Bright Side Of The Sun

Two New Interesting Trade Scenarios For The Suns

2010-02-09T03:44:22Z

Here's the thing about trade rumors this time of year. There are a lot of them and they come from all sorts of places and they are floated for a variety of reasons. That's why the reporting source of the rumor is so important.

Is it someone with a track record of credibility and enough knowledge to provide the proper context and filter to the information that's being passed. Or is it someone that has a tendency to simply publish or report on the radio whatever whispers of smoke drift by.

That's why when Paul Coro published these latest updates, you know they are worth paying extra close attention to. Credibility and context.

Here's what he's got regarding what he describes as the two most recent frequently mentioned trade partners, Cleveland and Philadelphia:

1) Cleveland - The Suns would get back a young power forward prospect in JJ Hickson and significant salary saving in the form of Big Z who's contract could be waived to get the Suns under the luxury tax.

Getting under the tax not only saves the actual tax but qualifies the Suns to be a welfare recipient in the neighborhood of $5m. That's a pretty big incentive for a cost conscience team who knows that there's nothing it can do to instantly become a title contender.

Brian Windhorst of Cleveland.com recently broke down all the numbers on this deal.

Straight up, this type of deal would save the Suns around $3.4 million off their payroll ($6.8 million including luxury tax). However, the Suns currently are a little more than $5 million over the luxury-tax line. It is possible they could then negotiate a buyout with Ilgauskas and get below the tax, which would probably enable such a trade to save them around $10 million in real money. The cash advantage could actually increase because, if the Suns got below the tax line of $69.9 million, they would be able to get their share from the fund created by the tax-paying teams. In other words, it would be worth millions more.

For the Suns, this isn't a bad deal because they get a guy who can immediately step into the power forward slot who still has three years left on his rookie contract. The Suns would enter next season with about $47.2m in contracts for 10 players (assuming both Frye and Hill pick up their options). That's plenty of money to resign Amundson and go after a full MLE player and still stay under the luxury tax for next year as well.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - J.J. Hickson	52	19.2	3.0	5.4	54.8	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.2	1.7	68.9	1.2	3.3	4.4	0.3	1.0	0.4	0.4	1.6	7.2

Is Amare only worth Hickson and salary relief? No. But it's a better deal than letting him walk and it gives the Suns a lot of flexibility moving forward. Throw in Cleveland's first round pick (which will be late 1st round) and it seems like a decent deal.

A lot has been said on the Cleveland side about the issues between Amare and Shaq. I don't think that's a problem at all. Those guys got along fine and Shaq isn't playing much less for Cleveland anyway. The real concern I would have is the impact to Cleveland's defense and integrating Amare into that system with LeBron just a few months before the playoffs.

It would be a huge risk for the Cavs to take at a time when they are playing really well and the Celtics look like they are done and the Magic are still trying to figure out how to play with Vince Carter. If I'm a Cavs fan, I am not in favor of this deal. The upside is, it gives Cleveland some kind of fall back position should LeBron walk. Although it LeBron left, why would Amare stay either unless they got him to agree to an extend-and-trade now. Oh the webs we weave...

2) Philly - We've talked this one to death but here's a new wrinkle or two.

Possibilities with Philadelphia could be stronger with two fronts, a deal between bringing in swingman Andre Iguodala for Stoudemire with perhaps young power forward Marreese Speights or a three-way deal involving Detroit with Pistons guard Ben Gordon winding up in Philadelphia and the Suns getting Iguodala and Detroit power forward Chris Wilcox.

This is interesting because Dalembert is not mentioned. I never thought Amare to the 76ers made sense for them if they were serious about keeping Amare since pairing him with the 6'9 Brand and the young Speights would make for a horrible front court but with Amare's threat to opt-in they have to be concerned about that (even though I am convinced it's a bluff).

If they keep Dalembert and get a wing player to "replace" Iguodala they at least can pretend they have an intact team with Amare, Brand, Dalembert and the young Jason Smith up front.

For the Suns, getting back Speights would be huge. He fills in the gap left by Amare - to a much lesser degree - and like Hickson still has 3 years left on his rookie contract. A Suns front line rotation of Lopez, Frye, Speights and Amundson isn't great but it's much better than not having Speights.

The problem for me remains Iguodala's long term deal. Also not mentioned here is moving either Barbosa or Richardson which would leave the Suns with a short term glut at the wings which would have to be addressed in the off-season. Otherwise, the Suns end up with about $60m in salary (assuming Frye and Hill pick up their options) which still isn't bad either in the short term.

Wilcox was drafted one place before Amare and is also an extremely athletic power forward who's never come close to reaching his potential. He has a $3m player option for next year.

I don't honestly see why the Sixers would even consider taking on Ben Gordon's $46m/4yr deal to replace Iguodala so I am just going to ignore that and hope that what we are talking about here is Amare for Andre and Speights straight up.

That clearly nets the Suns the most talent but does limit their flexibility moving forward but that can be resolved with Jason Richardson's expiring contract next season.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Marreese Speights	36	16.9	3.6	7.0	50.8	0.0	0.1	0.0	2.0	2.7	76.0	1.7	2.7	4.4	0.6	0.9	0.6	0.6	2.2	9.1

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
2009 - Chris Wilcox	32	13.2	1.9	3.7	52.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.8	1.5	55.3	1.3	2.2	3.5	0.4	1.1	0.4	0.4	1.9	4.6

Don't forget to enter the Amare Trade Contest and be sure to check out the Rumor Tracker Page if you've somehow lost track of anything.

Poll

Which of these deals do you favor (assuming a reasonable extension with Amare isn't possible)?

Phoenix Suns Daily Links: Channing Does Good. Amare Situation More Convoluted Than Ever

2010-02-08T22:43:59Z

More photos » Rich Pedroncelli - AP

Sure, he looks happy now. Just wait until...whatever happens next.

Browse more photos »

Good for Channing

Help for Haiti " Channing Frye's Blog
I'm not one for jumping on the donation bandwagon, but people, I'm asking you if you could to donate to the Haiti fund. That is just a ridiculously sad situation and anything you can do to help, would be greatly appreciated.

Now, back to topics 1, 2 and 4: Amare Stoudemire, where clarity is still weeks away.

Extension agreement? Trade deal? Nothing and repeat the process all over again in June/July?

A few weeks ago I was fairly certain that Amare would be gone this time. Now, I am not so sure. There's no doubt that there's a lot smoke but most of it isn't from fire but from a giant smoke machine being used to disguise the real intentions of the various parties involved.

It's an old Army tactic used to hide your movements from the enemy. That's what this all feels like right now.

The good news is that Chris Kaman will be an all-star! I feel better living in a world where Kaman is an all-star.

What would be lost in an Amare Stoudemire trade| Valley of the Suns
Suns fans had no problem with the idea of sending him packing for a few youngsters, some expiring contracts and a pick or two when Phoenix lost seven of nine games. But now that the Suns look legit again, the idea of no more STAT tomahawk dunks or near-impossible And 1’s has to be a painful thought. The man is a weapon, unmatched by very few others in the league. When motivated, he is arguably the best offensive big man in the NBA, period. He can hit the jumper from 20 feet on in, drive to the hoop from inside of the paint or out, and finish with contact as well as anyone in the league. Oh yeah, one other important detail: He is still 27 years old. He may not be worth max money, but with the right contract, he could be the building block to something special.
NBA.com: Another week of uncertainty facing Suns' Stoudemire
What is known is that the Suns plan to offer Stoudemire an extension by the end of the week, before the All-Star Game, and how he responds will go a long way toward determining the next step. If he accepts, he obviously stays and everyone focuses on riding this 31-21 start into the playoffs. If he declines but says the numbers are close enough that the sides should keep talking, negotiations continue while general manager Steve Kerr and other teams also continue to talk. If the proposal prompts Stoudemire to storm out of the room, Kerr starts icing his voice box to prepare for the long hours of phone work ahead.
YouTube - Deron Williams interviewed by Matt Harpring
Deron Williams calls Jarron Collins the most un-athletic guy he's ever played with.
The curious case of Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash
Stockton retired at 41 and is one of the few small guards who continued to play at a high level into his 30s. But even Stockton pales - sorry - in comparison with Nash. Using his age at the start of each season as the measure, Nash averaged 12.4 points and 6 assists per game before age 30. Since then, he has averaged 17.2points and 10.9 assists per game. Stockton, like Nash, increased his scoring average after 30 - from 12.8 points a game to 13.2, but his assists went down from 11.2 per game before 30 to 9.9 after 30. And the drop-off after 34, like most guards, is sharp for Stockton. He averaged 14.4 points and 10.5 assists up to that point in his career. From 34 on he averaged 11.9 points and 8.2 assists. At 35, which is where Nash started this season, Stockton averaged 12 points and 8.5 assists.

