The right hand side of BSOTS is usually besotted with rosterbation posts, and with the Suns in their current struggles, this season has been no exception.

Hell, I do it all the time.

But I think there is a HUGE difference between trades to improve the team, and the current "tear down and rebuild through the draft" club.

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I just saw that Leandro is a FA this year . . . and it made me think of how much sense trading for him immediately makes.

He's accustomed to the system, is an offensive threat, can hit the three . . . isn't this exactly what we need? Plus, he is a FA at the end of the year, so he won't mess up our cap space, or could be resigned at a low level (to be back with his buddy Steve).

Plus, I don't know that his stock is that high. Couldn't we get him for Lopez and HAK? Maybe even Lopez and Childress?

Gaahh I'm way to excited about this. I guess that's what rosterbation does to you.

Let me start out by saying this: I DONT WANT NASH TRADED

And if the Suns are anywhere near .500 at the trade deadline, I don't think there's a chance in hell Sarver (who's rightfully enamored with Nash) lets him go.  Nash is more than the face of the team - he's the face of the franchise for it's entire history.  

Sure, some of us are KJ fans, or maybe we're whores for Barkley's 3  seasons in a Suns uniform.  Or, we'll try to be historical, and throw out a name like Walter D or the Hawk.

But Nash is a two-time MVP, seven time all star whose taken the Suns to three WCF and spent the majority of his career in the Purple & Orange. He'll be the only Suns player in the Hall remember for being a Sun. (I guess Hawk too, but I'm a Suns fan and I think of him being a ABA/Playground player).

This is, first and foremost, the reason why Nash can't be traded.  He means everything to Phoenix, and he's a "good" player to every other team.  How can you meet in the middle there?

This can be shown from both sides: other team's fans, who think we're trading him to New York for Ray Felton and Eddy Curry (ahahahahahahahahahah)

This can be shown from our fans, who think he's getting traded to the Heat for Dwayne Wade, or the Thunder for Russel Westbrook.

Thus I propose the following trade, for the following reasons: 1, I honestly think it's the only remotely reasonable trade that has a chance of happening, and thus 2. to discourage further Nash rosterbation.  Without further ado:

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As I was battling insomnia,  reading every Suns/BSOTS article I could find, my weary mind kept hearing the same things:  we need to rebound . . play better defense . . . rebound . .  defense . . . rebound . . . defense.

And it hit my sleep-deprived psyche like a ton of bricks: That's Shawn Marion!

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So I'm watching the Suns-Grizzlies, randomly logging on ESPN, and I see one of the lead stories on the NBA page is . . .

STEVE NASH ON THE MOVE?

So, after a flurry of curse words, I clock on the link (a podcast with Ric Bucher)  and listen intently . . . .

And here's the gist of what I here:

HOST: "So, tell me some suprising names on the trade block, some names people haven't heard of yet"

BUCHER: "Well, Steve Nash for one"

HOST: "Steve NASH?? (My reaction as well)

BUCHER: "Well, sure, Steve Nash. The Suns have lost a couple games, they started out horribly . . . I think I overestimated how good Steve Nash is, and if the Suns are gonna rebuild and get anything out of him, they have to trade him now"

HOST: "I should be asking a question like, when/how did you hear this? Why has no-one ever mentioned this? Isn't this an completely unneccesary hypothetical, since the Suns have never said they were rebuilding?  Should I mention any of this, or should I laugh like a jackass and move on without any journalistic integrity? (I may have done some editorializing there, myself)?

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I read the site constantly, but I only to put up crazy trade ideas.  I'm pretty sure people are sick of crazy trade ideas anyway, so I pose this as a trade and a question: Have the Suns re-committed to a win-now mentality?

I ask only because the Suns were set up, with the Amare exception and a slew of expiring contracts (Like Richardson's) to be a player in the free agent market this summer. They apparently decided to forgo this by bringing in/handing out a bunch of big contracts (Frye, Turkoglu, Childress, etc).  I don't believe we'll be able to make a max offer to a free agent this offseason.

So, if we're trying to give it an honest go for Nash's last few years, we ought to make a run for a PF and damn the consequences.  Here's the trade:

Jason Richardson to the Cavs

Antawn Jamison to the Suns

Sure, in retrospect the Jamison and #4 overall for Amare would have been a good idea.  But Jamison is still a good idea.  

