Are the Suns thinking about trading Amare?
ESPN’s Chad Ford said that they are in his chat yesterday.
Jason (Culver City CA) [via mobile]: What are the chances of Amare Stoudemire getting traded before the deadline?
Chad Ford: Last week I said 10 percent. But I think that was low. The more people I talk to in the league, the more I think it’s something in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 percent. Steve Kerr and Robert Sarver are taking a hard look at the team right now. If they decide to blow it up, Stoudemire will be the first to go.
Let’s see, you’re thinking about blowing the team up and your first move is to trade away your 26 year-old All-Pro forward/center? This is nonsensical. Why not trade away Shaq, who is 36 and due to make $20 million next season? Or Steve Nash, who is 34 and has just one more year on his contract?
Why would you trade away your best player, especially when he’s only 26?
I criticized Steve Kerr’s decision to break up that Suns team that was a couple of bench-clearing suspensions away from upending the eventual-champion Spurs in the 2007 playoffs. His first move as GM was to trade Rudy Fernandez to the Blazers for cash considerations. Then there was the Marion-Shaq trade, which forced Mike D’Antoni out, because he doesn’t know how to coach a slow-it-down team. Seemingly every move Kerr makes backfires.
The Suns are now 26-20, they’ve lost seven of their last 11 games and are hanging on to the #8 seed in the West. They are a shell of that exciting team that we saw in those playoffs two years ago and if Carlos Boozer can come back strong for the Jazz, Phoenix is in serious danger of missing the postseason altogether.
Now they’re thinking about trading away their best player, who is only 26 and entering the prime of his career.
That’s just great.
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Posted in: Fantasy Basketball, NBA, Rumors & Gossip
Tags: Amare Stoudemire, John Paulsen, Phoenix Suns, Rudy Fernandez, Shaquille O'Neal, Steve Kerr
There really is no reason to be a Suns fan at the moment. They are not exciting, they are playing poor basketball and the management doesn’t seem to care that they are destroying what was a great team just to implement their “philosophy”. I wouldn’t watch a TV show that removed all of their best characters and made strides to become less exciting. Why should I care about a basketball team that does that same?
Matt – As a Suns fan, what’s your take on Steve Kerr right now? I’ve always had respect for him as a player and a commentator, but I don’t think he really knows what he’s doing as a GM.
The reason to trade Amare is because he is not a self-motivator. Why pay some guy superstar dollars when he doesn’t have to drive to actually BE a superstar? Being a Suns fan means watching Amare collect a small handful of rebounds in a lot of minutes of game time. It means never seeing him dive for a ball or box out or play solid defense. Of course, he picks up his game a little when he feels like it, but a superstar beasts it every night.
Amare is a really flashy player and can score at will on most nights, but I’m starting to think he’s been the cancer in the locker room all along and not Marion, Bell, Diaw, etc. The year he was out we saw a ton of players go out and work hard every night, and they almost made it to the Finals. Then he comes back and several of those players couldn’t get involved or became increasingly unhappy. I don’t think Kerr is the problem and I don’t think Porter is the problem. I think the problem is a very talented player who soaks up minutes and dollars but doesn’t put in the effort to be truly great.
John, the hiring of Kerr was the start of the disintegration. I fear that the Phoenix Suns have the new Matt Millen. Kerr might have good basketball head and pedigree, but the General Manager Position is just too big for him.
Well, if I remember correctly it wasn’t Kerr that made the Shaq trade is was the owners of both the Heat and the Suns, Sarver wanted this. Now D’Antoni has left and his Knicks seemingly have the same defensive philosophy as the Suns used to have…except no offense. The Suns are not winning and it looks from the outside like players want out..and since Amare has always been the biggest whiner, is it any wonder that he’s not first on the list???
“Being a Suns fan means watching Amare collect a small handful of rebounds in a lot of minutes of game time.”
I don’t know, Chris. Don’t you think there’s a correlation between Shaq’s arrival and Amare’s dip in boards? In 06-07, Amare averaged 9.6 rebounds per game and had a pretty solid rebound rate (17.0), which would be #10 amongst power forwards if he were averaging that this year. My point is — it’s tough to get a lot of boards when you’re playing with Shaq. Heck, Amare is still getting better than eight per game.
I don’t watch enough Suns game to speak to his defense and hustle, but I saw enough of him during the Suns’ playoff runs and he didn’t stand out as bad in either of those areas. He was named 1st Team All-NBA and that doesn’t just happen by random.
This whole thing went south when Kerr took over and traded Marion away. Then he gave Rudy Fernandez to the Blazers for cash considerations. Ridiculous. The Suns and their fans complain about cancers in the locker room and every year it’s someone new. Get rid of Marion. Check. Get rid of Diaw. Check. Now they want to get rid of a 1st Team All-NBA player who is in the prime of his career.
