# Offseason



## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

1. Extend Diaw and Barbosa. Duing this will mean Tim Thomas won't be with us next year. That's ok, with Amare and Kurt back we'll be ok in the frontcourt.

2. Draft a couple athletes. We just weren't deep enough this year. Pick a couple wing players, athletes who can come in and contribute in several ways. Rando and Adams are two guys that I'd love. I wouldn't be suprised, however, if we deal the picks for financial reasons.

3. Free agency, I don't expect any major moves here as our roster is pretty much set. I'd like to see how much Speedy Claxton would cost, if he come cheap grab him, if not oh well.

4. Lineup next year;
PG Nash
SG Bell
SF Marion
PF Amare
C Diaw

BENCH
Barbosa
Thomas
House
Jones
First Rounders X2


If STAT's knee rounds into form it may very well be our strongest chance to win in Championship. Our frontcourt will be lethal with Marion, Amare and Diaw. Also, being able to bring Kurt off the bench will do wonders for our rebounding and defense. Already starting to look forward to next year.


----------



## afobisme (Apr 29, 2006)

hm nash will be 33 next year, i say he'll have 5 years left... but is he going to begin to decline?


----------



## Sedd (Sep 1, 2003)

afobisme said:


> hm nash will be 33 next year, i say he'll have 5 years left... but is he going to begin to decline?


Nash's minutes with a healthy Amare will go down a lot. Also the pressure for him to score will go down. I really like that Barbosa and Diaw have developed into a playmaker and that will help the Suns too. So the decline will happen, just not as noticeable.


----------



## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

afobisme said:


> hm nash will be 33 next year, i say he'll have 5 years left... but is he going to begin to decline?


Age catches everyone, it'll get Nash. We shouldn't need him to do as much next year.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

We may not even keep those first rders. If any, just 1. I think we're also be looking to move James Jones as well.


what sucks is Grant and Burke have player options. I hope they realize they can't play and decline haha.


----------



## Sedd (Sep 1, 2003)

Visceral said:


> We may not even keep those first rders. If any, just 1. I think we're also be looking to move James Jones as well.
> 
> 
> what sucks is Grant and Burke have player options. I hope they realize they can't play and decline haha.


I'm fine with Burke, cause if need be he can play. Grant is the one who can't play if he wanted to.


----------



## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

Sedd said:


> I'm fine with Burke, cause if need be he can play. Grant is the one who can't play if he wanted to.


I agree, Grant looked awful this year. I can't believe how slow he looked when he returned from his injury. Him seeing no action against the Clippers when Elton was eating us up says everything you need to know about how much he has left in the tank.


----------



## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

I would like the Suns to draft a backup point guard, extend Diaw, resign Thomas (If he excepts less) and hopefully Grant will retire. Then, let Barbosa do his own thing. I want to see another year of this guy before we go resigning his crazy ***.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Dr.Seuss said:


> I would like the Suns to draft a backup point guard, extend Diaw, resign Thomas (If he excepts less) and hopefully Grant will retire. Then, let Barbosa do his own thing. I want to see another year of this guy before we go resigning his crazy ***.



I think we should sign or trade for veteran back up PG. Draft a future PG next yr or something. A young guy can't really help us when we're trying to win now.


Good idea on Barbosa, he really turned a corner this yr but we need to see more of this.


----------



## carousel (Jun 4, 2006)

I dont like the rookie backup pg idea.


----------



## Preacher (May 8, 2006)

I don't mind drafting a rookie to backup Nash. We don't play a complicated system, it won't be nearly as hard for a young guy to step in with us as it would for him to go somewhere else and play a halfcourt game.