Why the Cavs do it: Word on the 'net is that JJ Hickson is getting the starting job for the Cavs.  Why pay 13 mil for a backup? J-Rich's contract expires one year earlier, plus, they have a huge whole at the SG position.  And while's it's unlikely, Mo Williams-J-Rich-Moon-Hickson-Varejo could grab and 8 seed in the East.  It's not that worse than Augustin-Jackson-Wallace-Diaw-Diop out of Charlotte.

 

Why the Suns do it: Slotting Jamison in at the PF position allows Hedo to slide to his natural SF position, with either Hill or J-Chill slotting in at the SG position.  I think the Suns are better defensively - Jamison and Turkoglu aren't great defenders, but they can hold there own at their position, and you have stoppers at the 2 and 5 position.  Jamison played SF for some of his career so he can definitely finish with Nash on the PnR.  And Jamison, plus a more involved Turkoglu, can make up for J-Rich's offense.

Besides, it's not like the Suns are currently averse to taking on long, high-paying contracts.  Doesn't this make the Suns similar to a Magic team that made the finals. 

Defensive minded, offensively limited center + shooting, finishing PF  + Turkoglu doing his thing + defensive minded SG + PG (obviously nash is better than Nelson).

Are the Suns willing to move J-Rich for a PF to push the team forward? Or is his contract expiring and is the team slowly being handed over to Dragic and Lopez?

I was struggling to get on board with the recent Turkoglu addition (like everyone else, I love Childress) so I went back and tried to watch videos of him on Orlando.  After all, 2 years ago he was the 2nd best player on a finals team.  Never been able to say that about Amare (not entirely his fault,  but still).

Watching the Magic play made me think- are the Suns just essentially a better version of a 2009 Finals team?

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For whatever reason, when I have trouble sleeping, my restless mind always ends up settling on the Suns.  In my sleep-deprived state I come up with trade ideas or visions of the future that, while not eminently likely, give me much joy, and make me dream of future Suns glory.  So forgive my crazy idea, but this is my favorite one I've ever had, and I felt like it deserved to be committed to writing.  Presenting to you: The arrival of Kevin Love in Phoenix

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So Amare's gone, and as of right now, all we have to show for it is the return of Channing Frye and the addition of Hakim Warrick.  Not much to write home about.

The silver lining in this dark cloud of looming mediocrity seems to come in the form of one man: Jason Richardson, and his magical expiring contract. If the Suns can turn this assest into a true star player, the future might become just a little bit clearer and rosier.  But who? Who will be the Suns' salvation?

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So, Miami tried to tried for STAT before, the Suns have a history of dealing with them . . . . blah blah blah.

I can't predict what's going to happen.  I just know what I want to happen.  If the Suns trade Amare, I am hoping for three things:

1. A trade to the Eastern Conference.  The West is stacked enough already.

2. A legit prospect.  I swear, if all we get for Amare is role-player prospect like Yi or Ty Thomas I will light my Nash jersey on fire.  And Nash might do it as well.

3. Some visible cap relief. Not a buyout, and NOT somebody like Corey Maggette.  

The following deal with Miami accomplishes all three

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I know that I only ever post about trades. It's a sickness.  However, as fun as this year has been, it leaves me worried about the future.  ESPN consistently puts the Suns in the bottom five in there "future power rankings" http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=FuturePowerRankings-6-091215

So yes, I'm proposing a trade.  I did my homework, and I just want to see what everyone else thinks.  It's at least as interesting as a Grizzlies game.

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Even after the Knicks and Cavs games, we all agree the Suns have had an impressive start to the season.  Even if the team begins to slow down in a tough December, the early success has provided a nice safety net, providing the Suns an ability to stay in the Western Conference playoff picture until the spring, where an early home schedule should give them a chance to explode.  I am, at heart, an optimist.  But despite all this, is still feels a bit like the Suns are playing with fire.  To me, the Suns impressive records boils down to three factors:

1. Steve Nash's brilliance.  Sustainable? I don't see why not.

2.  Hard work and effort on the glass and defensive side of the ball preventing total meltdown.  Sustainable? I doubt it.  It's great to see hustle again, but this is the NBA, not JV Basketball.  Hustle will only get you so far, and as recently shown, our defense isn't even that close to passable.