Maybe Hilton and Earl have some connections and this was just a little silly joke. Or maybe Hilton...

2010-02-08T21:14:39Z

Maybe Hilton and Earl have some connections and this was just a little silly joke. Or maybe Hilton Armstrong is just goofy - you know like Gilbert Arenas.

But on the surface stealing the ball with 1 second to go in a game that's over certainly looks like a lame and classless move. But who knows what goes through the mind of a guy in that situation.

Forgot to h/t Sactown Royalty for posting Hilton's big steal.

Phoenix Suns Player Representative Louis Amundson Responds To Labor Dispute Issues

2010-02-08T04:56:22Z

Lou Amundson is known for his hustle play, outstanding rebounding and blocks and athletic dunks. He's also one of the Suns representatives to the players' union and he talked about the current state of labor negotiations. (Photo by Max Simbron)

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The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that governs the relationship between the NBA's owners and players is set to expire in July 2011. That's a long time from now and yet the owners have taken the bold step of already making their first proposal so that initial talks can begin during next week's all-star festivities in Dallas.

The proposal from the owners is reported to include a radical change in the current structure which allows for the players to receive about 57% of the Basketball Related Income (BRI) generated by the league. If you think of the BRI as the giant pie of money (lots and lots of tasty money) than the percentage split dictates how the pie is shared between those young men who lace up their shoes and throw down the dunks and those older men who slip on their loafers and put up the capital investment to make it all happen.

Of course, it's more complicated than just sharing some pie. The two other big issues at stake are the length of contracts that players can sign and the portion of those contracts that are guaranteed. Guaranteed simply means that if the owner wants to waive a player they still owe them the remaining value of the contract which is unlike the NFL where players sign non-guaranteed contracts.

This first salvo fired by the owners has already elicited a sharp response from this anonymous agent as originally published at ESPN.com by Chris Sheridan, "The league has to be careful. If the top players are united against David (Sterm), that's going to make for a tough fight. It could get very ugly."

In a separate story by Ric Bucher we heard from the the players' union first vice president Adonal Foyle of the Orlando Magic who said the offer put forth last week by commissioner David Stern's office was "ludicrous."

All teams have one or two player representatives to the union. For the Suns that's Amare Stoudemire and Louis Amundson.

I talked to Lou after the Suns practice Sunday when Lou was done getting in some extra work with Jarron Collins and Robin Lopez on their post moves. I was curious where the "rank and file" were at with the current state of the negotiations.

I wasn't really sure how much Lou would know so early in the process and I certainly didn't give him any time to prepare for the topic as we talked at the top of the stairs near Robin's Door.

Lou however, was obviously fully briefed on matters and talked openly about where things stand from the players perspective, "I think the main thing, we don't want to see an NBA where there's no guaranteed contracts like the NFL and where they reduce the number of years for guaranteed contracts. Because then it just makes it so hard for the guys coming in and the draft pics. That's a situation I think we are going to stay firm on. But there's other issues that I think are a little more grayer that I think that the union is a little more willing to compromise on. So we'll see. It's early and there's still a whole lot of issues to cover."

The area where Lou felt there might be some room for movement is in the percentage of the BRI shared but he also made it clear that the Billy Hunter, the union's executive director, was standing firm as of today on that issue as well.

To the average fan this is an ugly fight between wealthy owners and highly paid players. Lou is keenly aware of how this could be taken by the people that ultimately pay the bills, "You don't want to turn off any of the fans and I think in this economy I think both sides ideally are going to have to compromise a bit with the dollar figures. We make a lot of money and so do they but it's a good business so there's a lot of money involved so that's part of it. That's part of the biz."

For the owners to pick this time when so much attention is on the league and when they would ideally want nothing more than to showcase their best players seems to be sending a message of how serious they are to pursue these changes.

The ironic part is that the current CBA provides for both a salary cap and luxury tax and does not force owners to sign players to max contracts. It's the owners who've not been able to control their own spending which has lead to a multi-tiered system where certain teams with either deeper pockets or in larger markets are able to absorb the cost of the luxury tax and pay more to get the best players. It is no coincidence that four of the five teams with the highest payrolls also are at the top of the league's standings.

It doesn't have to be this way but since the owners are clearly not able to police themselves the only solution they see is to impose stricter rules on their own spending which will ultimately limit what the players can earn and shift a lot of the risk to the players if the owners get their way.

Amundson didn't have much to say about the timing of this initial proposal other than to express that the earlier the talks can begin the better. He wouldn't place odds on the chances of a lockout in the 2011 season saying that it would be four or five months before they knew how things were really looking.

For now, it is clear that players are firmly opposed to giving back anything close to what the owners are asking for which means we are all in for a long drawn out fight over the next 16 months leading up to July 2011. It is hard for me to imagine that an agreement will be reached any time soon as neither side will be willing to move their position this far out from the deadline.

In the mean time, the union's board is made up of players from across the salary spectrum and Amundson feels they will remain united in their opposition to reducing the length of their guaranteed contracts.

Hopefully, someone can come up with a solution that provides a greater degree of parity within the league without taking too much away from the players who provide the entertainment that drives the business.

People are going to come down on both sides of this but there's no doubt that if another lockout comes the general public will quickly be disgusted that both sides were so greedy that they couldn't find some way to share their huge, lucrative pie.

...senior vice president of basketball operations David Griffin – to New Orleans on Friday night to ...

2010-02-07T22:49:05Z

...senior vice president of basketball operations David Griffin – to New Orleans on Friday night to watch the Sixers play the Hornets in person.

From Marc Stein

There's not much new here other than Griff going to see Iguodala in New Orleans.

Why would Griff need to see Iggy in person when there's oodles of film and high-tech advanced stats available on him?

The Suns are being awfully public about their interest in this deal. Makes you wonder if they aren't playing a game of Chicken w/ Amare and his agent - making it clear that Amare doesn't have them over a barrel in hopes of him taking a smaller extension offer.

Btw - I still don't see how this deal makes sense for Philly unless they want Amare to opt out which they've clearly said they don't want to do. What are they going to do with the long term contracts of Amare, Brand and then they've also got Speights coming up and showing promise?

It only makes sense for Philly if they view Amare as an expiring contract but of course Amare's threatened to opt in this season.

What a convoluted mess this is turning into...

Phoenix Suns Practice Report: Birthday Boy Steve Nash Talks Trades

2010-02-07T20:37:55Z

The Phoenix Suns practiced today before their various Super Bowl festivities. This photo was not from today's practice. (Photo by Max Simbron)

View full size photo »

Last season and early this season Steve Nash - 36 as of today - talked often about the need for consistency and expressed his frustration at the frequency of trades that the Suns have made.

With all the current trade talk going on, I asked Nash how he felt about the potential of another big mid-season deal. He initially responded by saying that it was out of their control and the team just needed to remained focused but he did go on to talk about his desire to see the current group finish out the season.

"I think we've shown that we're a good team and I think we've shown glimpses that we can be a really good team and it would be nice to continue to work at it together," said Nash.

Steve clearly understands the potential for any trade to be disruptive with the results being far from guaranteed, "Every time a team makes a trade it's a leap of faith."

