and knee issues. It may be that it's much ado about nothing, but in this economy, I'm not sure getting Amare is a chance a lot of teams want to take.

Agree with Barbs. He has made strides. He seems to get steals every game now. Although, I sitll think he gets taken off the dribble too much but agree that he seems to have made improvements and would love to hang on to him.

What has impressed me the most is his learning curve. Many here on this board thought we was dead weight, and yes, he did not perform in a couple playoffs series'. But those that push him as being horrible against the Spurs in general don't have a lot of ammunition to fight with anymore. Boris Diaw had bad playoff games against a lot more competition than LB and just a week ago people were making Boris out to be some kind of superstar.

 

[Chaplin]

It's funny how you guys all wanted Barbosa's head only a few months ago and now are praising him. I disliked Barbosa last year and he has proven to be a disappearing act in the playoffs. As much as we all criticize Amare, he does perform in the playoffs when we need it most. He has only had one bad playoff series(2008 against the Spurs) but you guys of course will jump on him at every chance you get.

I think that's a generalization, but you do have a point. I've always liked him and was baffled at how much hate was put on him by some people on this board. The guy has his failings, sure, but for the money we're paying him, he is one of the best bargains in the entire league. And this past month or two have proven that he is really making strides at improving those parts of his game that he is lacking.