From most of the polls that I have seen on this site, if anyone else were to be traded, Jason Richardson would ideally be the one to go. 

As it stands, he is the starting shooting guard for the team.  He is not a great defender, but is a terrific offensive player.  He can shoot the 3, post-up guards, run, and is one of the best dunkers ever.  He essentially could step into the offensive void left by Marion, and, I think was better.  Not defense, though. 

J-Rich's contract has 2 years left for a total of $27,777,777 (according to Rotoworld). 

The most commonly mentioned suitor for J-Rich has been the Minnesota Timberwolves because they have been athletic wing scorer who can also provide some star power - especially since Rubio might not come over.  They don't really have any players to trade either.  Well, at least not any they would give up.

What they do have is what is likely a mid-high lottery pick for 2010.  The T-Wolves also got an expiring contract player in Etan Thomas.  I'm no expert on the salary trading rules of the NBA, but I think a little something like this might work:

Jason Richardson, Cleveland's 2010 2nd Round Pick for Etan Thomas and 2010 and 2011 1st Round Picks.

Any thoughts on how to make it work better?  Would Phoenix have to include its 2011 1st Rounder or a bench player like Jared Dudley?

The problem is that the Suns don't have anyone to replace him.  Barbosa is fine offensively, but would be a defensive liability, especially next to Nash.  The free agent market isn't exactly robust either.  The top shooting guard is Ben Gordon who is about to sign a hefty deal with the Pistons.  The best of the rest include AI, Dahntay Jones, Anthony Parker, and Marquis Daniels.  AI is a definite NO.  Jones and Daniels are not starters.  Daniels doesn't shoot the 3-ball all too well, either, and his defensive isn't great.  Jones is known as a fine defender, but isn't much offensively.  Parker is decent, both offensively and defensively.  He can shoot the ball, dribble, and defend.  All great, except he's 34.  He's already starting to diminish, as most do at that age.  Still, he's the best all-round option.  And if the Suns plan on contending this year, they might as well do it with a bunch of old guys (Nash, Parker, Hill).  Barbosa and Tucker could spell him off the bench, so I'm not too worried.  He wouldn't cost much at all either.  Say, 2 years for $5-6 million max.

My proposal: Keep Amar'e Stoudemire - possibly the most offensively-talented and athletic big man in the game right now.

But what else can we do to get better?

First - Trade for Chandler.  This one's been mentioned often.  The most likely trade is Wallace for Chandler, but the Hornets will probably balk at the complete lack of talent.  So, the Suns could simply include Taylor Griffin.  That way he might actually be useful.

Second - Sign Josh Heytvelt.  This big man is 6' 10-11" 250 lbs according to DraftExpress.  His assets include a solid jump shot, athleticism, size, and plays tough.  However, he is not terribly strong, so his defense is iffy, and is said to be a pretty poor passer.  And his fundamentals need work.  But how many guys don't have the same issues coming into the draft?  In most mocks, he was projected to go in the top half of the second round, and some saw him as the last pick of the 1st round.  He is talented, and could provide some very valuable frontcourt depth, to go along with some decent upside.

Third- Sign C.J. Watson.  Yes, another Golden State Warrior.  He would be a backup point guard, and is clearly better suited than Dragic, for now.  Plus, he's the best free agent point guard that wouldn't be looking for a starting job.  Playing for the Warriors has its perks, though.  He will be familiar with a fast-paced offense, and can score.  I think a $3 million yearly salary for 2-3 years is reasonable.  He also provides better insurance than anyone else, if Nash (gasp) leaves. 

Fourth - Re-sign Grant Hill.  No commentary should be needed - but I will anyway.  A very capable defender, good passer, rebounder, ball handler, great guy, etc.

So the roster would look like:

C - Chandler/Lopez/Stoudemire/Amundson/Heytvelt

PF - Stoudemire/Amundson/Clark/Heytvelt/Hill/Dudley

SF - Hill/Dudley/Richardson/Clark/Tucker/Griffin

SG - Richardson/Tucker/Barbosa

PG - Nash/Watson/Dragic/Barbosa

That puts the roster a the maximum-15.  So just stick Dragic, Griffin, and, probably Heytvelt in the D-League.  They'll need it.

