Zarko Traded

[elindholm]

More than anything else, the Suns are no longer in a patient rebuilding mode. They have a chance to do big stuff and Zarko was just dead weight for this season.

There has to be more to it than that. Usually players will hang onto their draft projects even if they won't be getting any playing time. Think about Milicic with the Pistons -- he played no role in their "big stuff" pursuit last season, but they still held onto him.

 

[myrondizzo]

More than anything else, the Suns are no longer in a patient rebuilding mode. They have a chance to do big stuff and Zarko was just dead weight for this season.

There has to be more to it than that. Usually players will hang onto their draft projects even if they won't be getting any playing time. Think about Milicic with the Pistons -- he played no role in their "big stuff" pursuit last season, but they still held onto him.

Milicic was taken number 2. he is also very young. but can you imagine the riots in detriot if they knew that they wasted a number 2 pick on a bust when they could have had melo or bosh.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It is easy to second guess draft picks, but a lot of people were really excited about his potental following his summer league play a year ago. Then he was injured prior to training camp and that was followed by the Fortson mugging.

More than anything else, the Suns are no longer in a patient rebuilding mode. They have a chance to do big stuff and Zarko was just dead weight for this season.

A wrist injury for a shooter can be career ending, depending on its severity. Its what finally ended Rex Chapman's career. If scar tissue builds up or the flexibility never comes back, its over. Shame.

 

[slinslin]

Diop would be a player I would be interessted in trading for.

He makes 2.6M$ this season and we have a 1.4M$ trade exemption.

Dalembert for the exemption and the Chicago pick could work as well.

 

[scoutmasterdave]

Dalembert for the exemption and the Chicago pick could work as well.

Well, *I* would love that, but I doubt Philly would bite...

 

[JCSunsfan]

We are going to be looking at the playoffs and potentially a championship run. We might make a move for a player that we believe can help us get there. The players that might fit that category at this point would be. . .?

Zo and Karl Malone at this point.

Of course, we probably don't want to make that decision right now. An injury could change the picture in a hurry. We need the flexibility to respond to needs as the season progresses.

 

[coloradosun]

I think that once the Suns acquired Lampe (same draft) that it made Zarko expendible, if I remember correctly they had interest in Lampe at the 17th pick as well. The Suns need someone to develop behind Amare and Zarko might have been the answer before the trade and the acquistion of Q.

One point guard that was recently released was Juan Dixon, I would consider him backing up Nash. Now Barbosa may get more minutes at the two if a point guard is added.


Sorry I was wrong about Dixon, I thought he was waived.

Amare-Hunter-Voskuhl
Marion-Lampe-Vroman
Q-Jacobsen
JJ-Barbosa
Nash-Dixon

 

[Yuma]

I don't think any team ever PLAYS 12 players.

Maybe Mike can put on a pair of shorts like Skiles did for practice.

I heard Detroit and Indiana have played with less than 12 players just recently!

 

[Yuma]

More than anything else, the Suns are no longer in a patient rebuilding mode. They have a chance to do big stuff and Zarko was just dead weight for this season.

There has to be more to it than that. Usually players will hang onto their draft projects even if they won't be getting any playing time. Think about Milicic with the Pistons -- he played no role in their "big stuff" pursuit last season, but they still held onto him.

I would normally agree that there would be more to it, except for the near and long term, there really is no playing time for Zarko. Look at our roster:

Forwards: Amare, Marion, Casey J., Bo, Vroman
Guards: Nash, Q, JJ, Barbosa
Centers: Hunter, Voshkuhl, Lampe

Where's he gonna squeeze in some minutes? He needs lots of minutes to develop his confidence. Besides his defense isn't exactly stellar! I believe we will get a veteran rebounder defensive presence. If that's Malone, so be it. But those are the glaring weaknesses we have. Maybe a shut down PG defender for defense/offense switch offs at the end of games. I bet the Suns have already targeted who they want or they wouldn't have made this move.

 

[elindholm]

I would normally agree that there would be more to it, except for the near and long term, there really is no playing time for Zarko.

That doesn't matter. My point is that it is common to keep long-term prospects around even when there's no playing time for them, especially if they are (fairly) high draft picks on inexpensive contracts.

 

[SweetD]

One thing Zarko had some big options in a few years also that we really could use that space down the road as well..