If they do decide to trade him away, I’d be very interested to see what they get in return. My guess is that it won’t be equal value.
Marion is a better rebounder than Shaq.
Selling draft picks happened because D’Antoni wanted veterans instead of rookies. Actually since Kerr has been GM they have taken draft picks.
I think D’Antoni getting ridden out of town was pretty unfair. He was a players’ coach, giving them lots of freedom and keeping them happy. He had an offensive juggernaut and ran a pretty loose ship. Then Porter comes in and tries to instill some discipline in some guys who had been used to a different philosophy and they complain about it. It’s true that some guys leave Phoenix and go on to be productive – look at Diaw’s resurgence since he went to Charlotte. I think that’s more a factor of team makeup than coach skill. Would you play Diaw over Stoudemire either? I didn’t think so.
I don’t think it’s fair to judge Kerr’s moves yet. He inherited a roster from D’Antoni that had real issues – aging, defense-impaired starters and a bench that didn’t get to play much. He’s had to try to rebuild on the fly while remaining competitive. For the record, D’Antoni is on record as saying he wanted the Shaw trade and had to talk Kerr into it, so saying Kerr broke the franchise isn’t exactly true.
I think they should trade for Chris Bosh. He seems like a total team guy, which is what they need at that position. He also plays away from the basket more than Stoudemire, he’s younger, and seems to have a better handle on defense.
Mr. Paulsen-
In ways I do agree with you but I don’t believe Shaq takes away from Amare. Amare takes away from Amare. Shaq allowed Amare to do whatever he wanted in the beginning but Shaq had to step up because Amare failed to hustle and win so Shaq had to step up.
As you said you don’t watch enough game film of him except for the playoffs, Amare is not a hustler, he is not a defensive player. He is a defensive liability. The only reason Amare ever did what he did was because of an offense that was about pure firing up a shot and running. There was no defense ever involved there was no way for there to be any defensive liabilities. But they did soon learn that that type of offense will not win a championship, I also believe D’antoni was embarrassed after 5 years that his style doesn’t work for championships and had to leave. But Amare is not a player that hustles or believes in anything but scoring. D’antoni spoiled this team with short no work practices and a free for all attitude. He also spoiled this city into thinking its about excitement and not championships. Amare still believes that. Remember Amare is the one who stated he wants to be a “gorilla” and be like Garnett and Howard. He has no desire to do any of it and it is apparent every night.
Well, if you trade away Amare, you had better get a guy that you can build around because there isn’t another guy like that on the Suns roster.
Here’s the deal folks – Amar’e is going to leave Phoenix. The only question is whether he does it now (and the Suns get something back) or he does it later (and the Suns get nothing).
The problem with Amar’e is that he only cares about scoring. On the old Suns teams, that was good enough. On the new one? Not so much.
Kerr, Sarver, Nash, and Hill all had a sit down after a game a few days ago and the result of that meeting is that Amar’e is not going to help the Suns get it done. He doesn’t defend, he doesn’t rebound, and he’s constantly griping about touches. The Suns have one, maybe two years left to compete for a championship, and it’s CLEAR that Amar’e isn’t the guy, so why wouldn’t they trade him? If he can’t help THIS Suns team win, how can he ever help ANY Suns team win?
I say that Chicago makes a deal with Phoenix – Amar’e and two spares for Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Gooden. It’s a win-win. Chicago gets a top-flight running mate for Rose, and the Suns get a young big with tons of potential, a starting SF they can be proud of, and a PF that can play alongside Shaq. I would go so far as to say that the Suns would be better with Deng and Gooden on the floor (and Hill and TT coming off the bench) than they are with Amar’e pouting, Barnes chucking up shots, and Hill playing way too many minutes.
http://www.nobloodnofoul.com/2009/02/05/chicago-most-likely-trade-a
mare/
Can I get a hell yeah?
I just hope my Pistons get him!!How does this sound: Rasheed Wallace and 1st round pick for Amare?I would miss Sheed though…
Sheed seems like a short-term solution for a team trying to “rebuild.” I think the Suns want someone like LaMarcus Aldridge…young and talented.
IMO, Kerr is out of his mind.
Shaq and his $20 million contract is too much for the Suns.
Amare is a powerhouse – both in term of skills and physical prowess. Shaq WAS a powerhouse, and despite his presence in the middle is a known-fact, his prime has long gone – and he is actually slowing down the Suns with his erratic free throw shooting (I’m amused watching Spurs vs. Suns, when Pop decided to do Hack-a-Shaq tactic occasionally – and worked!)
Kerr – I think you should reconsider this, as player as talented as Amare won’t come too often in the L.
My two coins