# Hunter signed



## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

No surprise we signed Q's former teammate Stephen Hunter.










Good signing , he is only 22 like Ratliff was in his rookie season.

He will get a fresh start in Phoenix and a chance to play next to Amare.

<img src="http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/51175459.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1& dareq=548124968D717B1CEF66BB01C541F673A9C30E9B9B114CE8">
Recent picture from Chicagoland Allstar game with Q.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Too bad he isn't any good.


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## Captain Obvious (Jun 15, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
> Too bad he isn't any good.


He sucks. He doesn't belong in the NBA.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Jake Voshkul supposedly sucked as well at some point like many other young players.

He'll get a fresh start here so we will see.


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## MJG (Jun 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
> Too bad he isn't any good.





> Originally posted by <b>Captain Obvious</b>!
> He sucks. He doesn't belong in the NBA.


Man ... everyone beat me to it :laugh:


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> Jake Voshkul supposedly sucked as well at some point like many other young players.
> 
> He'll get a fresh start here so we will see.


Did I miss something? Jake Voshkul still sucks last time I checked.


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## Amareca (Oct 21, 2002)

Umm no Jake Voshkul is decent. He is the perfect backup center pretty much.


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

I wouldn't get too excited about this.


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## Coatesvillain (Jul 17, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>BigAmare</b>!
> Umm no Jake Voshkul is decent. He is the perfect backup center pretty much.


I agree, if Voshkul had a solid starter in front of him he'd seem that much better. Who would've thought out of that UCONN national championship team that Voshkul would be the other player in the NBA?


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

What stands out from Hunter's stats is his 1.24 blocks per game playing in only 13.4 minutes per game. This translates into 4.44 blocks per 48 minutes. To give some perspective, Camby's blocks at a rate of 4.16 blocks per 48 minutes.

Last season Hunter started "OK" but was benched when Doc Rivers was fired. During November, he started 13 of 14 games, averaged 21.1 minutes per game:

5.8 ppg on 53.7% shooting
4.2 rpg
2.0 bpg

His rebounding has been below par, but his shot blocking certainly increases with his minutes. His rebounding rate improved late in the season, but his minutes were very low.

Obviously he wouldn't be available if he was a proven star, but he shows enough potential that I think he will help.


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## Arclite (Nov 2, 2002)

Kid blocks shots, that's all I care about. Not a bad move in my book. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I like it.


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## The Main Man (Aug 10, 2004)

How much is he signed for? The minimum?


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Woah, all these ludicros deals?

Adonal Foyle!
Derek Fisher!

Now Steven Hunter for the minimun - I was expceting like a bag of potato chips if lucky. More like a half-eaten bag of potato chips


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>azirishmusic</b>!
> What stands out from Hunter's stats is his 1.24 blocks per game playing in only 13.4 minutes per game. This translates into 4.44 blocks per 48 minutes. To give some perspective, Camby's blocks at a rate of 4.16 blocks per 48 minutes.
> 
> Last season Hunter started "OK" but was benched when Doc Rivers was fired. During November, he started 13 of 14 games, averaged 21.1 minutes per game:
> ...


There is no way hunter wuold ever play 48 minutes per game.

BTW, I heard he had ADD and I can see why he might. He is clueless on the court. He missed so many wide open dunks and layups provided by tmac. It was kinda sad knowing this guy only has to jump like 3 inches and dunk it but wasnt able to do so even wide open..

And during warmups he would be missing dunks too..

He might turn out to be okay in phx but I don't think he'll ever make it as a starter.


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## deannahum (Aug 7, 2003)

Look he is the type of guy Suns need... i know he sucks and he is a bad player but when you look at the bright size Suns got something they missed... they got a guy that puts up size, decent rebounding abilty, good shot blocking abilty and athleticism... Suns dont need more than that..

great signing bottom line


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

Flat out, Hunter can not play the game of basketball. He can block shots, and that's it. All I have to say is, he couldn't get off the bench playing behind Andrew DeClercq, Sean Rooks and Zaza Pachulia. That really should tell you something.


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

This is from Suns.com

In case anyone missed it... 


Hunter Ready to Man the Middle

With the ink barely dry on his contract, new Suns center Steven Hunter hit the airwaves on XTRA Sports 910’s afternoon sports talk show to chat with hosts John Gambodoro and Mark Asher. 

The 6-11 center came out after two seasons at DePaul University and spent three years maturing and learning in Orlando after being selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Hunter posted averages of 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.1 minutes of play with the Magic, and told Gambo and Ash that he is ready to take the next step to being a regular contributor in the middle. 