2005
1.4million
2006
2.2million
2007
3.0million

That is alot to pay for someone who could be on the IR. I am sure the Suns wouldn't have picked up the options but at least we got something for him. O-well at least I still have Tabuse on my NBA live team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I would normally agree that there would be more to it, except for the near and long term, there really is no playing time for Zarko.

That doesn't matter. My point is that it is common to keep long-term prospects around even when there's no playing time for them, especially if they are (fairly) high draft picks on inexpensive contracts.

It is for most teams, but the Suns have a habit of getting rid of young players fairly quickly if they don't see them in their long term plans. Sometimes they get something of value for them, sometimes they don't

Malcom Mackay, Armon Gilliam, Super Mario, Ed Pinckney, William Bedford, Jake Tsakalidis, Tim Perry, Andrew Lang, Oliver Miller, Zarko etc, etc etc. Even Steve Nash fits into this category.

I don't think any of these guys was with the team more than 3 seasons.

All were fairly high draft picks on inexpensive salaries.

 

[SweetD]

It is for most teams, but the Suns have a habit of getting rid of young players fairly quickly if they don't see them in their long term plans. Sometimes they get something of value for them, sometimes they don't

Malcom Mackay, Armon Gilliam, Super Mario, Ed Pinckney, William Bedford, Jake Tsakalidis, Tim Perry, Andrew Lang, Oliver Miller, Zarko etc, etc etc. Even Steve Nash fits into this category.

I don't think any of these guys was with the team more than 3 seasons.

All were fairly high draft picks on inexpensive salaries.

That was a different NBA back then there was no Salary Cap and you wanted as many vets on a team as possible and maybe one or two rookies and that is it.

 

[elindholm]

It is for most teams, but the Suns have a habit of getting rid of young players fairly quickly if they don't see them in their long term plans. Sometimes they get something of value for them, sometimes they don't

It's a lot different if the player is used to get something of value in a trade. At least half of the names on your list fit into that category, and most of the other half were held onto for more than a year and a half.

I'm not disagreeing with the Cabarkapa trade -- if the Suns wanted to dump him, I'm sure they had their reasons. I'm just saying that it's pretty noteworthy to see a medium first-round pick given away in a salary dump so quickly into his career.

 

[Wally]

Lot's of posts here so maybe it's been said, but I'll throw it in here anyway.....
According to the article in the paper this am, Zarko's agent asked for the trade. I give the Suns a
BC...... "It gives us flexibility in the form of a trade exemption".... GOT to go, tornado headed here.

 

[Yuma]

I would normally agree that there would be more to it, except for the near and long term, there really is no playing time for Zarko.

That doesn't matter. My point is that it is common to keep long-term prospects around even when there's no playing time for them, especially if they are (fairly) high draft picks on inexpensive contracts.

I understood what you said. You ignored the point I made about Zarko NEEDING minutes to develop. If they aren't going to play him, it's a waste to pay him what they are paying him when he's just riding the bench. Two second rounders is good. Cap flexibility is good. And you discounted what I said about our team needs right now and how Zarko isn't contributing at all to any of them. Why not pick up a guy who will help us in the playoffs? We are obviously in the playoffs at this point!

 

[elindholm]

You ignored the point I made about Zarko NEEDING minutes to develop.

It's a myth that players need much court time in "real" games in order to develop. Look how much Stoudemire improved last summer, while riding the bench for team USA.

 

[George O'Brien]

You ignored the point I made about Zarko NEEDING minutes to develop.

It's a myth that players need much court time in "real" games in order to develop. Look how much Stoudemire improved last summer, while riding the bench for team USA.

I'm not totally convinced that players can really learn some things without being on the court. Doing what you are supposed to do during the emotional context of a real game is something that practice doesn't give. Rookies often seem hesitant because they have so much to think about that the instant decisions don't come as quickly as they would after playing a while.

This is not to say that it will make any difference with Zarko. He should be over the trauma by now and yet he isn't. Maybe never.

 

[elindholm]

Certainly players get better with real game experience, but they don't go from nothing to something. That development has to occur in practice and individual drills.

And anyway, this is getting off the subject. All I'm saying is that it's quite unusual for a team to give up on a middle first-round pick so quickly, with "give up" meaning trade for salary. That's just a fact. I'll bet there aren't five other cases in the last ten years. Other people can explain Cabarkapa's situation away all they want.