This roster is mainly geard toward this upcoming season, and gambling for a deep playoff run.  It has a lot of potential, fixing the Suns greatest weakness last year - thanks to Tyson Chandler.

Will probably be released by the Cardinals soon.

Has expressed fondness towards Indianapolis (gloated about the system, but didn't really mention returning)

Quotes:

"That’d be the easiest offense to play for," James said. "Indy’s always a team that makes sense. It’d be like one of those R&B groups when one member leaves and then comes back after a few years, and it’s like he never left."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AnFCeIenbaHILrtHRr0JYaxDubYF?slug=ms-jameswantsout02809&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Also from the article:

However, James said finding an organization committed to winning, and one which features an offense in which he could excel, would be the biggest considerations in his decision.

Without directly saying, I think he would love coming back to Indy.  I doubt money would be a huge issue for him, neither would relationships. And maybe he feels like he owes the Colts for the ring (although his play before was enough).

The one issue is playing time and splitting it with Addai and maybe Hart.  Edge seems professional, though, and a solution shouldn't be too difficult.

If he does express interest, should the Colts do the same?  Can he productive?  At what cost?  Do the Colts have the money?

For me, it's:

Yes they should try to get him back.  Yes, he can be productive, was good in the playoffs and before last year was a 1,000+ yd back.  He probably won't expect more than the $5 million he's walking away from, and probably quite a bit less.  I doubt there'll be too much interest in him, anyway.  He's pretty much like another Fred Taylor, but with more love from the Colts team and fanbase.  Colts do have more important things to spend money on, Hayden, Saturday, maybe a punter, etc., but I think they should be able to make room for this guy.

to start thinking about the draft and the 2009-2010 season?

As a Suns fan, I wish it were.  Gentry would help Shaq, Amar'e and Nash go all the way and win the title.  But chances are, it won't happen.  Even if it does, the team's going to still need to look towards the near future.

Many analysts believe there will come a time soon that the Suns will have to blow the team up.  The 3 key players on the team will all hit free agency come 2010. 

So here's my somewhat radical solution. 

First, I'm against trading Amar'e.  He's immensely talented, and I think will be a guy who you can give the ball to and he'll score. 

Instead of blowing the team and start from scratch, I say scrap off a section, rebuild it, and next year, do the same.  Not clear?  Don't take out the heart of the team, but rebuild the primary bench with young guys from the draft, hopefully setting in place part of the future starting lineup.  The draft seems to be severely overlooked by the Suns, which is stupid seeing how some of the best teams (Spurs) have achieved their great success with drafted players in the late first round.  In other sports, the most efficient teams (Red Sox, Pats, Colts) have achieved their greatness through terrific drafting. 

In my solution, Shaq, Nash, and Stat will stay.  The biggest player to go is Leandro Barbosa. I may be completely overrating his value, but I think that along with a 2nd rounder, he can net a 1st rounder from New York and their 2nd rounder.  Use this 1st pick on Gerald Henderson - a guy who defends and is a fine scorer.

The Suns would use their own pick on Tulsa Center Jerome Jordan, a 7 footer who is also an above-average defender.  Offensively, he shows flashes, but he won't be expected to be a dominant post scorer.  We'll have Amar'e for that.  I realize that this may sound like Fropez, but I think Jordan has far more offensive upside.