“I think it’s a learning process,” the Chicago native said. “Those three years in Orlando, I wouldn’t take them back for the whole world, because I really learned a lot on and off the court. I learned a lot about work ethic and what I need to do to be a successful center in the NBA. It’s not all just about (playing) time. Now, I think I realized what I need to do and I’m going to bring all that to the table this year.” 

On a team with a significant amount of offensive firepower, Hunter realizes his role will be to the Suns’ dirty work in the paint. He blocked five shots in a game against Utah last season and has the potential to be a double-digit rebounding threat. In addition to training with renowned trainer Tim Grover in Chicago, Hunter watches video of a couple of the best defensive specialists of the present and past for guidance and pointers. 

“Right now I watch a lot of tape of Theo Ratliff,” he said. “I watch rebound tapes of Dennis Rodman. I think on the defensive end, blocking shots and rebounding, I feel like I can be one of the better centers in the NBA. 

“I came into the league as a little scrawny kid, but I’ve gotten stronger as I’ve matured and I’m ready to take the next step.” 

Hunter will be able share the experience of coming to the Valley with former DePaul teammate and freshly signed guard Quentin Richardson. The two still work out together in the offseason and “Q” even had a hand in getting his friend to the Valley. 

“(The Suns) are getting a true warrior,” he said. “Even dating back to DePaul, Q was our leader vocally and he also demonstrated it on the court. You’re getting a guy who you can throw the ball down to in the post. He’s going to punish smaller guys. He’s a great rebounder for his size (and) he’s also a great three-point shooter. Q is just a great competitor and he’s a winner. 

“He recruited me. He wanted me to come and play with him. He knows how talented I could be and he’s always said he was going to bring the professional out of me.” 

However, while Hunter is following Richardson to Phoenix, he won’t be following him down the aisle any time soon. 

“I’m going to let Q do the marriage thing right now,” he said. “Obviously, he’s ready to get married. Hopefully, I’ll get there in a couple of years. Right now, I’m just having fun.”


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## rebelsun (Nov 25, 2003)

If he dedicates himself to becoming a defensive and shot-blocking specialist, he could be a solid player. He needs to put on some damn weight though. Nice to hear he's training w/ Grover.


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## arenas809 (Feb 13, 2003)

Garbage.


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## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

Ehh I guess it isn't that bad of a signing for the Suns, but what's the deal with Keon Clark now?


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## Peja Vu (Jun 9, 2002)

Promising future sold Hunter on Suns 



> "I'm very excited because this team has the potential to go deep in the playoffs."
> 
> And there was the idea of rejoining fellow Chicago native and former DePaul teammate Quentin Richardson, who joined Phoenix this summer.
> 
> ...


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

I will repeat hobojoe's sentiments and say don't get too excited about Hunter. I held out hope for Hunter every year and every year was thoroughly disappointed. Like hobojoe said, each of his years in Orlando he ended up sitting on the pine for a team desperately in need of exactly what he was supposed to bring to the table.

The good -

Very good shotblocker at times
Runs the court extremely well

The bad -

No range outside of a few feet, including free throws
Terrible hands catching passes
Very foul prone because he isnt very coordinated
Some of the worst big man footwork I have ever seen
Zero post-up game
Only jumps well off one foot, leading to layup attempts around the basket when he should be dunking the ball
Has a lot of trouble staying focused
Loses confidence very easily after one bad play


I'm not just dissing the guy either, these are all things I've seen over the last three years. You can pretty much ask any Orlando fan and they'll probably agree with most of that.


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## deannahum (Aug 7, 2003)

who knows maybe he worked in the summer about catching the ball off really strong passes in the post, turn around or make a fake and make a 2-leg dunk.. i am sure his coach (forgot his name - the one coached Jordan) got him improved...


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>deannahum</b>!
> who knows maybe he worked in the summer about catching the ball off really strong passes in the post, turn around or make a fake and make a 2-leg dunk.. i am sure his coach (forgot his name - the one coached Jordan) got him improved...


As far as I know he has been working with Grover ever since he declared for the draft, so I wouldnt expect Grover to work any miracles at this point.


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## MagnusPinus (Aug 27, 2003)

If u consider him a lottery pick he is a very disappointing player, but now he can become a decent center...He has a superb body and athletism..Phoenix has time to work on him..He is not a bad project..he will need time, but it could pay dividends in the future..


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

I think people are looking at the Hunter signing the wrong way. The Sun's don't need anymore scoring, they just need a shotblocking, decent rebounding center. Thats what Hunter is, he can't do anything else, but he's exactly what they need. I mean QRich/JJ/Marion/Amare/Nash can all score 15-20ppg, so they really don't need any more scoring, they just need more D and size. Amare and Hunter is some pretty damn good low post D.

Don't get me wrong, Hunter isn't an All-Star, but the Sun's don't need one.