The team presented Nash a birthday cake (hazelnut from Tammie Coe - who I can personally recommend quite highly). Nash of course, was having no cake but said that plenty of his teammates would be willing to break their diets to help out. His twin girls were at practice as well and Steve said he would in fact be a hypocrite and let his kids eat cake.

The entire team sang happy birthday to him with no dog pile followed by wrapping the birthday boy in tape as happened to Antoine Wright recently in Toronto. Somehow, I just can't imagine the Suns tackling Steve Nash and binding his arms and legs in tape.

More Ball Movement => Less Wear on Nash => Fewer Turnovers => Better Defense => More Winning

Coach Gentry talked about installing more ball movement in the offense which has helped the "standing around" and has also both reduced turnovers and taken some of the pressure off of Nash to create everything.

"Our ball movement has gotten better and that's cut down on our turnovers some," said Gentry who went on to say, "We just felt like we were wearing Steve down. He had the ball all the time and he was making all the plays and we had to do something to try to relieve the pressure from Steve a little bit. One of the things we looked at was having more ball movement and more people movement but making sure he had the ball at the end of the shot clock and still making plays. It's really worked out good for us."

The Suns have averaged 13.6 turnovers over the last five games which is down from 15 per game for the season.

Gentry gave credit to Assistant Coach Igor Kokoskov for recommending some of the new offensive sets which he said is borrowed from his time with the Clippers. See, not everything that comes from the Clippers is bad.

The movement has also helped Jason, Grant and Jared get the ball in better position to slash and score and yet is still designed to end up back in Nash's hands once the shot clock gets under 10 sec if nothing opens up. That leaves Nash "fresher" to make a play if needed.

Gentry also credited Nash for attacking more decisively when teams switch pick and rolls. The bigs are rolling quickly to the post to take advantage of the mismatch and/or Nash is shooting quickly.

Practice Notes

Lots of talk about Nash turning 36. He agreed that it's pretty old by NBA standards and 5 or 8 years ago he would have guessed he would have been done by now. He says he feels great. Can't argue with that.
As far as the big break coming up (1 game in 10 days), Nash said you just play the schedule. If there's a bunch of games you try to get on a roll and win. If there's a break you try and use the time to recharge. That's the wisdom that only comes from being...mature
Nash says you have to focus on the process and not outcome when asked about playoff seeding, home court, etc.
Difference between now (winning) and then (losing) is playing hard and not over-thinking things,"Instead of over analyzing we've been going out there and being aggressive and trying to make up for our mistakes with intensity instead of always trying to do the right thing."
Nash said the Suns can be adequate defensively by being smart, attentive, early which comes form being mentally focused
"Our depth is important. We don't have the most talented team but we have good depth and we have to make that a characteristic of our success," said Nash.
Gentry said that Nash is having his best year as a Suns. His offensive efficiency is better. He knows when to score and when to distribute.
Gentry said that the Suns played good basketball during the previous road trip that the Suns went 0-4 except for a some key stretches. On this last 4-0 trip the Suns didn't have those poor stretches.
Robin and Frye are combining for 20-25 points and 8 to 12 rebounds from the center position which is great and having both gives the Suns two very different looks
Amare is playing better because he wasn't getting as many questions about trades. Frankly, I don't see it. Amare wasn't asked all that often about trades and on a few occasions quickly shut down talk when asked.
"Sometimes we have a tendency to forget that everyone has feelings. No one wants to read about themself getting traded or should they trade you, should they not," said Gentry.
Gentry is convinced that Nash could average 25 ppg while still shooting 50%/40%/90% and if the Suns had a better record they would be talking about Nash for his 3rd MVP.
Suns number one goal was to make the playoffs. The West will still be crazy right up until the end. Can't think to far ahead.
Robin has gotten Suns to great start with offensive put-backs and freed up Amare for open jump shots.
Gentry was pleased with defensive improvements but still have issues with middle-drives.
The Suns are off tomorrow and will practice Tuesday.

ESPN Report: NBA owners will NOT grandfather in big contracts (allegedly)

2010-02-07T17:56:00Z

ESPN Report: NBA owners will NOT grandfather in big contracts (allegedly)

"Perhaps the biggest shocker: The owners' proposal includes a provision that would require any pre-existing deals to be revised to conform to the new deal's limits."

Wouldn't this seem to be a dealbreaker for any negotiations? It seems like a big bargaining chip intended to be pulled in order to gain voluntary concessions from the players association.

It would also seem to be an incentive for someone like Amare Stoudemire to opt in on the final year of his deal as he may never see money like that again for a single season, despite the New Contract>2010-2011 Salary argument Seth has made.

Either way, if the owners stick to their guns on this one, I smell lock-out or strike. More likely, it's a trial balloon to gauge reactions and fire a warning shot over the bow of the players' association. Either way, it's a development that bears watching.

Super Bowl Extravaganza!

2010-02-07T16:31:11Z

HAPPY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY EVERYONE!

Here's some links just for the big day

Lets kick it off with a great guacamole recipe. I picked up my avocados yesterday. Three for $.99. FTW!...but I did also get the powder mix. Works fine for me.

Now, here's all you need to know for great coverage

1) SB Nation Colts blogger, BigBlueShoe from Stampede Blue, was
credentialed by the NFL and has been on the ground in Miami for the
media days providing incredible coverage and interviews from a Colts
fan perspective. He has setup a special section on his blog that
gathers all his reports together:

2) SB Nation Saints blogger, Saintsational at Canal Street Chronicles,
was also credentialed by the NFL and just landed in Miami to cover the
Super Bowl for the Who Dat Nation. Check out his coverage:

3) For you stat heads, mgrex03 on Stampede Blue has a stats preview
series:

I: http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/2/2/1288192/super-bowl-statistical-preview
II: http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/2/4/1291893/super-bowl-statistical-preview
III: http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/2/7/1299171/super-bowl-statistical-preview

4) BigBlueShoe got a really interesting interview with Peter King
including some back + forth about sports blogs:

Part I: http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/2/5/1296896/stampede-blue-has-a-beer-with
Part II: http://www.stampedeblue.com/2010/2/5/1297717/stampede-blue-has-a-beer-with

5) We also have Joel Thorman from Arrowhead Pride credentialed at the
Super Bowl and covering it for SBNation.com. He has been updating an
epic Super Bowl StoryStream from the ground + Dave Halprin has been
adding the best content from around network. This is an excellent
single big PREVIEW link that pulls everything together:

6) Here is the basic SB Nation event page for the Super Bowl that
automatically pulls together all posts that are tagged with the Super
Bowl event.

Go Beer!

Seriously, I don't care who wins. At some point near kick off I will make up my mind and start rooting for one team or the other but for now I am a flip-flopping fence sitter. Sick, huh.

Super Bowl Weekend Links: All's Quiet On The Western (Trade) Front

2010-02-07T01:14:47Z

More photos » Rich Pedroncelli - AP

Old man and the shoe. Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash, right, drives to the basket past Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Browse more photos »

Ho hum. Five wins in a row. Four game road winning streak. 5th place in the west. Defense. Rebounding. Spirit and spunk.

Will the real Phoenix Suns, please stand up.

That by the way was a cultural reference dating back to a kinder, gentler time when men were men pretending to be other men for fun.

This sure has been a funky season. A real roller coaster ride if you will. I didn't think the team was as good as its 14-3 start or as bad as its 14-18 December and January.

Although I did giggle when Grant Hill talked post game last night about getting out of the "slump". When you are a sub-.500 team for 2/3's of the season, that's not a slump. That's a suck. The Suns were playing like suck and now for the last five games they are not playing like suck. That does not constitutes either a slump or a slump busted.

Lets not forget that the Mavs are slumping and just lost to the Wolves. The Rockets are a scrappy team but beating them isn't exactly a major accomplishment. The Hornets without Paul is a solid win as is the Nuggets without Melo but both of those games were very winnable and then there's the Kings. Enough said about them other than to say that Nash has absolutely OWNED Tyreke Evans which is simply a fact that can't be repeated often enough and probably won't be repeated again next year.

