SB Nation User Blog: Turambar

Matt Barnes a Sun

Turambar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:26:01 -0000

Ed note: You spend 5 hours in the car and look what happens...I am bumping this up and also editing the post down to a quick quote and link to the EV Trib...-P Stan

I just found this out through our brethren on phxsuns.net. i have to say that I am happy about this signing. About time we land a decent free agent!

here's the news

Suns sign free agent Matt Barnes
Jerry Brown, Tribune

The sixth-year NBA veteran signed for the league’s veteran minimum contract ($1.2 million, about $400,000 of which is paid by league funds) and will immediately step into the rotation as either a starter or bench player on the wing. He will be in Phoenix to take his physical on Monday morning and is expected to finalize his deal afterward.

and here's how you can identify him which is still subtle compared to this....

INTERNET WARNING - THIS MAY NOT ACTUALLY BE MATT BARNES' TATTOOS. Judge at your own risk.

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 07/20/08 11:07 PM PDT ]

I've had all of 30 minutes to think about this but on the surface here's what I think it means:

No Gordan Giricek - that's an easy call
At the league minimum this signing is a real bargain - no question
The question that Barnes does raise is his impact on the rotation. Do he and Hill share primary duties at the 3 and if so does that mean Diaw is going to backup Amare as a 4? Or perhaps this makes Diaw just a little more expendable now.
I still don't see the Suns starting the year with both Diaw and Barbosa on the roster.
After watching Tucker look pretty darn good at the 2 and given his rookie salary my bet is still on Barbosa being moved to reduce the overall salary and clear room for a backup point guard.
Anyone know Kyle Lowry's agent or have the number for the Grizzlies GM?

Summer League Much?

Turambar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:58:43 -0000

ed note: Bumping up to the front page as our unofficial Summer League game thread. -TS

Kinda surprised that no one has a post going for the Suns first summer league game against the Rockets. Of course the Summer League rarely tells us anything at all, in fact I think the Knicks went undefeated last year in Vegas and that didnt do them any good when it mattered.

Overall though I'm curious to see whether or not DJ and Tucker have developed any outside shooting and look forward seeing what Lopez looks like on the floor. Hell we might actually get to see these rooks play this year unlike last, and yes I still consider Tucker and DJ rooks since they hardly had more than a couple min. of playing time for the scant amount of games they were in.

I believe you can watch the game streaming on NBA.com, if not there is always the box score to follow.

Firefox 3 problem

Turambar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:03:57 -0000

I was just wondering if any of you guys have been experiencing login problems with the new Firefox like I have. I'm having to use Safari now to login. Anyhow if any of you guys know what to do please let me know.

Arg need more dang words!!!! BTW. Hurray for the Lakers losing in epic fashion, made last night alot better after a horrific Dback game. Ok almost got all the words needed yay. Go SUNS!!!

And now for something completely different.

Turambar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:40:19 -0000

And now for something completely different.

The Death of an Era

Turambar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:53:14 -0000

Well there will be no fairy tale ending for the Suns this year. The dark clouds of despair have moved in over Suns land and so they shall stay until hope once again blossoms. I very much fear that the Nash era has just died tonight and that a long period of rebuilding has just begun. It weighs heavily on my heart to have just said that but I fear it to be true.

Things shall start to change very soon in AWA. Coach D will probably be fired, and movable pieces like Barbosa, Bell or Diaw may be shipped off for draft picks or...something. We will probably not know vengeance or glory for several years to come and the waiting will see many casual fans leave the ranks of the Suns. Tough times lie ahead for the Suns and their fans. We must pray that the cap space could perhaps land us someone who could finally lead us to the promised land, or that our draft fortunes may change or maybe we'll finally just have things go our way. Either way though I feel that tonight another chapter in the Suns' sad history was brought to a tear filled close. We'll still get our spot in the playoffs like we almost always do, but the hope for something greater is gone for now.

Mark my words though. We will have our time in the sun, we will know glory and we will have our revenge!

LONG LIVE THE SUNS!

Start Diaw? Yes or No

Turambar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:19:12 -0000

Well it seems to me that besides the Suns finally playing like they should, having Diaw start was huge. Not only does that make the starting five bigger, it also adds another fabulous passer as well. And with that in mind, when Diaw wants to, can burn by just about anyone guarding him at the 3 spot. So Boris starting may just have put a whole new wrinkle in the series. Well as long as he plays like Emperor Napoleon (minus the size part) and not General Joffre. That is to say he should play smart and aggressive and not stupid and lazy.

So do you think Diaw should start in the next game (God willing it will be several games)?

Poll

Start?

Perhaps the most powerful thing in the world is hope. After tonight's game every Suns fan needs ...

Turambar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:39:57 -0000

Perhaps the most powerful thing in the world is hope. After tonight's game every Suns fan needs quite a lot of hope. Here's a great song to illustrate that point

Time to rev things up guys!!! Sure it was a tough loss yesterday, but we sure as hell aren't done...

Turambar — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:02:09 -0000

Time to rev things up guys!!! Sure it was a tough loss yesterday, but we sure as hell aren't done yet! Not by a long shot.

Suns n' Photoshop

Turambar — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:05:47 -0000

Well I've been mulling the idea around my head of some photoshop pics of our glorious Suns. Something to the effect of putting Nash's head on Conan the Barbarian, or Band of Brothers as the Suns team and so on. Sure you may be asking yourself while reading this "Meh...what for?" Well my friends it should be done for the soul purpose of being epic.

Poll

Photoshop Idea

Game Day Open Thread: Phoenix Suns vs. LA Lakers

Turambar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:59:41 -0000

Phoenix Suns	vs.	LA Lakers
37-16		36-17
7:00 PM Mountain / 9:00 PM Eastern
TV: FSN AZ HD, ESPN
Probable starters:
Steve Nash	PG	Derek Fisher
Raja Bell	SG	Kobe Bryant
Grant Hill	SF	Vladimir Radmanovic
Amare Stoudemire	PF	Lamar Odom
Shaquille O'Neal	C	Pau Gasol

[Since we already had a good discussion going in this diary, I decided to make it the official game thread, with a tad of editing to bring it up to date and into our usual game thread format. Thanks, Turumbar, for giving us an early start on this! For those who are just coming back to the site after the All-Star break, don't miss our three All-Star break special features here, here, and here. -TexSUN]

The Wait Has Almost Ended

Well fellow fans, in just a few days hours we shall finally begin to catch a glimpse of just how worthwhile the Shaq trade was.

Granted one game won't tell us much. Hell, it probably won't be for another month where we'll get the complete picture of this trade. Regardless though, starting Wednesday today we shall finally get some kind of rough idea of what Shaq shall be like as a Sun.

In truth I am both excited and scared out of my mind. This is the kind of deal that could have a huge impact either way. And I am sure praying that that impact is positive, even if only on a small scale.

I'm still having trouble believing that this trade has even gone down. Let's hope that we can start to praise this deal.

[Update by TexSUN 10:36 MT]: Live blogging tonight? You betcha! Check the comments after tip-off.

Image by Hardwood Paroxysm