BFreak.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> 
> 
> As far as I know he has been working with Grover ever since he declared for the draft, so I wouldnt expect Grover to work any miracles at this point.


You would be correct and he still hasn't gotten any better. The only thing Grover did was improve his body. He can't improve a guy's game if they don't work hard enough on it.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Blazer Freak</b>!
> I think people are looking at the Hunter signing the wrong way. The Sun's don't need anymore scoring, they just need a shotblocking, decent rebounding center. Thats what Hunter is, he can't do anything else, but he's exactly what they need. I mean QRich/JJ/Marion/Amare/Nash can all score 15-20ppg, so they really don't need any more scoring, they just need more D and size. Amare and Hunter is some pretty damn good low post D.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, Hunter isn't an All-Star, but the Sun's don't need one.
> ...


I know I am not looking at the Hunter signing the wrong way. What you just said the Suns need out of Hunter is exactly what Orlando needed out of Hunter the last three years and he couldn't provide it and most of the time couldn't even get off the bench over guys like a 360lb Shawn Kemp, Andrew DeClerq, YMCA Pat Burke, Zaza Pachulia (at 19 yrs old), Sean Rooks, or a fossilized Ewing .... 

Also, Hunter's overall low post D is not good at all. He can get 4 or 5 blocks in a game on rare occasion, but if he doesn't block the shot he gets pushed around like a little girl.

Trust me, if he is starting at C for the Suns next year, they are in trouble.


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## RP McMurphy (Jul 17, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> I know I am not looking at the Hunter signing the wrong way. *What you just said the Suns need out of Hunter is exactly what Orlando needed out of Hunter the last three years and he couldn't provide it* and most of the time couldn't even get off the bench over guys like a 360lb Shawn Kemp, Andrew DeClerq, YMCA Pat Burke, Zaza Pachulia (at 19 yrs old), Sean Rooks, or a fossilized Ewing. ....
> 
> Also, Hunter's overall low post D is not good at all. He can get 4 or 5 blocks in a game on rare occasion, but if he doesn't block the shot he gets pushed around like a little girl.
> ...


That's right, and I don't know how much simpler you and hobojoe can make it. People keep saying "It doesn't matter that he sucks, he's big and plays defense, and that's all we need." Well, that's all Orlando needed too, and Hunter couldn't cut it, and he ended up on the bench. History is going to repeat itself. By the end of November he'll be sitting on Phoenix's bench never to be heard from again.


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

720,000 contract


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

I would not have traded anything more than a second round pick for Hunter based on his production so far. But it would not be unreasonable to expect he might be more effective than the other minimal contract centers on the market this summer:

Robert Traylor $1.6 million
Chris Anderson $1.6 million
Joel Przybilla $1.6 million (not confirmed)
Zeljko Rebraca ?
Amal McCaskill $922,000
Tom Gugliotta $1.1 million
Loren Woods minimum

These are some of the remaining guys

Corie Blount
Scott Williams
Sean Rooks
Oliver Miller
Kevin Willis

It is an open question whether Traylor can really play center at 6'8" and he hardly the quickest guy around. Anderson might get some good stats because New Orleans has little depth, but he lists at only 225. Przybilla had some good games with the Hawks, but he is really, really slow and rarely healthy.

It is remarkable that some of these guys got more than twice as much money as Hunter without really producing much. Hunter would not have to have a great year to be the best of the minimal priced guys.


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## deannahum (Aug 7, 2003)

oh man i really rather have Rebraca over Hunter...


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>deannahum</b>!
> oh man i really rather have Rebraca over Hunter...


Rebraca played in 30 games in 2002-03 and 24 games in 2003-04. He is 32 years old.

Zeljko Rebraca 
Atlanta Hawks 
Position: C 
Height: 7-0 Weight: 257 
From: Serbia-Montenegro 
Born: 04/09/72 

2003-04 Statistics 
PPG 3.8 
RPG 2.4 
APG .3 
SPG .21 
BPG .46 
FG% .442 
FT% .767 
3P% .000 
MPG 11.4


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## deannahum (Aug 7, 2003)

ya i know he is a little old but he can really add to this team plus i heard he is having a serious offseason to get ready for this season...


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## azirishmusic (Feb 25, 2004)

Rebraca signed with the Clippers for what is believed to be close to $1.6. The exact amount is not currently available, but the Clips have plenty of cap space.


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## DownUnderWonder (May 27, 2003)

I think that a rotation between Lampe, Voshkul, Hunter and Clark could work considering that between them there is enough to match up adequately with most other teams. Not well but Adequate... I mean like the 93 team they will rely on the point and power forward to set it up and the wing shooters to simply hit shots...

I honestly think this team could be up there in the 3-6 seed in the playoffs this year


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