Location: Phoenix, AZ | Arena: US Airways Center (18,422) | Chairman, CEO: Jerry Colangelo | Basketball Ops President: Steve Kerr Head Coach: TBD | Titles: 0
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MOST VALUABLE PLAYER His defense remains a disappointment and his attitude is still in need of a monkey wrench. But Amare Stoudemire once again (post-microfracture) established himself as a scoring machine (25.2 points per game, fifth in the league) and ended the season with a string of 18 straight games of at least 20 points.
After moving to the power forward spot when Shaquille O'Neal hit town, Stoudemire averaged 28.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.66 blocks. If O'Neal comes back in shape and Stoudemire can maintain those numbers over a full season, the Suns will have a dominant Kobe/LeBron/Carmelo-type scorer.
MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER Lots of candidates here. Raja Bell wasn't healthy much of the season. Steve Nash faded in the second half of the season. Boris Diaw didn't come close to living up to his $9 million contract.
But the winner has to be Leandro Barbosa, went from Sixth Man of the Year and the toast of Phoenix to likely trade bait after a disappointing season in which his shooting percentage dropped, his defense again failed to improve to NBA level and his third chance to serve as Nash's backup at point guard again fell flat. At season's end, the forever smiling, affable Barbosa had turned moody and sometimes sullen. With his biggest cheerleaders -- the D'Antoni brothers -- headed elsewhere, his time in Arizona could be up.
FREE AGENT FOCUS The Suns' top seven players are all signed through at least the 2008-09 season if, as expected, Grant Hill exercises his player option. Rookies Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry will return. That leaves three spots to fill.
Eric Piatkowski, 38, won't return after two uneventful seasons in Phoenix and is leaning toward retirement. Sean Marks, a good teammate and hard worker in practice, might be invited back with D'Antoni -- who didn't like him and didn't play him for two seasons -- moving on. The Suns liked what they saw in Gordan Giricek after picking him up at the trade deadline and would like him back, but he can't make much more than the veteran's minimum. The same holds for Brian Skinner, who played well but had his role diminished after Shaquille O'Neal arrived.
Linton Johnson also might get a look if the incoming coach is looking for defense and athleticism.
PLAYER NOTES
--F Grant Hill turned down more money from other teams to sign a one-year deal -- with a player option for next year -- with Phoenix. And despite a frustrating end to his season -- he missed much of the playoffs with a possible second sports hernia -- he wants to return to Phoenix.
"Hopefully they want me back here because I want to be back," Hill said. "I'm disappointed I couldn't play when it really mattered, but I want to make sure I have a chance to make it right. I played 70 games and I was happy with the results, and I think I have a lot left to give."
Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
Let's all move on now from last season and look to the new regime. Personally I'm sad to see D'Antoni go, I think if the front office wouldn've given him the correct personal, the 7 seconds or less philosphy had a chance to win a championship.
I know this poll may be premature, as Kerr is yet to really annouce any strong canidates, but maybe he'll check
If you head to Si.com you'll notice in the rumors that they want to send diaw and barbosa to the Knicks for Stephon Marbury. now I like marbury for his really cheap shoes, but if they do this I will absolutly BOYCOTT!!!! Diaw thrived when he was starting, got mo
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Seriously, that's going to be the only player that has any value when it's time for the Suns to pick. Suns have made some of the sorriest picks in the Draft. Example Zarko Caberckapa, Siergo Rodriguez, and Nate Robinson. We need a draft pick that will be the next great P
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Please could someone enlighten me and tell me everything about the trade with Mike going elsewere. I know he signed with the Knicks or something like that.
Should the Suns start the rebuilding process now? As great as Nash is, the team appears to be headed in a different philosophical direction which stresses defense, and he has never been a great or even average defender. If the Suns could pick up Rose or Bayless, both of whom bring better defensive potential along with good offense, through
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Should we try and give Shaq one more year? Give him the summer to try and get with the program, cause remember we did pick him up in the middle of the season. I would at least try and give him one more year. He has to hit free throws. If not this will never work out. He says i hit free throws when they count. Well i wish he would get that through his head and hit them when they do actuall
Why don't I see anyone calling out Steve Nash for his terrible defense on Tony Parker? Nash couldn't guard a corpse. Barbosa didn't even show up and Amare gave up. Shaq did his job. The Sun
Well the writing is on the wall and what a sad time it is to be a Suns fan.
I hope we don't go back to the style of play we had before Nash and D'Antoni and after Kevin Johnson, Charles Barkley and Paul Westphal. I remember falling asl
This is just outstanding! First you blow 2 14 point leads on the road and fail to put away either one of them. Then you come home and right out the gate you find yourself down by 14. This is why the Suns will probably never win an NBA title. Now everyone knows why D'Antoni had no business being the head coach of this team. He can't even pr
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An ashamed Steve Kerr steps down after ruining the chemistry in Phoenix four years in the making. Suns GM Steve Kerr steps down. His resume includes sending one of the top defensive players
I hope we don't go back to the style of play we had before Nash and D'Antoni and after Kevin Johnson, Charles Barkley and Paul Westphal. I remember falling asl