Phoenix Suns (Official Thread)

[OH10]

Shaq is the one great athlete is history that absolutely needs to be motivated by some doubt in order to be great. I think this is a great move for Phoenix. He'll prove the doubters wrong. He won't be as dominant as in past championship runs, but I bet he's a big time contributor and leader on that team.

 

[starBUCKS]

<H1 class=topHeadline>Shaq vows to prove critics wrong

Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 7, 2008 09:51 AM
In his first Phoenix news conference, Shaquille O?Neal launched the ?Amar? Stoudemire Project,? announced that he was committed to capturing a fifth career championship and said that he has special motivation for life in Phoenix.

?I look forward to making people eat their words, I really do,?? O?Neal said Thursday morning.

The trade that brought O?Neal for former Suns forward Shawn Marion and reserve guard Marcus Banks has brought national skepticism. Many around the league question how much O?Neal, who will turn 36 next month, has left in a 16-year career that has included stops in Orlando, Los Angeles and Miami.

?I?ve been hearing a lot of ?He can?t run. He can?t do this.? You?re going to be surprised,? said O?Neal, a four-time NBA champion and 13-time All-Star center. ?In traditional basketball, when a team runs, there?s always been somebody to ignite the break. When I get the rebound, I?m going to be igniting that break.?

Shaq vows to prove critics wrong</H1>

 

[OCBucksFan]

It's kind of amusing reading some of the previous posts here. And with all due respect... how much NBA do you guys watch?

Well, actually, I watch quite a bit and I am really familiar with Shaq as a player.

I won't say he can't run up and down the court but the way Phoenix moves the ball is different than say the way the Lakers did, they are pretty much constantly on a fast break. Now, I see why the Suns got shaq, and really it has little to do with his offense, they don't want teams just cutting down the middle on them, that's fine and Shaq makes a lot of sense, he's there for his defense, any offense is just gravy, but let's face it, the Suns don't really need to improve in the offensive areas.

Shaq has been injured off and on all year, he hasn't played in a month not to mention the team he's on has how many wins? Yeah, anyways, and since they won that championship how have they been? Yeah, anyways...

I don't think anyone here can say a whole lot of bad things about Shaq, but his contract is fucking horrible and he's not, nor will he ever be, what he was 6-7 years ago.

It's a gamble, a huge gamble, and the members on this forum are not alone in questioning the trade, but if it pays off and the Suns win a championship, then it will be worth it, but if he gets hurt or goes "Shaq" demanding the ball more after every game then 75% of the critics will be right in what they have said.

 

[starBUCKS]

Well, actually, I watch quite a bit and I am really familiar with Shaq as a player.

I won't say he can't run up and down the court but the way Phoenix moves the ball is different than say the way the Lakers did, they are pretty much constantly on a fast break. Now, I see why the Suns got shaq, and really it has little to do with his offense, they don't want teams just cutting down the middle on them, that's fine and Shaq makes a lot of sense, he's there for his defense, any offense is just gravy, but let's face it, the Suns don't really need to improve in the offensive areas.

Shaq has been injured off and on all year, he hasn't played in a month not to mention the team he's on has how many wins? Yeah, anyways, and since they won that championship how have they been? Yeah, anyways...

I don't think anyone here can say a whole lot of bad things about Shaq, but his contract is fucking horrible and he's not, nor will he ever be, what he was 6-7 years ago.

It's a gamble, a huge gamble, and the members on this forum are not alone in questioning the trade, but if it pays off and the Suns win a championship, then it will be worth it, but if he gets hurt or goes "Shaq" demanding the ball more after every game then 75% of the critics will be right in what they have said.

Definetly not meant for you OC, and if there's one person on here that knows I follow NBA big time, it's you. As far as "the critics"... how much NBA do they watch? I gamble nightly, so I watch with quite the eye for things. I watch trends and I watch every team in the leauge. This is a perfect match. Here's what some real NBA people had to say about the trade: (Arizona Republic)

Shaquille O'Neal trade reaction from across the NBA, collected from league beat writers:

Unbelievable. My thoughts being a fan, Phoenix will have two styles. A style with Shaq in the game where they can have four out and one in. When he comes out, they can put (Leandro) Barbosa in and go back to Phoenix ball. Shaq is always a presence, no matter if he's not playing the way he's always played. When's he's on the court, he's always going to attract a double-team. The Lakers are (still) the favorite in my eyes."


- LeBron James, Cleveland forward

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The two best ways to play basketball are with a good point guard and a center. They've got both of them. . . . The game is easy to coach when you have a guy you can throw it down to and he can produce and pass. I think he can do both of those still - maybe not at the level he once did, but . . . I'm not worrying about them very much. I'm worried about (Utah's Mehmet) Okur and (Carlos) Boozer. I really won't have a good feel for it until I play against them. There's a part of me that thinks it's good and there's a part of me that says it might slow them down."


