Who should back up Shaq?

[BC867]

What are your opinions about who should back up Shaq at Center?

Should it be Brian Skinner (6'9" 265) and let the team get used to having a big body on a consistent basis?

Or should it revert to Amare moving up from Power Forward for 18 to 24 minutes per game?

Or Diaw (6'8" 230) getting significant minutes at Center?

With whom at Power Forward? Grant Hill (6'8" 225)?

I know my opinion. I hope that Suns management remembers their motivation for getting Shaq. A Lakers front line of 7', 7' and 6'10.

One thing worse than not having Shaq would be abandoning the advantage every time he goes to the bench.

 

[Bufalay]

Hey I just realized that you have been complaining for a while that the Suns will forever be the same small team forever. What do you think of getting Shaq?

 

[ShuHanGuanYu]

It will be matchup based. If another big body is needed, obviously Skinner gets the nod off the bench. If the team is lacking energy and coach sees speed as the answer, he'll put Amare at center and go current-Suns-style. There won't be a set order in my opinion.

 

[dodie53]

yeah.

it depends on what the opponent's lineup is.

 

[Assface]

I like the idea of running the other teams center up and down the floor, pounding them with Shaq, running them tired again, back to pounding with Shaq.

 

[TheHopToad]

I vote for Kurt Thomas, I hear he might be available.

 

[mojorizen7]

I vote for Kurt Thomas, I hear he might be available.

That would be solid.
Currently, i like Diaw in that role as long as he continues to play aggressively.

 

[arwillan]

rumor has it that the spurs will try and pick up KT. he is a perfect fit in their system, unfortunately. after how we essentially gave him away this year, i don' expect him to come here.

 

[cly2tw]

KT would be perfect.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

We could use our TE and the ATL pick to get KT easily.

 

[JCSunsfan]

We could use our TE and the ATL pick to get KT easily.

Yeah. Where'd we get that trade exception?

 

[Black Jesus]

haha, using the ATL pick to get KT... thats HILARIOUS. Alando Tucker, TE, Cash and other stuff.

 

[BC867]

Hey I just realized that you have been complaining for a while that the Suns will forever be the same small team forever. What do you think of getting Shaq?

Ecstatic.

Shaq at Center takes pressure off the rest of the team, putting players back in their most effective positions.

It lightens up the stale mood the Suns seemed to have been in.

And it puts us back into in the running for the prize, especially considering the dynamic moves the other teams in the West have made. Not to mention the Celtics.

By the way, Bufalay, thanks for understating that I've been complaining for awhile about the Suns playing small. Hell, it's been frustrating me for the better part of 40 years.

 

[nowagimp]

It will be matchup based. If another big body is needed, obviously Skinner gets the nod off the bench. If the team is lacking energy and coach sees speed as the answer, he'll put Amare at center and go current-Suns-style. There won't be a set order in my opinion.

This is so obvious, depends on the opponent. Against the "new dallas mavs", I'd bring in Diaw, against the lakers with bynum, It'd be skinner.

 

[nowagimp]

I like the idea of running the other teams center up and down the floor, pounding them with Shaq, running them tired again, back to pounding with Shaq.

This is likely, small ball isnt dead in phoenix. The presence of shaq will limit the physical abuse of Diaw, Amare. If you recall Diaw was much better when he didnt have to guard a serious post player who was much stronger. The physical abuse for 30+mins a game will slow down anyone. I expect both diaw and amare will have more juice off the dribble now. You have to actually be an abusee to understand what it does to your legs. Been there, done that, its like lead in the legs fighting those bigger guys in the post for position all the time on defense.

Interesting quote by Doug collins and backed up by fred carter

"shaq will get the other team into the penalty earlier and then they will not play as physical as fouls will then mean foul shots". Every team that gets into the penalty will play softer defense against the suns. It might be the biggest impact that shaq has on this team besides limiting the beating the smaller guys used to get in post defense and the need to double in the post.

 

[Covert Rain]

rumor has it that the spurs will try and pick up KT. he is a perfect fit in their system, unfortunately. after how we essentially gave him away this year, i don' expect him to come here.

