# Suns sign Johnson



## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

*Ssuns sign Johnson*

Suns sign Demarr Johnson this will help with more depth at forward. After the trade wth the grizz. I like it he can backup Marion. Plus he still has potential for when Penny leaves. It's on the transaction page for NBA.com

http://www.nba.com/transactions/movement2003_index.html


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## TheMatrix31 (May 28, 2002)

Nice move !


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## MJG (Jun 29, 2003)

Excellent, excellent move. I can't for the life of me understand why there weren't more teams going for the guy, especially considering he would probably come for dirt cheap.


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## antibody (Apr 4, 2003)

I like the signing. I'm also shocked more teams were not knocking at this guy's doorstep. He has the potential to be a good player IMHO. This will improve the Sun's depth.


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## Arclite (Nov 2, 2002)

Dermarr showed he can still play during the summer after the neck injury.. I think it's a great signing, it's relatively low-risk and potentially high-reward..


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## JGKoblenz (Jul 19, 2002)

I like this trade. He will be a good player from the bench.


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## WhoDaBest23 (Apr 16, 2003)

Wow great signing by Phoenix! Hope he can contribute well off da bench dis year to make the Suns an even tougher team..


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## Rashidi (Oct 2, 2003)

Hold your horses now. He was struggling for 2 years BEFORE he broke his neck. This is a low risk/reward move. Maybe he'll contribute, maybe not. He's a good candidate to fade into the sunset ala Bobby Hurley if he can't.

Joe Johnson and Casey Jacobsen are ahead of him on the depth chart as the backup SGs and SFs.

Atlanta didn't want to re-sign him, and they NEEDED SGs and SFs.

00-01
78 games (21 starts) 16 mpg
5.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.6 spg, 0.4 bpg, 1.2 tpg
.373 FG%, .323 3pt% (41 makes), .736 FT%

01-02
72 games (46 starts) 24 mpg
8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.8 bpg, 1.4 tpg
.396 FG%, .360 3pt% (89 makes), .817 FT%

He was athletic, as indicated by his rebounds, steals, and blocks, but he had a bad A/T ratio, and couldn't put the ball in the hole. And this was BEFORE he broke his neck. Who knows how athletic he'll physically be allowed to be?


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## bballer27 (Aug 21, 2003)

perfect good move.


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## Arclite (Nov 2, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Rashidi</b>!
> Who knows how athletic he'll physically be allowed to be?


I'd say from the 20ppg he was getting during the summer leagues by flying over people and dunking on them, his athletic ability is the least of his concerns.

Your other points are valid, just remember he did come out after only his freshman year at Cincy.. I think he has a lot of room to improve, and Phoenix is the perfect place to do it because he doesn't have any pressure to perform this year.. if he can develop the other parts of his game to go along with his athleticism he could be a great signing..


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## Rashidi (Oct 2, 2003)

> I'd say from the 20ppg he was getting during the summer leagues by flying over people and dunking on them, his athletic ability is the least of his concerns.


I would actually consider that a concern... he won't be dunking over anybody in the NBA.

By athletically, I also meant able to withstand the rigors of a regular NBA season. Performance in an exhibition season with 12th-15th men doesn't really concern me. He hasn't had to play 5 games in 7 days against NBA competition.


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## Arclite (Nov 2, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Rashidi</b>!
> I would actually consider that a concern... he won't be dunking over anybody in the NBA.


Why? Breaking his neck has zero influence over his natural athletic ability. It was a freak accident..


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## jdg (Jun 13, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Sovereignz</b>!
> 
> 
> Why? Breaking his neck has zero influence over his natural athletic ability. It was a freak accident..


I agree! And, sure, when he recovered he was totally outta shape, but he has been playing full court, full contact b-ball for months now, showing he is back to where he was at least just over a year ago. Read this article at hoopshype:
http://www.hoopshype.com/articles/dermarr_koek.htm


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## Rashidi (Oct 2, 2003)

> Why? Breaking his neck has zero influence over his natural athletic ability. It was a freak accident..


I was more talking about how he's driving past 12th men, not NBA players.

Breaking your neck has nothing to do with athletic ability? Have you ever broken your neck before? Could you tell me what it's like?

And I wouln't classify a life threatening auto accident as a freak accident. He didn't hurt his knee surfing or close a garage door on his finger.


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## shazha (Nov 20, 2002)

YES YES YES, ****in BRILLLIANT move by the suns. Hopefully the guy wont fracture his neck again, that is hopefully is is totally healed and he can take the full contact by the bigger players out west.

that joe johnson is just plan,,, well backup material IMO. Hes had a few good games but seriously i dont see him taking over penny just yet.

Demarr on the other hand now theres a player who could really be our starting shooting guard of the future. All i have to say is now we are just one center away from being a really great team. 

Hopefully someone will fall into our laps like stoudemire did last draft. 2004 draft look out big unknown overseas foreigners. Wait a minute.... we got Zarko. Maybe he'll perform well for us at C.

Now im excited, really excited to start the season. Everyone was saying that the suns would be great this season but without a center i was skeptical. Still without a center there is only a certain distance we can go out west. 

But with good rebounders in stoudemire and marion, and with demar, marbury, we have one of the quickest most athletic teams in the league.


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## shazha (Nov 20, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>shazha</b>!
> All i have to say is now we are just one center away from being a really great team.
> 
> Hopefully someone will fall into our laps like stoudemire did last draft. 2004 draft look out big unknown overseas foreigners.


What do ya know, i predicted it before it happened. im a pyschic!! Suns just signed Dejan Koturovic a 31-year-old from Serbia & Montenegro, who is a freind of Zarkos.

12 ppg and 7 rbs. Aparently a hustler and not a skill man, who cares i say, we got a center!!! yey!! Even if its ****, at least its a center. Little Jake, Williams and Dejan not too promising, but least its something. Lets hope he pans out.

Heres a link


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