3.  The wings holding down the fort.  Sustainable? I doubt this as well.  The wing position, for the past 5 or so years, has been a strong point for the Suns.  I think J-Rich can keep up his semi-impressive work, but I have to believe that Dudley (having never done this before) and Hill (37) will slow down, and I don't think Alando is the answer.

If the Suns want to be anything more than the 5th - 8th seed in the west, the need to make a trade.  As soon as possible

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Apparently Odom's return to the Lake's isn't moving very smoothly.   Apparently the Suns covet Odom, having tried to land him multiple times over the past couple years.  I'm not saying this is going to happen - with us cutting Wallace instead of trading him for Chandler, we do seem to be in 2010 mode.  It just seems a weird strategy to me, if we gave Hill and Frye money for 2010, as well as extending Nash, and with J-Rich and Barbosa getting paid in 2010 - the most we might have is Amare's expiring contract, which would mean we are letting him walk.  Just weird all around.  Instead, I suggest we try the following Sign-and-Trade:

Odom at $9 a year to the Suns

Earl Clark, Alando Tucker, and Pavlovic to the Lakers.

This works at the cap level because of the $2 million trade exception we have with the Shaq trade.  We end up not saving any money overall - I think we go right back to where we were pre-Shaq trade, but gives us the following lineup:

Nash-Dragic

Richardson-Barbosa

Hill-Dudley

Odom-Frye

Stoudemire-Lopez

That team is 10 deep! Well, nine, not counting Dragic.  But I think this team would be the best since 2004 - J-Rich can pull off JJ's offense, Barbosa is still on the bench, goodness knows Hill is better than Q, and can defend, Odom puts up way better offensive numbers than marion, and rebounds just as well, and doesn't clog the paint for Amare.  We've also got two legit backup big men, not even counting Lou.

Who, in the west, could stop this team besides the Lakers? Hill is at least = Jefferson, and Duncan can't keep up with Amare and Odom.  The Mavs would get absolutely shredded in the front court, as would the Blazers.  The Rockets, Jazz are falling apart.  Isn't it worth trying?

I'm not talking about the Suns part.  It seems like this franchise has always embodied the Phoenix more than some burning ball of gas; and what's most depressing about this offseason is that it is so a-typical of this franchise.  Let me explain:

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According to ESPN, Trevor Ariza is now set on leaving the Lakers due to apparent bad blood, and is willing to accept the mid-level amount.

I think the Suns should move on this, and fast.  Here's why:

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If the Warriors send us Curry, Bellinelli, Wright and Biedrins, then I might reconsider.  Anything less, and I cannot accept this as a sound basketball decision. This is for four reasons:

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First, I want to say to almost everyone - Lighten Up! This is not the end of the world - even as a young suns fan, I've endured Majerle for Hot Rod Williams, Barkely for Cassel and Horry, Kidd for Marbury, and much more.  Shaq is not Majerle. Shaq is not Barkley, and Shaq is not Kidd.  I like Shaq as a player and a personality, wish it could have worked for him here, wish him well in Clevelend, and this this trade was for the better.  He didn't have a future here.  So let's all put our balls back on, calm down, and look at the Bright Side.  This team is the PHOENIX suns for a reason. With that said, I do think the Suns are blowing everything up, and I had some ideas.

I just wanted to get these down- I honestly think all of the following trades have a 50% chance of happening, and I want credit, damnit.  No, I don't have any sources, just too much time with the Trade Machine and an over-active imagination.

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The day before the draft, (as I see it, our last chance for major overhaul) I figured I would roll out my huge, crazy, insane rebuilding project, and pray that Kerr reads it. Be warned, the only players I plan on keeping are Barbosa, Dudley and Lopez

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According to ESPN.com Insider (which, by the way is expensive, tempermental, and disappointing - save your money), the Hawks are trying to move Josh Smith.  Since the Suns have had a supremely talented, athletic and moody forward before, I figured . . . why not give it a try

Poll

Are you interested in seeing Josh Smith become a Phoenix Sun?

14%

No way. He's an over-paid head case.

48 votes

79%

Yes! I like trading JRich to get him

263 votes

6%

Yes! I like trading Amare to get him

21 votes

332 votes | Poll has closed

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Alright, this post is partially in jest to all the other crazy trade rumours (I'm looking at you, Rondo/Allen trade).  But the more I think about it, the more I like it. 