Man I hope that doesn't happen. Adding KT to an already tough Spurs team would be bad for us. I would love to get that guy back here as a backup.

If we had Skinner/Thomas as big men coming off the bench? Are you serious? How would that not be the deepest front court in the NBA?

 

[DeAnna]

"shaq will get the other team into the penalty earlier and then they will not play as physical as fouls will then mean foul shots". Every team that gets into the penalty will play softer defense against the suns. It might be the biggest impact that shaq has on this team besides limiting the beating the smaller guys used to get in post defense and the need to double in the post.

As long as Shaq is not the one shooting the free throws.

Also, why do the Suns need to adjust to their opponents line up? It should be the other way - make them adjust to us.

 

[nowagimp]

As long as Shaq is not the one shooting the free throws.

Also, why do the Suns need to adjust to their opponents line up? It should be the other way - make them adjust to us.

The suns can go to shaq early in the quarter to get them into the penalty, then let amare, hill and boris take over. The suns sould adjust to their opponents early in the game and force adjustments by them late when they are in the penalty(when fouls= foul shots) and possibly in foul trouble guarding faster smaller guys. You dont want to grind your swings against bigger guys all game, but near the end of the game, not a problem.

 

[BC867]

When I raised the question with this thread about who will backup Shaq, I knew the answer.

And sure enough, Diaw comes in for Shaq. Skinner, not a minute in the first half.

Diaw underperforms. The Suns are behind.

What a waste of a great opportunity to commit to the Center position.

Damnit.

 

[btimsah]

When I raised the question with this thread about who will backup Shaq, I knew the answer.

And sure enough, Diaw comes in for Shaq. Skinner, not a minute in the first half.

Diaw underperforms. The Suns are behind.

What a waste of a great opportunity to commit to the Center position.

Damnit.

Yeah I thought Skinner was hurt. Otherwise Dantoni really is one of the worst coaches in the league. He's the only guy, other than Shaq who is willing to give up his body and fouls to stuff someone. Amare isnt a center and doesnt want to get into foul trouble. The Sun's I think, still need to pickup another center and 2 guard.

BUT PLAY THEM. Diaw should only be counted on for offense. He's useless on defense.

 

[btimsah]

After seeing how rebounding helped us stay in that game last night, I don't get how Dantoni doesnt want to go big more often. Skinner should be out there with Amare...

 

[mojorizen7]

When I raised the question with this thread about who will backup Shaq, I knew the answer.

And sure enough, Diaw comes in for Shaq. Skinner, not a minute in the first half.

Diaw underperforms. The Suns are behind.

What a waste of a great opportunity to commit to the Center position.

Damnit.

I hear ya. Granted Mike has some adjustments to make yet which will take more than one game but.........
Its too bad the trade wasn't.....
Marion/Banks/D'Antoni for O'Neil/Riley.

 

[Mainstreet]

Riley's a good coach but IMO he overworks his players in practice. I don't think it would be good for players like Nash, Hill and Shaq. The only problem with D'Antoni is that he does not have control over the budget.

 

[mojorizen7]

Riley's a good coach but IMO he overworks his players in practice. I don't think it would be good for players like Nash, Hill and Shaq. The only problem with D'Antoni is that he does not have control over the budget.

I agree to a certain extent. Not saying Riley would be ideal . I was just trying to get my weekly jab in on DA's behalf. I just don't like his coaching style.
He seems to spend more time complaining to the refs than taking quality TO's to coach his team & he is stubborn to a fault IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

I agree to a certain extent. Not saying Riley would be ideal . I was just trying to get my weekly jab in on DA's behalf. I just don't like his coaching style.
He seems to spend more time complaining to the refs than taking quality TO's to coach his team & he is stubborn to a fault IMO.

A good litmus test is, did D'Antoni advocate for Shaq as reported or was it a strictly a Sarver/ Kerr decision? Supposedly D'Antoni was on board from the beginning.

I'm thinking KG and Gasol were more D'Antoni type players. However, I think D'Antoni will make lemonade out of whatever players are given to him. I've just seen too many bad coaches in Phoenix and elsewhere to give him a bad time. I can only dream if Kerr could have secured KG or Gasol for D'Antoni.