We now will wait three full days before the next game against the Trailblazers who will be without Brandon Roy (or Oden, Pryzbilla or Outlaw) but do have Nic Batum back who should do a great job locking up Grant Hill and Earl Clark? Rudy vs Goran will be fun to watch. Amare vs Aldridge is always a treat. But the match-up I am most looking forward to is Robin vs Juwan Howard. If Robin isn't spending the next three days licking his lips waiting for this feast then he's not nearly the psycho machine we think he is.

Then comes more days off followed by one of the easier post-all-star schedules in the West. Plenty of time off. A home heavy schedule. And only one game against an "elite" team. It should all be down hill from here except for...

Le' Sag'a Amar'e

Will he. Won't he. Who the hell knows but until he either agrees to an extension, is traded, or the deadline passes this team is as firm as a piece of pineapple trapped in a lime green jello mold placed on a washing machine on spin cycle.

Fortunately, there's only four more game before now and the deadline but for the next two weeks be prepared to get your jiggle on.

Have a happy and safe Super Bowl Sunday. Here's to plenty of beer, pizza, chips and wings...Suns practice tomorrow. I'll be there.

Oh, and it is Steve Nash's 36th birthday tomorrow to raise a glass to him. Just don't try and light birthday candles for him. We don't want anyone's house to burn down.

No Amore for Amare - Blazersedge
Maybe I'm old-school, but I'm so sick of hearing this from today's players. There are two situations in which it's legitimate to employ that phrase. If you're LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, clearly the best of the best in this league, and your team has utterly failed to build around you for years then I can buy in. Alternately if you're a franchise player pushing 40 who has never won it all and you have something to give as a role player that would be valuable to a contender but doesn't help your current team much then I'm OK with the request. You've given your prime and years of sweat and devotion to a franchise. They can do something back for you. But outside of those two situations "I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser." Here's a guess: If Amare Stoudemire used his athletic prowess to play defense anywhere above the level of a Jell-o Pudding Snack Pack he'd already be on a contender
A Brief History of the Orlando Magic's Blown Leads This Season - Orlando Pinstriped Post
The Magic are a great defensive team and they've blown a lot of big leads this season. What do you make of that? huh? well?
Conversation and Talk With Daryl Morey - The Dream Shake
Dreamshake conversation with Rockets GM Daryl Morey
The Long, Depressing NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Fight Begins - SB Nation
Well then. Something tells me the Players Association won't be too keen on these conditions. This is only a first proposal, but let's just say that things are not off to a good start if you're an NBA fan worried about an impending lockout.
Twitter / Kelly Dwyer: RT @WojYahooNBA: Asked hig ...
RT @WojYahooNBA: Asked high-level team exec. about actual docu of NBA's proposal to union. "It's just a photocopy of Stern's middle finger."
KTAR.com - Suns Spotted Around The League
Sports 620 KTAR's John Gambadoro believes the Suns will sit down with Amare Stoudemire and his agent next week to begin discussions on a possible contract extension. The extension would be more than $10M per year. The Suns are not interested in giving Stoudemire a max deal and want to see if he would consider an extension of this sort. Yes, that would mean Stoudemire would agree to a pay cut, as he makes more than $16M this season and has a $17.7M option for next season. With that said, the Suns' offer is likely to be in the $11-14M range.
Suns' Robin Lopez - Channing Frye combination works at center
With Robin Lopez starting at center the past 10 games and Channing Frye becoming his backup, the Suns' new center tandem look has averaged 24.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. It has become part of the reason the Suns are playing their best basketball of the season, with their first four-game winning streak since November and first one against all winning teams since the 17-win streak of 2006-07.

Suns Dethrone Kings for 5 in a Row, 114-102

2010-02-06T07:23:26Z

More photos » David Zalubowski - AP

Amare, Amare, Amare...What Do We Do With You? (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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5 in a row. Pretty dang nice. A good old fashioned butt-woopin' in Sacramento.

Something's happening with the Phoenix Suns. That something is good. And forgive me for getting sentimental, but Nash to Stoudemire nearly brought a tear to my eye tonight. The two even hooked up for an alley-oop. You gotta be kidding me. Makes a guy want things to stay the same.

But enough of that emotional garbage...The Suns came out tonight in the SAC and took care of business. The final score doesn't do the Suns justice. They were in full control for the duration of the game tonight.

To summarize:

Steve Nash: 23/10/8
Amare Stoudemire: 30/9
Grant Hill: 10/5/3
Robin Lopez: 10/7/2
Jason Richardson: 16 (points)

The bench put in some good work tonight as well: Goran Dragon Dragic added 10 points, Jared Dudley, 7, Channing Frye had an awesome put back dunk, and Louis Amundson pulled down 7 rebounds before later fouling out.

Numbers:

FG: Suns 48%, Kings 44%

Rebounds: Suns 44, Kings 42

Assists: Suns 18, Kings 10

Points in the Paint: Kings 54, Suns 44

More:

The last time the Suns swept a road trip of at least four games was in December 2006
The Suns have scored 100 points in 11 straight games and 23 of their last 24.
The Suns began the game with runs of 11-0 and 9-0 in the first quarter, outscoring the Kings 39-24.
Some guy called Donte Greene went 31/7 for the Kings
The trio of Hawes, Evans, and Martin were a combined 9-26 from the field and -70 on the +/- scale.

Couch Commentary:

Good win for the Suns, great 5-0 road trip. The Suns are currently occupying the 5th seed of the Western Conference, a game behind Dallas and a game in front of San Antonio and Portland. If you're Steve Kerr, are you influenced by the standings and current play of your team when dealing with the Amare situation? Are you more inclined to up your offer to extend? Or does none of that matter? How close are we to picking up Iggy and Dalembert?

This is a certainly a confusing season. As a fan I'm not sure what to root for, to keep the squad together and take our chances in the playoffs, or to go ahead and make some deals, preparing for the future. At the moment it would seem a shame to pull the plug on this squad. Still, it's a business and Mr. Kerr needs to be thinking of the long term vialbiity of the Phoenix Suns franchise. For now, perhaps we should just enjoy this win and our recent success and let things play out as they will. Should be a very interesting next few weeks.

Next up, Portland, 2/10/10.

Suns vs Kings coverage

Suns vs Kings recap

Sactown Royalty

Paul Coro: Suns Continue Surge With Win Over Kings

Game Thread: Suns Vs. Kings

2010-02-06T02:30:16Z

More photos » Patrick Semansky - AP

Foul!!

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Next Game

Phoenix Suns
@ Sacramento Kings

Friday, Feb 5, 2010, 8:00 PM MST
ARCO Arena

Suns Win 4th in a Row, Defeat Nuggets in Denver, 109-97

posted by Wil Cantrell 1 day ago

103 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Game Preview: Suns Vs Kings

2010-02-05T19:01:02Z

More photos » Matt York - AP

Stay hot, Steve (AP Photo/Matt York)

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Tonight our beloved Phoenix Suns test a couple of streaks in Sacramento versus the Kings. First is the three game road winning streak featuring victories over Houston, New Orleans, and Denver. The second, is an overall 4 game winning streak. The Suns have not won 4 in a row since November nor have they won 5 in a row this season.

Stringing together some wins has been vital for the Suns in the wake of their ugly January performances that saw them fall out of the top 8 in the Western Conference. At the moment, the Suns are #5, 1.5 games behind Utah and a half game ahead of San Antonio and Portland.

Check out the numbers from the past four games:

OPP	OPP FG%	RB DIFF	OPP OFF RB	SUNS TO
DALLAS	50	37-34	8	15
HOUSTON	37	55-46	18	16
NEW ORLEANS	45	44-38	11	15
DENVER	44	47-39	8	12

In the last 4 games, the Suns have outrebounded their opponents 183-157 and held them to 44% shooting. Dallas was the only opponent to shoot 50% from the field. The Suns turnovers look unimpressive, however they have been sticking to their season average and rank 19th in the NBA in giving the ball away. Not all that good, but certainly not horrible.