Oklahoma was multiple first-round selections this year, and one of them is the Spurs' pick (thank you Kurt Thomas).  I'm sure they'll listen to offers.  We already don't have a 1st rounder in the 2010 draft.  But through trades, I think we have a couple 2nd rounders.  Frankly, I think we should give up on that draft.  We have the Charlotte pick, but I think drafting guys this year will be a lot more useful.  While 2009 draft is perceived as weak on impact talent, it has many seasoned college players who could play in the NBA.  If we take the Charlotte 2010 pick, our 2010 2nd rounder, the 2nd rounder from New York, and the 2009 2nd rounder from Orlando, the Suns could trade for the Spurs 1st rounder and OKC's 2nd rounder.  Why they'd do it - the 2010 draft is said to have better players, so OKC will like that, and they have enough picks this draft, that they'll probably draft some guy and never play him. So the Spurs pick will be used on the athletic Sam Young.  Another guy who plays defense, and is versatile offensively. The 2nd rounder - AJ Price.   A backup PG who's probably closer to NBA-ready than Goran.

Synopsis:

Leandro Barbosa, 2010 2nd rounder, 2009 2nd rounder, 2009 2nd rounder from Orlando, 2010 2nd rounder from Charlotte, and 2009 1st rounder for

Jerome Jordan (2009 1st rounder [20-25]), Sam Young (2009 1st rounder from Thunder from Spurs [25-30]), A.J. Price (2009 2nd rounder from Thunder [31-35]), and Gerald Henderson (2009 1st rounder from Knicks [10-15])

Roster:

C Shaquille O'Neal, C Jerome Jordan, C Robin Lopez, PF Amar'e Stoudemire, F/C Lou Amundson, F Sam Young, F Grant Hill (re-sign), F Jared Dudley, G/F Gerald Henderson, G/F Alando Tucker, G/F Jason Richardson, PG Steve Nash, PG A.J. Price, PG Goran Dragic

Overall losses: Barbosa (trade), Barnes (free agency)

Here's some of the higher profile players recently released.  Position, Name, Former Team, and 2009 salary

RB Deuce McAllister (Saints) - $7 million

Last real good season was 2006.  Injury problems last couple years.

RB Fred Taylor (Jaguars) - $6 million

Most of us know about this guy.  Had his least productive season in recent memory last year, coming off 5 1,000 seasons out of 6 before 2008-2009.

CB Chris McAlister (Ravens) - $8 million

Don't know too much about him, but he's a 3-time pro bowler, 10-year veteran for the Ravens.

In relation to the Colts, are any of these guys realistic targets.  What would their projected salaries be?  With questions about Hayden returning, is McAlister a worthy 2nd option?  And some of us (KingRichard) are not at all convinced Addai can be a productive feature back, instead needing another guy to go with him.  Could McAllister or Taylor be those guys?

I tend to think that these guys will make significantly less money than they would've, but is it low enough for the Colts to consider?

I believe the consensus on this board regarding upcoming free agency is to

Re-Sign Jeff Saturday and Kelvin Hayden

Bring back Edgerrin James if price is right

Avoid all marquee free agents (i.e. Haynesworth, Houshmandzadeh, etc.)

Possibly nab a fullback like Terrelle Smith.

Obviously the Colts are a little tight on cap space with Marvin Harrison's contract a big reason why.

But regarding the 4 potential signings above - James, Smith, Saturday, and Hayden - what kind of contracts to you see them getting?

Anyone to use the Franchise Tag one?  What kind of tag - exclusive, transitional, etc.?

I'm not terribly familiar with football salaries - more a baseball follower and football salaries look really low.  But I'm thinking Franchise Saturday, Hayden at 3 years, $10 million (is that too much?), and James and Smith at 1 and 3 years respectively with annual values around $2 million.

What about these guys: Dom, Ratliff, Giordano, Josh Thomas, Darrell Reid and Tyjuan Hagler?  (brought to my attention by shake and bake)  Which guys are worth bringing back?

I'd go with Reid, Ratliff, and maybe Rhodes as a last resort if the other backs can't be signed.

As a Yankee fan, what would your reaction be if the following trade happened?

Yankees trade Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Austin Jackson, and Joba Chamberlain to the Phillies for Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, and Brad Lidge.

Not going to happen, but want to know. 

Yankees lose their two icons, and two of their best young players.

In return, they get a young MLB-ready CF light-years ahead of our current mix of Gardner/Melky, a lefty, young, ace with the same issues as Joba (injury concerns), but better track record, a closer who doesn't come close to providing the same comfort as Mo, and a SS who is younger, more athletic, and will probably be better than Jeter (NOOOO!!!).