Most young point guards can already play our game, we run and shoot. We just need a couple more athletes.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Preacher said:


> I don't mind drafting a rookie to backup Nash. We don't play a complicated system, it won't be nearly as hard for a young guy to step in with us as it would for him to go somewhere else and play a halfcourt game.
> 
> Most young point guards can already play our game, we run and shoot. We just need a couple more athletes.



but if he's not smart or know where to go, hold on to the ball, and make shots, he wouldn't be able to play


----------



## Flash is the Future (May 12, 2006)

I'd say resign Tim Thomas, draft a good backup point guard (because although House can be streaky he is not the answer) that can shoot from 3 consitently, play good D, and is a good playmaker. I think for the Suns style to work the whole year that you will need to use an 11 man rotation. The Suns were clearly tired in the WCFs. 

1)Steve Nash PG
2)Raja Bell SG
3)Shawn Marion SF
4) Amare Stoudamire PF/C
5) Kurt Thomas C
6)Drafted PG
7)Leandro Barbosa SG only
8)James Jones SF
9) Tim Thomas PF
10) Boris Diaw Any position
11) Eddie House (when hitting his shot) PG

12) Pat Burke (when needed due to injury) C/PF


----------



## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Flash is the Future said:


> I'd say resign Tim Thomas, draft a good backup point guard (because although House can be streaky he is not the answer) that can shoot from 3 consitently, play good D, and is a good playmaker. I think for the Suns style to work the whole year that you will need to use an 11 man rotation. The Suns were clearly tired in the WCFs.
> 
> 1)Steve Nash PG
> 2)Raja Bell SG
> ...


No body uses a 11 man rotation. We need to beable to go 9 deep.

Drafting a backup point guard is a must. Maybe not this year, but hopefully when we get one of those high draft choices. Then, we can get a smart point guard.

But I also think the Suns should get the best available. EVen if its a wing player.


----------



## Flash is the Future (May 12, 2006)

Dr.Seuss said:


> No body uses a 11 man rotation. We need to beable to go 9 deep.
> 
> Drafting a backup point guard is a must. Maybe not this year, but hopefully when we get one of those high draft choices. Then, we can get a smart point guard.
> 
> But I also think the Suns should get the best available. EVen if its a wing player.


 I think you need to go 10 deep and when House is hot 11 deep. Nobody uses an 11 man rotation, but nobody runs like the Suns and I feel like that's what you need to stop from fizzling out at the end.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Flash is the Future said:


> I think you need to go 10 deep and when House is hot 11 deep. Nobody uses an 11 man rotation, but nobody runs like the Suns and I feel like that's what you need to stop from fizzling out at the end.



I don't know about that. Maybe, avoiding 2 series with 7 games would help? lol

at full strength, I gotta believe, we end series' earlier than we did this yr.


----------



## Lukasbmw (Jul 30, 2004)

The 8 guys I want back:

Nash
Bell/Barbosa
Marion
Amare/TT
Diaw/KT

Tim Thomas showed incredible heart in the playoffs and added some toughness to our team. We need him and we should resign him as long as he is reasonable and the number he want will fit under our cap.

Marketable assets:

James Jones- He had a great preseason but never got it going this year and sucked in the playoffs.
Eddie House- Was incredible in the first half of the season but didn't do much after that.
#21
#27

What we need:

1. Backup PG. A veteran would be preferred.

2. Any available talent selling at a discount. This could include JR Smith from the Hornets, or athletic players who drop in the draft.

3. Another big body. PJ Brown? A rookie project? Jamal Magloire?


I'm really tempted to trade Amare for KG. Although Amare is younger and has the potential to be better then KG, I don't want to waste another season waiting for Amare to heal. Our window to win a championship is 3 years with our current roster and that window will get smaller every year Nash drops a level. We can't wait around for Amare to heal if he gets injured again.


----------



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Lukasbmw said:


> Eddie House- Was incredible in the first half of the season but didn't do much after that.


= in the playoffs when it counted most

I love the guy, but he was worthless once the playoffs started

And why draft another backup PG when you have Barbosa?

BTW, a random thought - imagine what this team would have been like had Amare been here for the second half of the season. WOW! Sure, Tim Thomas probably wouldn't have turned out the way he did, and Diaw probably would have been the same, but it still would have been fun.