To Chicago: Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire,

To Phoenix: Derrick Rose, Loul Deng, Ty Thomas, Tim Thomas

Why Chicago does it: I firmly believe this trade makes Chicago contenders, if not favorites.  This trade gives Chicago the cap room to resign Gordon, making their lineup:

Nash

Hinrich/Gordon

Salmons

Amare

Miller/Noah

No way that team doesn't contend in the East.

 

Why Phoenix does it: Want to blow it up? Want to rebuild? This is your wish.  Rose is the next great point guard - Nash is replaced. I believe in Deng's talent, and most of the Suns fans would deal Amare for Salmons, Thomas and Thomas anyway. Deng is younger, quicker, and more talented than Salmons, it's known the Bulls want to deal him, and we still get the next PF. Lineup of the future:

Rose/Dragic

Barbosa/Johnson?

Richardson/Clark

Thomas/Blair?

Lopez

Better than rebuilding with Antawn "Creaky Hips" Jamison, people.

Yes, it's a huge deal, but huge deals have been done before.  I think the Bulls will be looking to capitalize on their glut of talent know that John (I'm terrified of dealing for a superstar) Paxson is gone.

If the Western Conference finals ends up Houston vs. Denver.  Even with Amare out, I 100% firmly believe the Suns can beat either of those teams in 7 game series. We took the nuggets in the regular season, and Lord knows we can take the Rockets with Yao out.  This is killing me.

Let's say we take the Mav's place - we glide by a depleted, decrepit San Antonio Team, Shaq abuses K-Mart down low, Nash matches Billups shot for shot, we take the Nuggets just like we did in the regular season, then put Shaq up against Carl FREAKING Landry? Say what you will about Shaq, but he's not disappearing Like Pau or Bynum.  He take Landry to task, and we all know it. 

I do think this bodes well for our future. If San Antonio is really this old, and LA is reallly struggling this much . . . I'm fine bringing back our same exact team. But I can't help thinking we could have done something this year.

If you'll excuse me, I'm off to find some kerosene . . .

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 05/15/09 1:37 PM MST ]

I have been thinking along these same lines regarding the Lakers and how less then great they are looking and what that means for the Suns.

I would also point out that the Lakers will be losing Odom and Ariza to free agency. Both are unrestricted and with Bynum's big extension kicking in next season they are already at about $76m without Tervor and Lamar. I suppose it is possible they will find a way to keep one or both but it is also quite likely that next year's Lakers will be with out those key pieces.

Are the Suns a contender if they come back in tact? Probably not, but they are by no means a lottery team again either.

 

Plus, it's not like there's a whole lot of Suns-related news right now, and no offense PhoenixStan, but I'm not big on the WNBA.

I saw a post from a TrueHoop network blog about the 76ers trading Iggy for Gordon, and it got me thinking.  If Iggy and Dalembert want out of Philly, what about coming to phoenix? Stick with me here.

From my humble calculations, the Sixers will be around 4 to 4.5 million dollars under the cap this year.  The Suns want to move J-Rich and Shaq for talent and cap space, with Philly in a similar situation. Here's the trade

To Phoenix: Igoudala, Dalembert, Reggie Evans and Jason Smith and the #17 pick

To Philly: Richardson, O'Neal and the #14 pick

Here's why it works, cap-space wise:

Phoenix:  The Suns are shredding around 5 millions from their payroll (which is, of course, around ten million because of the luxury tax). Dalembert's contract expires the same year as Richardson's if he doesn't work out, and the only "bad" contract is reggie evans, who is at about 4.6 for the next three years.

Philly: The Sixers shed their salary-cap albotross in Dalembert, and get monster cap space for the summer of LeBron.

Here's why it works, talent wise:

Phoenix: Igoudala replaces the energy, hustle and DEFENSE lost by Marion.  If we're playing fast paced, a Nash-Barbosa-Iggy-Stoudemire-Dalembert lineup would, in my humble opinion, bring back the glory days- in Iggy we would finally have our stopper.  Dalmbert, in a bad year, averaged the same blocks and rebounds as Shaq did, would fit better next to Amare, and I bet would have a better chance of repeating those numbers that Shaq will.  You can also go Nash-Iggy-Hill-Stoudemire-Dalmbert for a suprisingly decent defensive team, that can still score, because unlike Bell or Marion, Iggy can create his own shot.  Evans becomes the back-up big man that we need. Teague or Holliday should be available at 17 for us to draft.