The Suns have had some excellent team performances during this stretch, however it's difficult to ignore the play of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. Since STAT's 1 rebound performance in Dallas, he's gone for 11, 12, and 17 the past three games, while sticking close to his season ppg average. Kicking in 3, 4, and 9 boards over his season average may not be an extreme increase, but every little bit helps. Nash has been bothered by an abdominal strain, but you'd never know it. In the past 4 games, Steve has totalled 49 assists while committing only 7 turnovers. This includes a 0 (zero ) turnover performance against the Rockets as well as 1 and 3 versus the Hornets and Mavericks respectively.

OK, on to the Kings:

"That's our theme. We let ourselves get down, we're too far out of it, and then we make a late comeback. In the end we come up short."
-Kings Center Spencer Hawes

Works for me, Spencer.

The Kings are on a 4 game slide, losing to the likes of Utah, Denver, Charlotte, and San Antonio. While they haven't been getting obliterated, they've had trouble putting the ball through the hoop. In the past 11 games, the Kings of scored 100 points ot more only twice.

Kevin Martin is healthy but Jason Thompson is out attending a funeral. Expect the infamous Omri Casspi to take his spot in the starting lineup. You may recall Casspi scored a career-high 24 points in the last meeting between the two squads.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Kevin Martin	16	37.1	6.4	16.6	38.9	2.3	5.8	38.7	6.3	7.4	84.9	0.8	3.7	4.5	2.9	1.9	1.2	0.3	2.2	21.4
Tyreke Evans	43	36.9	7.5	16.3	46.1	0.6	2.1	27.0	5.1	6.5	79.5	0.9	3.8	4.7	5.0	2.9	1.5	0.5	2.8	20.7
Jason Thompson	47	32.6	5.1	11.0	46.3	0.0	0.1	0.0	2.9	4.0	73.1	3.1	5.6	8.7	1.9	2.1	0.5	0.9	4.0	13.1
Beno Udrih	45	29.6	5.0	10.2	48.8	1.1	2.8	37.8	1.3	1.5	87.0	0.4	2.1	2.5	3.9	1.7	0.8	0.2	2.1	12.4
Omri Casspi	46	27.7	4.5	9.5	47.7	1.2	3.1	38.7	1.9	2.8	65.6	0.9	3.9	4.8	1.4	1.4	0.7	0.3	1.9	12.1
Spencer Hawes	47	26.7	4.7	9.5	49.0	0.4	1.3	32.3	1.1	1.6	72.0	2.0	4.0	6.0	2.1	1.9	0.5	1.0	2.7	10.9
Andres Nocioni	47	20.5	3.3	8.2	40.7	1.3	3.5	37.3	1.1	1.6	68.0	0.5	2.6	3.0	1.1	0.9	0.4	0.4	2.2	9.1
Donte Greene	43	20.9	3.1	7.0	44.3	0.8	2.4	33.3	1.1	1.8	60.5	0.6	2.3	2.8	1.0	1.4	0.6	0.8	2.1	8.1
Sergio Rodriguez	36	13.5	2.3	5.1	45.7	0.4	1.1	37.5	1.1	1.5	70.4	0.4	0.9	1.3	3.2	1.4	0.8	0.1	1.1	6.1
Ime Udoka	41	15.1	1.7	4.0	42.7	0.4	1.6	28.1	0.8	1.0	73.8	0.7	2.0	2.7	1.0	0.7	0.6	0.1	1.5	4.6
Jon Brockman	39	13.8	1.1	2.2	51.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.8	1.3	62.7	2.3	2.4	4.7	0.5	0.5	0.3	0.1	2.5	3.0
Sean May	13	10.0	1.2	2.9	42.1	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.5	0.8	60.0	0.5	1.8	2.2	0.5	0.8	0.4	0.1	1.3	2.9
Hilton Armstrong	23	12.3	0.9	2.6	35.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7	1.3	50.0	0.9	2.3	3.2	0.8	0.7	0.4	0.5	2.1	2.5
Kenny Thomas	26	12.0	0.7	1.3	48.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.5	58.3	1.3	2.0	3.3	0.6	0.7	0.4	0.4	1.6	1.6

Worthy of Bullet Points

Steve Nash is averaging 30.5 ppg in the last four match ups verus the Kings and shooting 12-21 from beyond the 3 pt arc.
In the last match up vs. the Kings, the Suns bench was outscored 38-16 as Andres Nocioni dropped in 19 off the pine.
Tyreke Evans has averaged 24/8/7 against the Suns in two games this season.
The Kings have lost 17 of their last 20 games

Couch Commentary

It would be easy for the Suns to take the Kings lightly tonight. But losing this one would hurt after playing so well the past four games. The Suns tendency to lose leads plays right into the Kings tendency of getting down early and the making late game comebacks. Of late they haven't been able to turn those comebacks into victories, but they are certainly able with the likes of Evans and Martin.

Heres to hoping Amare continues to bring his gorilla game and Frye, Dudley, Dragic and Co. continue their resurgence off the bench. It would be nice to see Jason Richardson make some early hoops and establish some confidence. If the Suns show up tonight, it shouldn't be difficult to drub these down and out Kings. See y'all on the game thread.

Suns vs Kings coverage

Suns vs Kings preview

Sactown Royalty

Daily Links: Where Amare Wants More Love

2010-02-05T17:35:13Z

Oh, Amare. You really don't make it easy on yourself do you? Are you overshadowed by the greatest player of his (your) generation? Yup. Are you even close to his level of "star" based on your all-around game? Nope.

Pulling out the "I was rookie of the year out of high school" card really isn't going to change that and frankly, isn't all that appealing to your fans.

Stoudemire Believes He's Overlooked in NBA History -- NBA FanHouse
Amar'e Stoudemire is 6-foot-10, 250 pounds. But he says he's overlooked. In NBA history, that is. The Phoenix Suns forward sees how Cleveland's

Gentry and Dudley on Sports 620 KTAR

Class, determination never in doubt for Nash
Earlier this year, Stoudemire went eight consecutive games without a double-double, which, for a guy who can exercise an option in his contract for next year at $17.7 million, is pretty unprofessional.
Suns' Robin Lopez - Channing Frye combination works at center
With Robin Lopez starting at center the past 10 games and Channing Frye becoming his backup, the Suns' new center tandem look has averaged 24.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. It has become part of the reason the Suns are playing their best basketball of the season, with their first four-game winning streak since November and first one against all winning teams since the 17-win streak of 2006-07.
Phoenix, Nash, Portland, and more to come « Channing Frye's Blog
Being here in Phoenix is truly a blessing. I have had so much fun just being on the court, trying to get better every day. The guys on this team, the staff, the front office people, they really are class acts.
NBA.com: Historically solid Suns could have a rocky future ahead
"The Best Franchise Without A Championship." That, in a nutshell, explains the Suns. They've had great players. They had an excellent president for decades in Jerry Colangelo, who ran a model franchise. Few teams have ever played a more entertaining style of basketball, which was especially fluid in Mike D'Antoni's time. They captivated Phoenix before the other professional sports discovered the once-booming city, and still are considered the No. 1 attraction in town. Yes, for the most part, it's been all good for the Suns, with one rather noticeable flaw: No NBA title to show for it. With the franchise now facing some serious issues, you wonder if a title shot is drifting into the distance like an Arizona sunset.
The Official Phoenix Suns Blog » Blog Archive » Suns Return to Earlier Form
It’s a little more defense, a little more rebounding, a little more chasing down loose balls as if they’re made out of $100 bills. And the Suns have been doing it all without surrendering their strengths, things such as sharing the ball and then burying the shot.
Amar'e Stoudemire may stay with Phoenix Suns, much to chagrin of New Jersey Nets
Though the Suns' asking price was apparently too high for the Nets, there is still a chance for a move before the deadline, especially since the Nets have as much to offer as any team - draft picks, expiring contracts and young talent. But if Stoudemire makes it clear he intends to stay in Phoenix, the likelihood of the Nets acquiring him becomes small.