----------



## BootyKing (Apr 7, 2005)

TM said:


> = in the playoffs when it counted most
> 
> I love the guy, but he was worthless once the playoffs started
> 
> ...


Barbosa can't be our backup PG, hes a SG and works best when on the floor with Nash. Having Barbosa and trying ot use him as a backup never worked and we never saw a reduction in Nash's minutes. We desperately need a backup PG, we have the best PG in the league we shouldn't be tiring him out. If Nash had more rest he wouldn't of been so tired in the Clippers series which could have ended earlier and could have made a difference in the Dallas series.


----------



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Sure he works best when Nash is on the floor - so does every other player on the Suns roster, but Barbosa can play the PG spot. And, I believe he did in the last two series. I also think you're forgetting the most of the other top PG's in the league are scorers (Jason Terry, Mike Bibby,etc.). So what's wrong with Barbosa being that way? I just see no point in spening more money on another guy when you already have one.



> hich could have ended earlier and could have made a difference in the Dallas series.


That's balogna. As much as this pains me to say this - the better team won.


----------



## BootyKing (Apr 7, 2005)

It may not of meant we won but we would of played better. Dallas was the better team and most likely would of taken the series but you cannot dismiss the fact that the Suns just couldn't run in the second half, Dallas increased the defence intensity and the Suns couldn't fight back as they had no legs. Yeh Barbosa has played the PG spot but the Suns have a record of 2-8 with him at PG thats just about NBA worst. Barbs is a great player but he is not a PG. WE also need to think of the future what are we going to do in 2 years when Nash starts to decline. Grab a young PG now in the draft or try and get Jarret Jack and get Nash started with the mentoring. Nash needs rest he played 30-35 minutes a game and even that was to much.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

we need to win now and that is how our front office is seeing it. I'm starting to doubt we keep those picks.


----------



## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

I definitely think we should trade James Jones and hang onto both picks instead. Both draft picks total will only cost us $1.6 mil ($918,900 and $732,400), and we have them each for four years. We simply can not, must not trade our draft picks. Keeping those are the only ways the Suns will have a bench in the future, since they come cheap.


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> I definitely think we should trade James Jones and hang onto both picks instead. Both draft picks total will only cost us $1.6 mil ($918,900 and $732,400), and we have them each for four years. We simply can not, must not trade our draft picks. Keeping those are the only ways the Suns will have a bench in the future, since they come cheap.



True, but we can trade them for picks next yr or yr after. Future wise. We shouldve gotten Atlanta's actual pick this yr, and not their throw away pick from Lakers and Boston haha. It's top 3 protected next yr and they have 5th pick. They'll probably improve next yr.


We could trade one pick with Jones or something. I just want to get someone who can help us now if we keep them or one.


----------



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

BootyKing said:


> Yeh Barbosa has played the PG spot but the Suns have a record of 2-8 with him at PG thats just about NBA worst.


I think that reflects more the power of Nash and how much it hurts when he's gone, not Barbosa's inability to run the show.



> Grab a young PG now in the draft or try and get Jarret Jack and get Nash started with the mentoring.


They're gonna have to give up a guy like Barbosa, Diaw or James if they want anyone half decent cause I have a feeling there won't be a good PG still around at 27, and it's probably way too early to be picking a guy like Dee Brown or Guillermo Diaz . Is it worth giving up one of those guys?



> Nash needs rest he played 30-35 minutes a game and even that was to much.


I don't know about that. Out of the Top 5 MVP vote-getters (James, Nowitzki, Bryant, and Billups), Nash played the least amount of minutes out of all of them. He's not _that_ much older than some of those guys.


----------



## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

Visceral said:


> True, but we can trade them for picks next yr or yr after. Future wise. We shouldve gotten Atlanta's actual pick this yr, and not their throw away pick from Lakers and Boston haha. It's top 3 protected next yr and they have 5th pick. They'll probably improve next yr.
> 
> 
> We could trade one pick with Jones or something. I just want to get someone who can help us now if we keep them or one.