- George Karl, Denver coach


If you are trying to go to the dance and come home with a girl, you can't just know one dance. You got to know all the dances. You got to know how to dance slow, you got to know how to dance fast. So even though I think the Suns had a great thing going, you can go only so far with one dance. Now with Shaq, you are all right. You have the whole thing. Shaq is going to bring chemistry, and he is going to take attention away from guys who I don't think want attention."


- Channing Frye,

Portland center




I think this will get Shaq excited again. And now Phoenix can play big or small. You can still slide Amar? (Stoudemire) at the five, Grant Hill at the four, and they can still be the team they have been over the years. . . . All they need is a year (from O'Neal). And that's how they are looking at this. This is not for down the road. For them, they have had a shot for two or three years. So now they are talking about doing something in a year or so. The timetable for them is now. . . . Now they match up with anybody."


- Nate McMillan, Portland coach


I was talking earlier to some guys that other teams are starting to force them into playing half-court basketball. I've been watching their games the last couple of weeks, and they still get up and down, but teams try to get them in half-court more. So I think it will be a good thing for them. . . . I'm glad we're done with them."


- Joe Smith, Chicago forward


I think Phoenix is looking at the teams that they ultimately have to beat and trying to figure out how to do that. They need some sort of inside presence."


- Jim Boylan, Chicago coach


It's getting kind of scary out West, isn't it? I understand why Phoenix is doing it, why they're taking a chance doing it. Let me see, they couldn't beat San Antonio with San Antonio's size, they couldn't beat New Orleans this year, they struggle with Dallas and they couldn't beat the Lakers with (Andrew) Bynum and now they've got Bynum and (Pau) Gasol. . . . What they're probably looking at is they were winning 60-something games a year and can't get over the hump. In the playoffs, the game slows down a little bit and Amar? takes a beating in the playoffs because he's their biggest guy. . . . Shaq doesn't have to be the old Shaq. If he goes out and gets them 14 and 8 and clogs up the middle and now he takes that big guy. . . . Everyone thinks of the West only being running up and down and it is to a certain degree, but you need some size."


- Sam Mitchell, Toronto coach


Oh, he'll be ready. Every team that he's gone to has gotten into the Finals at least. . . . He's probably got something to prove, people are saying he's on the downward side of his career and the last time they said that, he came out to Miami and won a championship."


- Jason Kapono, Toronto forward and ex-O'Neal teammate

 

[billmac91]

Definetly not meant for you OC, and if there's one person on here that knows I follow NBA big time, it's you. As far as "the critics"... how much NBA do they watch? I gamble nightly, so I watch with quite the eye for things. I watch trends and I watch every team in the leauge. This is a perfect match. Here's what some real NBA people had to say about the trade: (Arizona Republic)

How many NBA coaches and players are going to be critical of the trade??? Why would any player shit on Shaq and the Suns and say this was a terrible trade?? I guess burn some bridges and cause a whole bunch of hoopla for ESPN to run with is in these days.....

It's simple to see how well this works. If the Suns win the championship - worth it. If the Suns get bounced early, don't make championship - not worth it.

And yes I watch tons of NBA basketball. Enough to know Shaq not playing in a month means he's out of shape and will need time to adjust. I also think it's poor strategy to pick up a guy who will change their philosophy. The Suns should have gotten by the SPurs last year, and are a difficult match-up no matter who they play. With Amare continually getting better, and key role-players already in place, the Suns were legit title contenders without Shaq. Now they pick up a guy who will slow their pace down, no matter what anyone claims, and force them to play like the rest of the league.

I still don't like it, but at least we'll know who was right and who was wrong by the end of the season.

 

[starBUCKS]

Not impressed with the trade for Shaq Daddy?

The oddsmakers are.

Bodoglife.com, an online betting operation, said the odds on a Western Conference title went from 5-2 to 2-1 for the Suns. And the odds of a Suns NBA championship went from 4-1 to 5-2.

 

[Flocka]

I gotta agree with starBUCKS here. To some that don't follow that closely, it might sound like a bad trade, but I truely don't think so at all. The verdict is still out on whether or not he will work with their offense, but I think the thought that he won't because they all they do is run is not too valid. (starBUCKS already covered this) But, the trade itself looks good to me because Marion is not that good. Marion is a good player, but that is all he will be. The Suns pretty much determined he might have hit his ceiling and got rid of him now. He will put up decent numbers, but will never be someone who can consistently take over a game, or be the person your team wants with the ball in his hands late in the game. Another reason this trade makes sense is because Marion was gone after this year anyways, and I think/suspect the Suns realized that there formula was not going to have any different outcome in the playoffs than it had previously. Not to mention, they are getting someone who will help out their players and work well with the team, as opposed to someone who would go to Memphis just for the money.