From a baseball standpoint, the Phillies players are better, but what about emotionally?

With 10-day contracts as an option, the Suns have a variety of ways to improve.

Needs:  Pretty much depth at every position but the wings.  However, one thing I think the Suns need is a guy like Brandon Roy or Danny Granger who can take over a game by scoring from everywhere and making key defensive plays.  Amare may seem to be that guy, but I'd prefer the main guy to be someone who can hit from downtown and more versatile defensively.  Obviously, there's no one out there like that, but I'm jus' sayin'.

Actual guys to get:  Courtney Sims, Darius Miles, Jannero Pargo

These guys could fill the last 3 spots on the roster and combine to provide depth at all positions, 1-5.  Sims, a 6'11," 230-pound, 25-year old, in the D-League.  He is easily the best big-man in the D-League.  He's numbers are phenomenal - (per game averages) 22.7 points, 12.5 boards, 2.7 blocks, 58.5% from the field.  I've never seen him personally, so he might just be an Amare-esque defender (big blocks but not much else) - or he could be like Camby.  Not sure.  Either way, he adds frontcourt depth, and we might be able to catch lightning in a bottle with this guy.

Darius Miles is an NBA veteran who hasn't really played a meaningful game for 3-4 years.  That said, he's athletic, with the potential to be a solid player.  On the plus side, we could pick him up off waivers, and even if he sucks, play him twice, and screw over the T-blazers.  Now, they're a good team and haven't really done anything wrong to Phoenix (unlike the Lakers/Spurs), but making another contender worse makes the Suns better. 

Jannero Pargo is over in Russia playing, but has made some notions about coming over for the right amount of money - I doubt it'll be over $3 million for the rest of the year.  Pargo was a fine backup point guard for the Hornets last year, and could do the same for the Suns this year.  He can shoot, handle, and defend.  Unfortunately, I can't seem to find his stats in Russia.

I, like most of you, am a bit disappointed to see the Colts fall short again this year.  There were glaring weaknesses on the team, and it was Peyton Manning's awesomeness (or just being himself) that even got the Colts as far as they were.  Glaring weaknesses are not as bad as they sound.  The "good" thing about them is that they demand attention are more likely to be fixed by the team than more minor weaknesses. 

Obvious weaknesses were both lines (offensive and defensive), which led to a below average running game.  Other concerns will include Marvin Harrison's age and, of course, injuries to key players. 

You can't really do much about the injuries, other than not letting the guys play - which is just a little counter-productive.  But, the other problems have solutions.

Before, I go on, I will say this: I am by no means a football expert, and until recently haven't really paid much attention to the NFL.   Most of my opinions are based on what I read from this blog, fanposts, and other sites.  95% of you guys probably know more than me.  But I digress...

The easiest ways to fix problems is through Free Agency and the Draft.  By my count, this is the order of positions that need the most addressing - Defensive Tackle, Offensive Tackle, Kick/Punt Returner, Linebacker, Wide Receiver, Full Back, Running Back, Defensive Back, and Quarterback. 

The premier Defensive Tackle solutions are Peria Jerry (Miss.) and Albert Haynesworth.  This position was a huge problem, as they Colts stunk at stopping the run.  Jerry and Albert are both among the top players at their levels (college and pro).  According to the two top mock drafts through searching "nfl mock draft 2009" on Google, Peria Jerry will be picked by Colts.  Haynesworth's talent is undeniable, but many have concerns about his motivation and attitude.  I personally don't think this is a huge issue.  Even if he isn't playing for a contract and isn't playing to his full potential, he is still among the best.  In a dream world, these two guys could slot right into both DT positions - and it's not that far-fetched, A.H. will likely could a double-digit annual salary, and the Colts aren't that far off in terms of cap space, and could get there if something is done about Marvin Harrison.

