My Favorite Team is Trying Hard to Make Me Find a New Favorite Team.
| 23
|
by Manny Stiles
What the hell is going on here in Hell? I mean, Phoenix... it's just as hot as Hell. Today, the Phoenix Suns have dealt away the most servicable big man they have in Kurt Thomas as well as TWO future first round draft picks for a conditional second round pick?!?!?! All to clear some cap space and get a $8 million trade exception?
The old adage in basektball is "Don't trade Bigs for small" - how about "Don't trade away Bigs just to get rid of future draft picks you don't want to afford."
It is becoming more and more clear to me that Robert Sarver is freeking cheap. He only wants to win the bottom line. He has handcuffed the franchise that was thisclose each of the past three years.
For the last THREE seasons, the Suns have dealt away draft picks (all players that could have helped the Suns) just to keep under the cap and away from luxury taxland. That drove me nuts - Just come out and say that you don't want to win... Now they are divvying out the bevy of draft picks they have accumulated... for what?
THEN they signed Grant Hill just to spite medical convention, to spite me and my Anti-Dukeness and to accumulate MORE curses on the Franchise's forlorn loincloth. Clearly the Hill signing was a ploy to make money more than to win. Possibly, a ploy to give me an Instant Aneurysm. People around the Valley of the Sun heard the name "Grant Hill" and they got excited! This isn't 1997, folks... it's 2007! Name recognition does well for gate reciepts, but little towards banner hanging.
Seriously, Grant Hill is not a winning basketball player. The Suns have played more playoff games during Amare's 5 year tenure than Grant Hill has played in his career!
Shave Nest isn't getting younger, I'm happy they didn't deal 'Trix, even though trading him and his max contract made the MOST sense - plus you can GET something in return for Shawn.
But I also remember two years ago when they "blew up" the team, trading run and gunners Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson to build a team designed to run FASTER and built to battle the Spurs - Raja Bell was added to defend Manu and Krazy Eyes was known for giving Timmy D trouble on both ends. They had a plan, a vision and I liked it. It made basketball sense.
Too bad the Franchise has an invisible curse lingering over it. The "Curse of Neal Walk" perhaps? Or are we into Year Two of "The Curse of Colangelos Scorned"?
I know I might be over-reacting a bit, but WHO are the Suns going to get for an $8 mil trade exception and a bit of cap space that's a better fit than Krazy Eyes Kurt? He was the perfect compliment to Amare. Kurt can drain the J from 15 feet like he is practicing Chinese water torture. He pulled defenders out of the lane to open it up for Nash and Amare's two-man game. Kurt muscled, out-hustled and out-spazzed bigger men every night. He gave the Suns a touch of The Nasty (even though he is a super nice guy, he is not fun to play against) I don't like trading him (AND two conditional first rounders) for nothing.
Of course, he has been injury prone as of late and he's flipped the odometer a few times...
I will miss James Jones's energy, defensive prowess and slick stroke from Threeland. I have no idea what happened with Jumaine Jones or Pat Burke but Sean Marks won't energize the crowd in a Bo Outlaw/Paul Shirley/Pat Burke fashion...
So we're down to STAT, Bo Diaw and Sean Marks as the only players over 6'8" on the roster... I'm completely befuddled.
There's still lots of work to be done before training camp. I like Alando Tucker - even though I'm not sure where he fits in the rotation quite yet. I'm hoping The Blur turns the corner. Having Pape Sow around ensures favorable words from Marc Stein (until they cut him), D.J. Strawberry adds the prospect of "Daaaaaaaaaarryl!" chants and at least "Robs" Banks is showing some value in Vegas... albeit, against Summer Leaguers, woo_... hoo_...
I'm not giving up on the Suns just because they are trying to rid me as a fan (I'm along for the Amare ride no matter what!). I still believe in Coach D'Antoni and there's always the slim possibility that Grant Hill stays healthy and contributes (even though he can't run or shoot a three) positively.
If I didn't think I knew better, I'd say minority owner-cum-General Manager Steve "Oral" Kerr was doing favors for his good friends in San Antonio. They better pull something REAL good out of this... or I will be tasting a LOT of vomit this season.
Go Suns!
Sarver (a supposed billionaire) barely scraped the funds together to buy the team (with a LOT of help from minority owners) - that should have been the first sign...
It comes down to one thing if you're an owner - do you want pay for the pieces you need to WIN or do you want to save a couple million dollars? Cheap.