Poll

Sit in your armchair and put on your GM hat. How much would you offer Amare to stay in Phoenix?

How would Andre Iguodala fit with the Phoenix Suns?

2010-02-04T23:07:02Z

So the rumours of a trade between Philly and the Suns with Amar'e and Iggy as the main components have been heating up recently (today was the first mention of it in the national media), and the majority of Phoenix fans on Bright Side of the Sun (including myself) are hailing it as the best possible deal for STAT. However the acquisition of Iguodala (whether or not a deal goes down) won't be smooth sailing and there will be some definite pitfalls to go along with the positive aspects of an Iggy trade.

Important Note: This is NOT a trade post, all i'm doing is looking how Andre Iguodala would fit in with the Suns. Not how we'll look without STAT or any other player who is traded either to us or from us as we don't know who these players will be.

Defense

This is the area Iggy could help us most and one of the reasons i would be most excited to see him in a Suns Uniform. Iggy averages 2.5 combined steals and blocks a game compared to 1.3 for J-Rich and 1.1 for Hill.

If advanced stats are your bag, then Iggy's defensive rating and defensive win shares are also significantly better than our current starting wins (107 and 1.9 respectively for Iggy, 112 and 0.7 for Hill, and 112 and 0.6 for J-Rich).

I wouldn't go so far as to suggest the Iguodala is a Artest or Battier level defender, but he would certainly be an improvement over whichever player he replaced in the starting lineup and i would predict he would actually get better defensively on a team where he isn't also the number one offensive option.

Rebounding

Iguodala averages 6.9 rpg compared to 5.4 for Grant Hill and 5.1 for Richardson. He gets 10% of availiable rebounds when he's on the floor compared to 9.3% for Richardson and 10.3% for Hill.

This is pretty much a wash, there are no stats to suggest that Iggy is any more a proficient a rebounder than ouir current starting wings. However, if either Hill or J-rich moved to the bench to accomodate Iggy, then it is likely we would see an improvement in rebounding from our second unit.

Offense

This is where an Iggy acquisition gets... interesting. Iggy is averaging 17.3 points and 5.7 assists a game this season, surely a good thing. However, Iggy is only a career .323 three-point shooter and is shooting .314% this season. While this isn't terrible for Iggy ( he has a True shooting percentage of .524% so he obviously can find ways to score), it could risk affecting a Suns offense which is predicated on floor-spacing to allow Nash to go to work, especially if Iggy were to replace J-rich in the starting lineup as Hill and Iggy are both pretty poor three point shooters.

One thing Iggy could help to drastically improve in our offense is shot-creation. Currently, Steve Nash is the only player on our team who can consistently create for himself and others (Dragic is improving at this) and Iggy would certainly help.

Other Considerations

Iggys Contract- Iggy is under contract for another 4-5 years at about $12million a year, which is a bargain if he comes in and produces on both ends of the court. However, with rumors of a new CBA which could drastically reduce player salaries do the Suns want to commit to paying Iggy for such a long time?

Earl Clark- Despite Iggy playing at SG this season, his proper position is clearly at the 3. While Earl Clark is nowhere near ready to start at NBA level and be effective, he has the potential to be a serious contributor in a few years. While this wouldn't be a reason to stop a trade with Philly, it is an important consideration that an acquisition of Iggy could affect the long-term development of Clark as they play the same position.

Conclusion

An Amar'e trade which netted us Iggy (and Dalembert) would probably be the best plausible deal for STAT that the Suns could get. Iggy would be a great piece to build around (contract issues aside) and he would bring some much needed wing defense, hopefully providing the role of stopper that we have lacked since Marion/bell were traded and that Hill has tried his best to replicate. On offense, Iggy's poor 3p% could affect our spacing and there would definitely be an adjustment period from the departure of STAT and we would surely see an reduction in the usage/effectiveness of our pick and roll game. Hopefully this adjustment period could allow us to still make the playoffs although either way our ceiling is not all that high this year and an Iggy trade would definitely give us our best wing player since Joe Johnson was sent packing to Atlanta.

I have no idea of the likeliness of this trade (or any Amar'e trade) happening before the deadline but if a trade does happen there a few i like better than this one.

The Latest Amare to the 76ers Rumor

2010-02-04T23:04:10Z

The Latest Amare to the 76ers Rumor

There's more on this rumor that first surfaced a few days ago on Sports 620 KTAR.

I've been mulling this one over since it broke and I've decided I don't like it. Dalembert is a nice guy but at $12m next season would push Robin to the bench and Frye to the PF position.

Iggy would probably end up starting at the 3 in place of Grant Hill which isn't bad but it creates a log jam for Jason Richardson and Earl Clark and that assumes LB gets shipped out as well.

Log jams aside, I am not sure I like locking up Iggy at $12-15m/yr through 2014. I don't hate it but I don't like enough to move LB and Amare.

LB should be able to bring back nice value on his own if the Suns want to trade him this summer.

All in all, I still prefer the Nets deal which could give the Suns salary flexibility to get the mid-level guy they want plus a young prospect (Lee or CDR or Yi) plus a mid-to-late 1st rd pick via the Mavs.

Daily Poll: Are you Sick of Amare Talk Yet?

2010-02-04T18:22:23Z

More photos » David Zalubowski - AP

This is an unfortunate photo. Shame on that photog for pushing this out to the AP and shame on the editors that publish it. Shame. Shame. Shame.

Browse more photos »

It's starting to get old isn't it. Scratch that. It got old a few days ago and yet like Pants on the Ground you just can't look away. One is the most culturally significant event to sweep the nation since Jersey Shore and the other is only the single most important decision the Phoenix Suns will make in the next 12 years (m.o.e. +/- 11 yrs).

So today's question is: Are you done yet?

Daily Links:

ESPN's Ric Bucher on Sports 620 KTAR talking about...

Suns broadcaster Tim Kempton on Sports 620 KTAR talking about....psych! - Jason Richardson

KTAR.com - Doug: I wouldn't mind Greg Monroe in a Suns uniform
Doug Franz starts up a draft watch blog using some nice cognitive dissonance to ignore that fact that the Suns don't have a 1st round pick. But you never know - that could change with one little Amare trade.
SUNS: Postgame Quotes: Suns at Nuggets, Feb. 3, 2010
Suns guard Jason Richardson "We just went out there and were aggressive. Last time we were here we came in at 3 in the morning, battled and we were up by 20 and lost a close game. We remembered that. This is one of the top teams in the West and we want to be on their level and we want to get back to that level. (Personal night) "Just being aggressive on my end. We knew they were going to do a lot of switching and put a point guard on me. I went to the post and got some easy baskets."
Melo, we're ready when you are... (Nuggets/Suns recap) - Denver Stiffs
Melo, we're ready when you are... (Nuggets/Suns recap)
Nets' immaturity wore on Harris - NBA - Yahoo! Sports
For all the drama in Phoenix, it could be worse...much much worse
Trade deadline: Possible destinations for Phoenix Suns' Amare Stoudemire - ESPN
Amare Stoudemire is a hot name in trade talk. Where could he land?
NBA.com: Suns' rapid-fire pace helps aging Nash look young again
Three of us were talking following a Suns shootaround a few weeks ago. Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry energetically leading the charge with the logic and statistics, veteran beat writer Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic, and me. We got on the topic of Steve Nash.
Amare Stoudemire Says He's Leaning Towards Not Opting Out - SB Nation
One of the assumptions we all made throughout this trade deadline season is that Amare Stoudemire would opt out of his contract and become a free agent in the great 2010 free agent derby. However, in an interview with Chris Tomasson of Fanhouse, Stoudemire implies that he’s actually leaning the opposite way.
Appraising All-Star Weekend's Party Potential With An NBA Anecdote - SB Nation
NBA'er know how to get their party on in a very organized manner
Suns Spot | One-on-One with El Dragón
@pjspaws: What is the biggest difference between European basketball fans and American fans? Dragic: “Fans? Phew, lot of different. In Europe there’s more pressure from the fans. When we play in Serbia and Belgrade, sometimes after the game I have to have a towel over my head because they are throwing coins and all this stuff. It’s a little bit crazy, more intense. More pressure and everything… here in the NBA it’s a little bit different. Some teams have great fans. Golden State, Utah [and] our fans are great, but it’s a huge difference than in Europe.”
Louisville Columnist: DeMarcus Cousins A Better NBA Prospect Than John Wall - SB Nation
Say what!??!!

and never forget you beacon of light during rumorous times is this page:

Phoenix Suns Rumor Tracker Page - Bright Side Of The Sun

Poll

Are you sick of the Amare trade talk yet?