I'm going to skip to Wide Receiver after the Harrison mention.  Obviously, the Colts have to very talented younger WR's in Gonzalez and Wayne.  Harrison, though, while still useful, is in a rapid decline.  I think the Colts would do really well to add another athletic, deep threat.  For free agents, other than the likely-to-be-too-expensive TJH, there's Devery Henderson.  He's a deep threat, no doubt, but I like Percy Harvin a lot.  He's very versatile and could fill in as returner, receiver, and running back (?).  By most mock drafts, he'll be either a late-first round pick, or early-second round.  But I'd rather have the Colts pick P. Jerry with their first pick.  Which is why I propose a trade.  How about the 2nd Round pick and a 2010 mid-late round pick for another first-round pick or early 2nd round pick?  We'll see.  Also, there's Pat White.  He could be had in the middle rounds 4 or 5.  He's definitely got the athleticism, he just needs more polish. 

Offensive Line.  Well, this is a problem.  It was quite good in 2007, but not so much in 2008.  And not much changed - other than injuries to Saturday and Lilja.  The draft doesn't look to be a huge help here, as most of the top talent will be gone before the Colts' first pick - A. Smith, J. Smith, Oher, Monroe, Black, and Britton.  I'm not sure the free agents are that great either, or any that are worth the price.  I might be the only one, but I don't think there should be much change.  With the return of hopefully healthy Saturday and Lilja and development of Ugoh, Pollack, Johnson, etc., the line will be much this/next year. 

The O-line was a huge factor in the shitty running attack.  Addai fell from being one of the best RB's to, well, not.  Rhodes wasn't exactly great either.  If the O-line improves as I think it will, this shouldn't be a problem.  The only thing I propose here is to consider Darren Sproles.  I know, he's Public Enemy #1, but he's oh-so-talented.  I'm not familiar with NFL financial things, so I'm not sure if his salary could fit in.  But he'd be real nice on Special Teams - which was a fairly overlooked problem - and as a 2nd back.  I wouldn't mind the return of Rhodes or Edge, though.  Mike Hart could be a surprise as well.  He was solid before going down to injury, but I'd prefer we had at least 2 RB's ahead of him.

Other than the O-line, a true full back would help the running game.  This is not a position I'm very familiar with, but after reading Playoff Pride's post, I think Terrelle Smith would work.

Defensive backs and Linebackers aren't huge problems, but after seeing injuries to key guys like Sanders, Marlin, and Brackett, I think added depth could be helpful.  No need to get a FA like Jonathan Vilma, but spending a 3rd round pick on a Jason Phillips, and/or latter round picks on Cary Harris and Josh Pinkard (both part of the phenomenal USC defense) would be a good idea.

That leaves QB.  I realize Peyton Manning is a stud and iron man.  He doesn't miss games.  But what if he does, Jim Sorgi?  And at some point he won't be around to save our butts.  We likely won't have a top-5 pick to get someone, so I think developing a young backup QB for half-a-decade would be a solid idea.  Maybe not start this year, but since I'm writing this now, I'll say that the Colts should draft a guy in the 5-7 rounds.  My candidate - John Parker Wilson.  He's by no means phenomenal, but seems like a guy who could learn well under Manning, and develop into a solid starter.

So here's what I've got:

Sign Haynesworth.

Consider Sproles.

Re-Sign Hayden and Saturday, and maybe Rhodes.

Keep Offensive Line of Ugoh, Lilja, Saturday, Pollack, and maybe Johnson.

Sign Terrelle Smith.

Draft:

1. Peria Jerry (Miss)

1b (trade picks somehow). Percy Harvin (Florida)

3 (2nd pick traded for the other 1st rounder). Jason Phillips (TCU)

4. Pat White (WV)

5. Josh Pinkard (USC)

6. John Wilson (Alabama)

7. Cary Harris (USC)

And, in order, to get enough money for signings - re-structure contract of Harrison (I can't picture letting him go). 

I'm more of a baseball fan, so I'm not really well-rehearsed on the NFL salary structure and stuff, so I don't know how many guys the Colts can afford to sign.