 

[George O'Brien]

D'Antoni and BC have made it clear that they are positioning themselves to go after a trade for low priced role player. My guess is that they figured it would be easier to do a trade with second round picks than to try to get the other team to take Zarko.

 

[elindholm]

D'Antoni and BC have made it clear that they are positioning themselves to go after a trade for low priced role player.

Why, just because that's what they've said? What do you expect them to say, "We think Zarko sucks, so we dumped his salary"? It's tradition across all sports to paint a player in a positive light after trading him away.

I think the Colangelo and D'Antoni have done a great job this season, but let's not forget the recent history of misinformation from this organization's suits. I don't put any stock at all in the reasons they give for what they're doing -- it's just as likely that it's intentional deception as it is that it's legitimate.

My guess is that they figured it would be easier to do a trade with second round picks than to try to get the other team to take Zarko.

I agree that a future trade scenario is the most likely way that the Suns will benefit from the Cabarkapa deal.

 

[F-Dog]

F-Dog, >>Answering my own question, using Hoopshype:

Steve Blake, Washington: 600K
Bostjan Nachbar, New Orleans: 1.5m (probably too much)
Kendall Gill, Milwaukee: 928K
Kareem Rush, Charlotte: 1.17m
Steve Smith, Charlotte: 1.1m

I don't see a lot of guys in that range who would help the Suns, even a little bit...<<

Kendall Gill might be of some help. Haven't seen him play in a good while but my recollection is that he's a pretty good defender and a savvy ballplayer.

I liked what I saw from Rush in one game against us... I remember thinking at the time that the stinking Lakers lucked out again with late 1st pick. Of course, he's young so if he's any good at all the Bobcats wouldn't let him go. He's a UFA, next summer, though - looking further ahead.

What about Stacy Augmon? He can still defend for short stints and he'll score on you if you slack off him. I think he's playing for New Orleans and you'd think they'd be happy to let him go for a decent 2nd round pick - like the one we got from GS.

I'd like to see us get a PG. One possibility that comes to mind is Milt Palacio (Toronto). He's playing fairly well but he's a UFA next summer so the Raps may think it's wise to get something for him now. I thought he was a good backup PG when he was here and with no handchecking he probably gets into the paint better now than then.

If the Suns want Gill, they won't even have to trade for him--he was cut earlier this week. It doesn't look like the Suns have any interest, though.

Augmon plays for Orlando now, so it will be tough to extract him if he's contributing. Toronto wants to compete right now, as well, but they might give up before the deadline.

I hate to say it, but Steve Smith looks to me like the obvious choice--he doesn't need minutes, might help in an emergency, and his team would be happy to get rid of him.

 

[Wally]

If the Suns want Gill, they won't even have to trade for him--he was cut earlier this week. It doesn't look like the Suns have any interest, though.

Augmon plays for Orlando now, so it will be tough to extract him if he's contributing. Toronto wants to compete right now, as well, but they might give up before the deadline.

I hate to say it, but Steve Smith looks to me like the obvious choice--he doesn't need minutes, might help in an emergency, and his team would be happy to get rid of him.

Gill & House were both cut by the Bucks & picked up by the Pistons.

BTW, the Bucks active roster is now 11.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Gill & House were both cut by the Bucks & picked up by the Pistons.

BTW, the Bucks active roster is now 11.

I have been looking for the Gill and House signings. Cant find them on the few transaction sites I checked. I actually have to track this info for my job, so if you could point me to site I would really appreciate it.

Only thing I have seen out of Detroit is waiving Coleman and signing Goldwire.

 

[Wally]

I have been looking for the Gill and House signings. Cant find them on the few transaction sites I checked. I actually have to track this info for my job, so if you could point me to site I would really appreciate it.

Only thing I have seen out of Detroit is waiving Coleman and signing Goldwire.

Maybe I was dreaming but I saw the scroll at the bottom of the screen "Detroit waives Coleman and signs Gill & House" I thought is was on NBA TV...... I'll look some more.

Edit - Probably can't be true cause that would give Detroit 16 players. I probably miss read something. Still checking...

Edit 2
After checking some more I guess I WAS dreaming. I did find they signed Goldwire.... "Pistons reserve point guard journeyman Anthony Goldwire.

The Pistons signed Goldwire to a 10-day contact Wednesday. The team released guard Smush Parker on Tuesday, leaving a roster spot open. "

Funny thing is, Detroit's NBA still shows Coleman & Parker on their roster.