I don't think anyone is going to take a pick this year and give up one for next year, the jackpot year. 

I just look at all the rosters in the NBA and don't see what pieces we are going to get in return for James Jones and a pick. Either it's an expiring contract or a trade exception that we will allow to expireto save money. I don't see how we improve our roster this year. The best value in the NBA is a rookie contract, you simply cannot beat that value. They give you the most production for your money. Plus, the third and fourth years are team options. Even with Amare coming back, draft picks are a must in my eyes.


----------



## Zei_Zao_LS (Apr 1, 2005)

Among other things, I think that the Suns should extend Barbosa's contract immediately.

Why? I have to have a reason? Fine! Be that way!

Leandro Barbosa is showing that he's improving at an amazing rate, growing defensively and maturing offensively so that he can become a force on the court. He's 23 years old. This means that he's going to hit his prime in 3-6 years. Know what that means?

You're going to want to be the team that has him when that 3-6 year mark comes up. Why not make sure that you will right now, while his value is lower then it will be... say... next year. Leandro will, hopefully, develop into the point guard spot with a bit more time, though he's already showing that he's gaining a firm grasp of how to create for his teammates, but for the mean time you've got an occasionally prolific scorer on your hands and when he becomes a consistently prolific scorer.. you don't want him playing on the other team.

*Notable Trade Bait:*
Sign-and-Trade with Tim Thomas, if TT won't take a reasonably low amount of money.
James Jones. Get him out while he's still young and valuable.
*Maybe* one of the first round picks. Maybe.


----------



## TM (Jun 30, 2003)

Zei_Zao_LS said:


> *Notable Trade Bait:*
> Sign-and-Trade with Tim Thomas, if TT won't take a reasonably low amount of money.


I have a feeling GM's are wise to the fact that the TT of 2006 is a product of the system.


----------



## WildByNature (Jul 13, 2005)

If I could be Mike D’Antoni this offseason, I would…

Trade the #27th pick to Portland for Steve Blake ($1,000,000 expiring contract). 

Draft Hilton Armstrong at the #21st pick; if he is gone by then draft Saer Sene or trade up using James Jones to get Hilton Armstrong. 
Re-sign Tim Thomas for 4 years/ $20 million. If Tim Thomas does not re-sign, Sign Matt Harpring for 5 years/ $25 Million.

Fail to pick up the Team Option for Dijon Thompson and Nikoloz Tskitishvili.

Allow Brian Grant and Eddie House to use their Player Option. If Pat Burke uses his Player Option, waive him in Pre-season.

Extend Bois Diaw for 6 years/ $50 Million and extend Leandro Barbosa for 6 years/ $40 Million.

My 2006-07 Phoenix Suns will look like this…

C- Boris Diaw / Hilton Armstrong / Brain Grant
PF- Amare Stoudamire / Kurt Thomas
SF- Shawn Marion / Tim Thomas (Matt Harpring)
SG- Raja Bell / Leandro Barbosa / Eddie House
PG- Steve Nash / Steve Blake


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

We wouldn't be able to afford all that. Sarver doesn't want to get into luxary tax just yet. He said he's not saying he won't ever pay it though. But you have to factor that in too. it's projected at 63 mill the salary cap.


----------



## Zei_Zao_LS (Apr 1, 2005)

TM said:


> I have a feeling GM's are wise to the fact that the TT of 2006 is a product of the system.


It's more about us trying to get something out of him if we're going to lose him than trying to make teams think he's still a potential star, in the end. If we have a chance to get rid of a player that was going to leave anyway and get a productive member of the team in return, well, I'd do it.


----------



## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Looks like the Suns will be looking to draft a point guard.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/suns/2006-06-04-looking-ahead_x.htm?POE=SPOISVA




> With two first-round picks — Nos. 21 and 27 — the Suns also are expected to draft a point guard to spell Nash, who looked and played tired in the conference finals


----------



## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

A lot can happen between now and then. We may not even get a rookie who is capable of playing meaningful minutes and it becomes a wasted pick for this year.


----------