Suns Win 4th in a Row, Defeat Nuggets in Denver, 109-97

2010-02-04T08:26:18Z

More photos » Garrett Ellwood - NBAE/Getty Images

P-O-S-T-E-R-I-Z-E-D. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

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Victory is sweet. Especially on the road against a quality Western Conference opponent. The Suns won their fourth in a row tonight, downing the Denver Nuggets, 109-97.

Tonight, the story for the Suns wasn't the performance of one individual. Instead, this was a team win in the truest, corniest sense of the phrase. Every Sun was a positive tonight in some way. You can hand out game balls to Amare Stoudemire for pulling down 17 rebounds, Jason Richardson for 8-15 shooting and 7 rebounds, Louis Amundson for his 7 rebounds off the bench, and Jared Dudley and Channing Frye who combined for 8-14 shooting. Goran Dragic chipped in 2 three pointers, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, and 0 (zero) turnovers in 16 minutes off the bench. And there was Steve Nash too. 17 points, 10 assists, and 2 blocks. Yep, blocks.

The Suns took the lead with 8.59 left in the second quarter and never trailed again. The lead swelled to 22 points in the 4th, and eventually shrunk to 12, but the Suns continued their balanced play until the end. This was a great win.

Tonight's Stats:

FG: Suns 49%, Nuggets 43%
Rebounds: Suns 47, Nuggets 39
3 Point FG: Suns 9-18 (50%), Nuggets 4-14 (28%)
Turnovers: Nuggets 8, Suns 11

Commentary:

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. The bottom line here is that the Suns are playing with confidence. They've gone out on the road, played winning teams, put all the trade rumor talk aside and simply played the way know how to play.

There was no reason for the Suns to lose tonight, just like there was no reason for them to lose in New Orleans. Some may mention Carmelo's absence tonight as a reason for the Suns success. OK, who cares? It's a another notch in the win column regardless of who plays. I'm taking it, because every W counts and injuries are a reality in the NBA.

It would be ignorant for me to not mention the recent play of Amare Stoudemire. He's put up double digit rebounding totals in the past three games (ever since his one rebound debacle in Dallas). We know Amare can score. But when he's scoring and rebounding one has to feel like your getting an added bonus. You could say he's happy to be away from PHX, you could mention that Alvin Gentry had a brief discussion with him about his need to hit the glass more. Or perhaps Amare is playing with new motivation, for either $'s, new scenery, both, or maybe neither, You just never know with Sun Tzu/Max/TAT. But the fact is he's bringing the gorilla game and it helps the team win. I'm overjoyed to see his play elevate. Let's hope it continues.

Robin Lopez has been a huge difference maker. Lopez has scored in double figures and picked up 5 boards or more in 8 of his last 11 games. I must admit his offensive game is a little more advanced than I thought it would be. He's coordinated, aggressive, and he takes the ball hard to the rim. He hung in with the Nugget bigs just fine.

Numbers:

Every Suns player registered a + on the +/- scale.
Every Suns player who played, scored at least 2 points
The Suns bench outscored the Nuggets 35-32
The Suns are 14-2 when Jason Richardson scores at least 20 points.
The Suns have won 3 straight road games after losing 12 of their prior 13 away games.

More (In Chris Farley Talk Show Host Voice):

Did you see Steve Nash's 30 foot three pointer with the 24 second clock running down? That was cool.
Remember when Amare posterized Nene on that dunk? That was awesome.
And that time Amare came out of nowhere to block Nene's shot out of bounds? That was really cool.

Quotes

Alvin Gentry:

"As far as the class of team and quality of team, it's probably the best we've played on a stretch of road this year..."

Steve Nash:

"We're playing a little harder, we're a little grittier, the same characteristics I think you saw when we played well in November. We're just a little tougher, that's all. Coming up with a few more hustle plays, a few more loose balls, making a few more baskets just with determination. All together it lends to us winning some of these close games instead of losing."

Amare Stoudemire:

"Just going after it. That's been the most important thing, just being aggressive...We've been playing great man on man defense. We've also been able to help out each other. That allows us to really stay scrappy, get the rebounds, force turnovers and score the ball. We can score better on defensive stops and that's what we've been doing. We were in a funk for a while. We're kind of uniting now through difficult times and it's helping. It's helping all of us."

So, have the Suns turned a corner? Are they returning to early December form? What's been the difference? Discuss.

Next up, @ the Kings, 2/5.

Suns vs Nuggets coverage

Suns vs Nuggets preview

Denver Stiffs

Paul Coro: Suns Nab Road Win in Denver

Game Thread-Suns Vs. Nuggets

2010-02-04T03:21:30Z

Final - 2.3.2010	1	2	3	4	Total
Phoenix Suns	28	32	26	23	109
Denver Nuggets	22	27	23	25	97

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Why Amare Stoudemire HAS To Opt Out

2010-02-03T23:07:17Z

More photos » Matt York - AP

3 months ago: Phoenix Suns Amar'e Stoudemire, right, dunks over Philadelphia 76ers' Brandon Bowman during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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Amare Stoudemire is known for "saying things". Which isn't to say he's a liar. Far from it. Amare is a guy who likes to talk and doesn't mind telling people what they want to hear. If you are in Washington DC or Atlanta or New York and you ask Amare if he would like to play in your city he's going to say, "sure". He's also going to say he loves Phoenix and would like to stay.

It might seem like these things are inconsistent but as a long time Amare-watcher who's had the chance to talk to him directly on numerous occasions in a variety of circumstances this is all par for the course. Amare talks and says things. Sometimes they are said without full context and can be taken for more than he intends.

Today's comments feel like something else to me. This seems like public posturing as part of the on-going negotiations.

Amare shut down all conversation about trade related matters before leaving town for this road trip last Friday and then today he talks to an out-of-town reporter for AOL Fanhouse and happens to drop this little bomb about leaning towards "opting-in"?

What prompted that?

To paraphrase a theory from John Gambadoro on Sports 620 KTAR, the timing implies that Amare and his agent are trying to send a message to teams like the 76ers, Wizards and maybe the Warriors. Those teams might be interested in Amare for cap relief and be willing to trade for him under the assumption that Amare will opt out this summer.

Amare however, can make more money if the team he's traded to uses it's Bird Rights to sign him to a longer and bigger deal.

In other words, it's in Amare's interest for him NOT to go to a team that WANTS him to opt out. So he talks about not opting out to dissuade those teams from trading for him.

It's a highly Machiavellian theory but one that has a ring of truth.

Or maybe Amare is just talking off the cuff and there's no meaning what-so-ever in what he said today. That also is entirely possible.

Regardless of what he said today, Amare HAS to opt out this summer and here's why:

1. New deal is more money than final year

Amare will make about $17.7m if he picks up his option. Most people (and I agree) believe that he may not get that much on his next contract on a year to year comparison BUT any deal he signs will be for multiple years and will have a combined guaranteed value that far exceeds that $17.7m.

Just look at some of the deals signed recently: Charlie Villanueva got 5 years, $37.7 million. Paul Gasol got 3 years, $57m.