Philly: It seems to be a fore-gone conclusion that Dalembert is on his way out, and Iggy wants to be.  J-Rich can put up all the numbers Iggy can offensively, and most importantly he lets them play Thad Young at the 3, whom they seem to be enamored with.  A Williams-Richardson-Young-Brand/Speights-O'Neal lineup would be just as good as last year, would give them a chance to build around Lou, Young and Speights, and would give them that precious cap space.

Obviously, I am enamored with this trade. So sue me. I may harbor a man-crush on Iggy, but it still seems like a good trade.

ESPN is talking about a trade I've been privately pushing for for months now

I like it better if it's Daniels and Wright.

I LOVE this trade.  Chandler is the perfect Center to play next to Amare, as long as the rumor that they hate each other isn't true). He's not an offensive force, so he won't clog up the paint for Amare on offense, but his excellent rebounding and weak-side defense should cover Amare up on defense. This still obviously necessitates a J-Rich trade to clear up cap space else where. But I think a Barbosa-Amare-Chandler core is one you can build around.

As for his health - I'll just say I have faith in our medical staff. If we can rejuvanate a 36 year old center, I hope we can do the same for a 27 year old.

I admit that I am irrevocably addicted to the ESPN Trade Machine, but since the season is over, I figured it's not to soon to think ahead.

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=cw6uvq 

In case the link doesn't work, the suns trade O'Neal and Dudley to the mavs for Howard and Stackhouse.  I know the Mavs have been trying to move them both; this also helps give them cap flexibility. Dudley has been good for us, so he can pick up some of Howard's slack in Dallas.  We can (if we want) buyout Stack for $2 million apparently, and getting Howard (in some small way) erases the mistake of the Marion-O'Neal trade

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=dkxa6o 

This trade has J-Rich going to the Clips for Marcus Camby.  LA almost moved Camby at the deadline for Wally World; I know that would have been more of a cost-cutting move, but the thought of re-uniting J-Rich with Davis has to be intruiging. A Clips lineup of Davis, Gordon, J-Rich, Z-Bo and Kaman should make a run at the playoffs. As long as they fire their coach.

Camby, I think, is the perfect center to play next to Amare; he doesn't hog the paint on offense like Shaq, can rebound like a beast, and as the best weak-side and help defender in the league, can help cover Amare's weaknesses to some extent.

I know it's not a major salary reducion, but  the equivelent of J-Rich's contract will come up at the end of the season now (instead of in 5 years), wiping something like $45 million off the cap at the end of the season (assuming Amare doesn't opt out).

In the past couple months, Shaq has been smoothing over the tensions with Kobe, Phil, and all the Lakers, paving the way for his return.  Why not grant him his secret request?

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=1765~614~3002~549~617&teams=13~13~21~21~21&te=&cash=

 

Their recent game again the Celtics was a fluke - they can't beat the Celtics in a series without Bynum.  This way they get their big body, plus someone who has shown he can defer to the younger guy when he gets back (like Shaq attempted to last season). Barnes fills the same role as Odom for them.

Odom can easily start at the PF here, and we can return, in a small way, to our up-tempo ways.  I know Kerr says he wants to play defense, but we're worse even at defense than last year, and I remember hearing he tried to trade marion for odom at the beginning of last year anyway.

The coup de grace is Farmer, a legit backup PG for Nash.  Maybe it looks like the Lakers are giving up a lot, but the chance to get Shaq back would be huge for them.  PLus, we can throw in that Bobcats pick we got from the J-Rich trade if we need to.

I know everyone is sacred of the Shaq trade after the past few games, but has anyone looked at the long term picture?

1. In three years, Shaq, Nash and Bell's contracts will all come up, resulting in about 38 million off the cap
   
2.  Diaw will be in the last year of his contract, making him very good trade-bait
   
3.  The same summer, LeBron James,  Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all become free agents
   

Are you telling me we couldn't lure one of those three out west?  Phoenix has always been a free-agent draw, and they'll also be able to team up with Amare and Barbosa.  Even if the Shaq trade works out horribly, we are still in a position for a relatively quick rebound.