[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
timbofirstblood wrote:
tGunslinger wrote:
D’Antoni makes a little more sense in that it’s quite obvious by now that the run-n-gun, go go go Suns can’t get past the Spurs in the playoffs. Also, PHX’s current window is just about slammed shut, so it makes more sense to start over.
I was thinking along these lines myself. The whole system in Pheonix isn’t working. I’m surprised D’Antoni wasn’t the one to go.
I gotta disagree guys. With Marion, the system was working. I’d put money on it that the Suns win that series without Horry’s body check and the gambling ref interfering. It’s a moot point, of course, 'cause we’ll never know. The Suns arent gonna start over, at least not yet. They gave up so much to get Shaq that they’re gonna give it at least one full year before they scrap it. Their problems are only getting worse now. Nash, while never a standout defender is getting older and slower and is getting ABUSED by any top shelf point in the league. Shaq isn’t 28, or even 33 and is being asked too much of his old, flabby body. Stoudemire is entering the prime of his career, but would be wise to ask to get traded to a contender so he can get away from this impending mess. If the Suns could get a big, athletic 2 who can put pressure on the opposing D while containing penetration from someone like Ginobli they’d be taking steps in the right direction, but I don’t know who they’d give up to get that. Guess they never shoulda let Joe Johnson go either…[/quote]
You just enumerated the reasons why Phoenix’s window is closed or very nearly closed. If they could undo the Shaq deal, then I’d have given the old crew one more go round. But they’re stuck with an old, broken down Shaq that is horribly overpaid considering his production and future playing ability. At this point, he’s basically Kendrick Perkins with five times the salary and a minute fraction of the future production.
As it is, they’re not going anywhere in the short term, and their long term outlook is horrible considering their roster today.
They’ve got Amare to build around for the future, but they’ve got to get him out of that “defense-is-optional” atmosphere if they don’t want to seriously dent his future development.
You see it all the time in every sport: the teams that cannot accept the fact that their window has passed and irrationally try to hold their “core” together end up in far worse shape than if they’d just rebuilt when it became clear that their run was over.
Phoenix’s run is over. Period.
First order of business is to bring in a coach that will emphasize defense. Second order of business, IMO, is to unload Nash and Shaq for as much as I can get. Go for cap space, young players, and draft picks to build around Amare. Decide right now whether or not you’re going to make a run at LeBron when his rookie contract expires. Then rebuild that roster from the ground up.