Amare is looking for a 5 or 6 year deal in the neighborhood of over $100m which puts him in Rashard Lewis/Gilbert Arenas territory. In today's environment teams aren't going to want to give Amare a deal like that but he should be somewhere between $60m and $90m which is FAR more than $17.7m

2. New CBA means he can't wait

Amare might believe that he could pick up his final year at $17.7m and then sign his big contract in the summer of 2011 which in theory would yield him more money. But that's silly because the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at the end of the 2011 season which would leave Amare without a contract right in the middle of those negotiations. Most people think the new CBA will cut players' salaries by 20% or more.

If Amare doesn't get his deal this summer than he would be giving up the potential to make a lot more money. With the possibility for a hard salary cap in the new deal, a guy like Amare faces making close to $9m in the new structure but if he signs a long term deal now it would likely be grandfathered in.

3. Teams have cap space now

Last summer Carlos Boozer surprised a lot of people by not opting out as expected. This has been held up as an example that Amare might follow. There's a big difference though. Last summer there were very few teams with cap space available to spend on a big name free agent.

This summer - the Summer of LeBron - has been part of teams' plan for years. 7 to 10 teams have spent the last two seasons setting up their payrolls so they would go into this season with a lot of cap space. They've been telling their fans to be patient so they can land that big name guy.

There are only so many big name guys: LeBron, Wade and Dirk head the list but chances are good all three will take the bigger deals that their current teams can offer. That leaves Bosh, Joe Johnson and Amare as the next level of guys. There are more teams with money than big names available and that makes it a seller's market for Amare (and Bosh and Joe).

He might not get the full max deal he wants but this summer is Amare's best chance to get the largest offer he's going to ever see again. He can't pass up this opportunity and he won't.

4. If Amare doesn't opt out the Suns are better off

If for some reason Amare gets horrible advice and losses his mind and doesn't opt out it leaves the Suns in a good position. They get to keep this group together and make a run at making the playoffs. While they likely won't get out of the first round they would still generate a couple of extra million dollars in playoff revenue.

Any trade they make now will likely hurt their chances to achieve that goal. In the short term the Suns benefit from keeping Amare.

Then next year the Suns enter the season with 11 guys under contract at $63m total payroll. They can easily re-sign their only free agent (Amundson) and pick up another minimum contract player like Taylor Griffin and be well under the luxury tax. That will net them another ~$5m as a non-tax paying team and they will have their core group intact during the season ticket sales period.

It would also give them two of the most valuable expiring contracts in the league in Amare's $17.7m and Jason Richardson's $14.4m going into the summer of 2011 when expiring contracts will have HUGE value to teams looking to cut payroll.

Flash forward one year when the Suns have those two expiring deals. They can easily parlay them into draft picks, young talent, and perhaps one nice player who's got a long term deal. If teams like the Wizards and 76ers are willing to "pay" the Suns for Amare's expiring now what will teams with several long term contracts be willing to pay next year facing the prospect of a lock out followed by a hard cap in the new CBA?

I am sure if Amare committed to staying in Phoenix for the final year of his contract, they would be thrilled. They would be able to make a strong push for the playoffs this season and be perfectly set up for next year.

The problem of course, is that Amare's not going to do that because Amare would be CRAZY to pick up the final year of his contract which means the Suns HAVE to trade him now.

David Thorpe Labels Earl Clark "Biggest Disappointment". We Respond

2010-02-03T21:38:59Z

Earl Clark rises up. (Photo by Max Simbron)

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Earl Clark worked out with Coach David Thorpe at his IMG Academies pre-draft prep clinic this summer and for that reason Thorpe is someone whose insight into Clark carries more weight than most pundits.

I talked to Coach Thorpe during Vegas Summer League about Clark. Like most people, Thorpe spoke highly of Earl's potential but had some reservations about the maturity level. "The guy's a top five talent... if he locks in on a daily effort in practice, there's no way that guy's not gonna play a decent amount and have an impact on that team."

Today in his NBA Rookie Rankings: Midseason awards - ESPN (Insider) column, Thorpe has this to say about Clark whom he labeled as the "Biggest Disappointment" of the draft class:

The downside to upside is people are disappointed when you don't show progress. So it goes with Clark, who oozes with all kinds of basketball talent but has yet to earn anything of importance in Phoenix. Clark played for a tough taskmaster in Rick Pitino at Louisville, and I know from personal experience that the Suns rookie is an excellent listener and a hard worker if singled out and challenged. But in the NBA -- a man's league that does not put up with immaturity -- players must have some level of self-motivation to survive. This is part of Clark's problem. Additionally, Clark needs to take full accountability for what is happening so far (playing less than nine minutes a game) and not blame anyone else. That is the first step towards progress. Then he needs to resolve to work on his game each day. Until those things happen, he will continue to languish and frustrate the Suns and anyone else who knows what he's capable of as a player.

While it may or may not be fair to call Clark the "Biggest Disappointment", there's no question that he's yet to scratch the surface of all that talent.

Thorpe attributes the disappointment to immaturity and work ethic but based on what I've seen and heard from the coaching staff the issue might be a bit...different.

By all accounts and from what I've seen, Earl Clark is working hard. He goes full bore in practice. He stays late to work with the assistant coaches and he is normally not in the locker room after games because he's gone back to the practice court to get some more reps in.

As recently as last week before the current road trip, I talked to both Coach Gentry and Coach Igor Kokosov about Clark's progress and both said that he's coming along fine and just needs more time to adjust to the NBA game. Time that can only come from playing in game situations.

Here's what Gentry said when I asked him to respond to a recent comment from Steve Kerr that it probably wouldn't be until next season before Clark had a big impact for the Suns:

"He's just got to get a feel for the pro game. He's still a young kid. He works really hard and he's doing a good job. We've got to decide where we can play him. Is he going to be a three (small forward) or is he going to try and be a four (power forward). And there's just playing time. Everybody looks at Goran (Dragic) now but last year Goran struggled when he got to get out there some. We've got to try and find minutes for Earl to stick him out there some and I think he'll be fine."

From what I've seen Earl is making progress this season. It seemed like early in the year the plan was to break him down and make sure he was going to work hard to earn his minutes. Gentry would yank him from games immediately after just one mistake which Earl admitted was hard on him, "As a rookie, it's no mistakes. Other guys they'd be able to make mistakes and they can be able to stay out there but rookies, one mistake or two you're out of the game."

Now, Earl is getting more time on the court and being given the opportunity to play through his mistakes. The Suns made him earn that right and he's stepping up.

Clark's biggest problem isn't so much the self-motivation that Thorpe describe but his innate ability to react to a game that is moving at a speed he's just not used to. Add to that the challenge of having to learn both the small and power forward positions and it's no wonder he's slow coming along.

Clark is also playing behind established veterans (Amare and Grant) and a pair of bench players (Dudley and Amundson) who play as hard as anyone in the league and who are far more experienced and comfortable with the NBA game.

None of the guys Earl is playing behind has missed time this season, which is often how a rookie gets an opportunity to step up. Just look what's happening with Collison and Thornton in New Orleans, who wouldn't be playing if Paul was healthy and the team didn't trade away their veteran bench players for salary relief.

There's no question that Clark has more raw skill and talent than either Lou or Jared but the Suns simply can't afford to let Earl move ahead of either of those guys in the rotation and learn on the job the way rookies on other teams can. It's one thing for Serge Ibaka to get consistent time on a young Thunder team without a lot of depth but for a Suns team trying that was trying to make noise in the playoffs it's not so easy.

Now that the Suns expectations have fallen back to earth and Earl's put in the work off-the-court he's being rewarded with more and more playing time and he looks much better on the court. He is no longer lost on defensive rotations and out of position on the offensive end and he's even shown signed in the last few games of being more patient with his shot.

At this point last season most observers would have considered Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic to be "big disappointments" but the Suns coaching staff were patient and followed their plan. This organization has earned the right to develop Earl Clark in the same manner.

If at this point next season we aren't seeing more out of Clark then we can start calling him a disappointment but for now he seems to be right on track.