 

[OSUsushichic]

 

[fourteenandoh]

I gotta agree with starBUCKS here. To some that don't follow that closely, it might sound like a bad trade, but I truely don't think so at all. The verdict is still out on whether or not he will work with their offense, but I think the thought that he won't because they all they do is run is not too valid. (starBUCKS already covered this) But, the trade itself looks good to me because Marion is not that good. Marion is a good player, but that is all he will be. The Suns pretty much determined he might have hit his ceiling and got rid of him now. He will put up decent numbers, but will never be someone who can consistently take over a game, or be the person your team wants with the ball in his hands late in the game. Another reason this trade makes sense is because Marion was gone after this year anyways, and I think/suspect the Suns realized that there formula was not going to have any different outcome in the playoffs than it had previously. Not to mention, they are getting someone who will help out their players and work well with the team, as opposed to someone who would go to Memphis just for the money.

bingo, bingo, bingo and bingo

the definition of insanity: "doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results"
AKA the phoenix suns of the last 14 years. it was time to give something else a try.

 

[MrsB]

Jmo but Shaq is about done so the Suns better make hay this year to get anything out of this trade.

 

[OH10]

Jmo but Shaq is about done so the Suns better make hay this year to get anything out of this trade.

I half agree with this statement. Shaq will be a strong contributor this year, and I think adding him makes Phoenix the front-runner. But, in two years, he'll be retired.

I think people are discounting the fued between Shaq and Tim Duncan. Shaq has never respected Duncan, and I can guarantee you that he wouldn't like the idea of TD having more titles. This will be a strong motivation for the Diesel. That, coupled with his desire to prove the critics wrong, makes Shaq a dangerous player for the contenders in the West.

Overall, it's a good trade for this year. And in the long run, it probably does not matter, because Marion was gone anyway.

 

[starBUCKS]

Suns eye another trade

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 20, 2008 05:29 PM
The Suns are in trade talks this evening with a few teams, trying to acquire a wing player in a deal for a second-round pick before Thursday's trade deadline.

Phoenix could know by the end of the night whether they can work out a deal for a player like the Los Angeles Clippers' Quinton Ross, Denver's Yakhouba Diawara or Seattle's Mickael Gelabale. Golden State's Mickael Pietrus is also an outside possibility but he would come at a costlier price tag with a salary this season of about $3.5 million, which would be prorated for the season's remainder but would also add to the Suns' luxury tax hit.

Suns eye another trade

 

[starBUCKS]

<H3>Suns interested in Brent Barry

Comments | Recommend
Scott Bordow, Tribune

The Suns may not be done wheeling and dealing. A team source said that Phoenix would like to find a way to acquire veteran sharpshooter Brent Barry, who was traded Wednesday from the San Antonio Spurs to the Seattle SuperSonics.

For Barry to become a Sun, the Sonics would have to buy out his contract, the source said. Barry is making $5.5 million this year and is in the final year of his contract.

Barry, 36, is averaging 7.3 points per game this year and shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. He would be an ideal fit for Phoenix, given that defenses may sag inside to try to stop Shaquille O?Neal.

</H3>Suns interested in Brent Barry | EastValleyTribune.com
I like this option the most

 

[billmac91]

The Suns may not be done wheeling and dealing. A team source said that Phoenix would like to find a way to acquire veteran sharpshooter Brent Barry, who was traded Wednesday from the San Antonio Spurs to the Seattle SuperSonics.

For Barry to become a Sun, the Sonics would have to buy out his contract, the source said. Barry is making $5.5 million this year and is in the final year of his contract.

Barry, 36, is averaging 7.3 points per game this year and shooting 43 percent from 3-point range. He would be an ideal fit for Phoenix, given that defenses may sag inside to try to stop Shaquille O?Neal.

I'm not sure what Phoenix would give up......I always liked Barbosa's stroke, and Raja Bell is solid too. I'd hope Barry wouldn't eat either of their minutes, as they are both significantly better.

I personally think Steve Kerr might be out thinking himself here. I can understand the Shaq trade, although I don't like it. Depending on the pieces could give up for Barry, they could end up changing what makes this team great.

 

[starBUCKS]

I'm not sure what Phoenix would give up......I always liked Barbosa's stroke, and Raja Bell is solid too. I'd hope Barry wouldn't eat either of their minutes, as they are both significantly better.

I personally think Steve Kerr might be out thinking himself here. I can understand the Shaq trade, although I don't like it. Depending on the pieces could give up for Barry, they could end up changing what makes this team great.

It would be a 2nd round pick (and the Suns don't usually use draft picks). The Suns have to add 1 player this week by leauge rules, becasue they are short one after the Shaq trade. They want a tough defender that can play the wing to try and make up what they lost the most in Marion. Barry is a great fit because of this and he likesto stroke the 3. He would maybe play 10 mins a game, he didn't play much in San Antonio. I like Pietrus the most, but he makes no sense. He wants to start in Golden State and that's why he wants out...so, ya... that makes no sense.