Suns News

Griffin eager for chance with Suns
Comment
July 3
Arizona Republic
 
"Taylor Griffin was in the green room of Madison Square Garden's theater on draft night just like the top picks. But when Phoenix drafted him four hours into it, he had left to eat with family, including the top pick, brother Blake, who brought him there. "I never got my draft hat," he said. Griffin got his Suns gear this week, donning practice duds for workouts at US Airways Center. He's getting acclimated to the team he could make - even as a second-round pick with no guarantees. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound Oklahoma forward could be the 13th man on the Suns roster. With the chances of Amaré Stoudemire remaining a Sun increasing, Phoenix would have 10 guaranteed contracts once first-round ..."
Suns have to trade Stoudemire
Comment
July 2
East Valley Tribune
 columnist Scott Bordow
"To know Amaré Stoudemire is to understand that what comes out of his mouth shouldn't be taken seriously. The man is a walking, talking contradiction. Stoudemire is done; so are Suns He all but campaigned for the firing of coach Mike D'Antoni, then, feeling handcuffed by Terry Porter, longed for the offensive freedom D'Antoni gave him. He was ecstatic when the Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal, saying the move would allow him to play power forward, his natural position. A few months later, he was complaining that there wasn't enough room in the lane for him to operate. And, of course, there are his constant proclamations about wanting to be "the guy" yet never wanting to be held accountable. ..."
Suns pursuing McDyess, other bigs
Comment
July 2
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns General Manager Steve Kerr spent a few hours at Grant Hill's Orlando house Wednesday to begin re-recruiting him, and team personnel put in calls to free-agent big men Antonio McDyess, Channing Frye, Sean May, Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox. Nobody can attest to the interest or the sales pitch better than McDyess or Hill. Beyond using some of the mid-level exception for Hill, the Suns will bank on their system, city, point guard Steve Nash and winning history to lure others with minimum contracts and maybe the biennial exception. Hill is receiving interest from several teams, including Boston, Denver and New York, because he rejuvenated his career in Phoenix. The Denver Post reported he ..."
Suns have to trade Stoudemire
Comment
July 1
East Valley Tribune
 columnist Scott Bordow
"To know Amaré Stoudemire is to understand that what comes out of his mouth shouldn't be taken seriously. The man is a walking, talking contradiction. Stoudemire is done; so are Suns He all but campaigned for the firing of coach Mike D'Antoni, then, feeling handcuffed by Terry Porter, longed for the offensive freedom D'Antoni gave him. He was ecstatic when the Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal, saying the move would allow him to play power forward, his natural position. A few months later, he was complaining that there wasn't enough room in the lane for him to operate. And, of course, there are his constant proclamations about wanting to be "the guy" yet never wanting to be held accountable. ..."
Suns, 2 words on Amaré: Be careful
Comment
July 1
Arizona Republic
 
"The NBA rumor mill is so out of control that this message came across Twitter on Tuesday: Breaking News! Amar'e Stoudemire to the Lakers!! He might take less money to win a championship. The sender? Amaré Stoudemire. Even the Suns forward is having fun with a big decision that the franchise has been mulling. Do you trade him, gain financial freedom but likely lose fans and games while in an unpopular rebuilding mode? Or do you continue to build around your go-to guy but risk being locked into a no-leverage future? When a team is willing to deal its centerpiece, "it's generally not for talent purposes but for financial reasons or personality conflicts," Orlando Magic Senior Vice President ..."
Kerr to meet with Hill face-to-face
Comment
July 1
Arizona Republic
 
"There are plenty of ways to contact Grant Hill. He has a landline, a cellphone and video calling. But as he did June 18 with Steve Nash, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr is choosing to have a face-to-face talk at Hill's Orlando home on Wednesday. If words do not suffice, Hill will have the feel of a handshake and the look on Kerr's face to know he is the Suns' free-agency priority. "Grant is our biggest priority and that's why I'll be in Orlando," Kerr said. "He's an important part of our team and we'll make sure he knows that." With free-agency contact starting Tuesday night with some calls, the Suns plan to reach out to five or six free agents. They are targeting veteran big men, ..."
Suns have to trade Stoudemire
Comment
June 30
East Valley Tribune
 columnist Scott Bordow
"To know Amar'e Stoudemire is to understand that what comes out of his mouth shouldn't be taken seriously. The man is a walking, talking contradiction. He all but campaigned for the firing of Mike D'Antoni, then, feeling handcuffed by Terry Porter, longed for the offensive freedom D'Antoni gave him. He was ecstatic when the Suns traded for Shaquille O'Neal, saying the move would allow him to play power forward, his natural position. A few months later, he was complaining that there wasn't enough room in the lane for him to operate. And, of course, there are his constant proclamations about wanting to be "the guy" yet never wanting to be held accountable. Remember this quote from last ..."
Stoudemire trade has too many pitfalls
Comment
June 30
Contra Costa Times
 columnist Monte Poole
"IT'S A DEAL THE Warriors would regret, despite the star power they would receive, yet it clings to life even after Don Nelson's clever and highly visible attempt to blow it up. To read Nelson's lips, though, is to realize he did not snuff out the integrity of reports stating he wanted to acquire Amare Stoudemire. Nor did the coach say anything about the Warriors ending their pursuit of Phoenix's power forward. Nelson merely said Stephen Curry is not going anywhere. So there is plenty of space for another deal, like the reported swap in which the Warriors send Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli to the Suns for Stoudemire. One of the league's true specimens, Stoudemire is a ..."
Hill's No. 1 on Suns' free-agent list
Comment
June 30
Arizona Republic
 
"As the free-agency contact period opens Tuesday, the Suns will not have the spending capability that Detroit wields or the lure of a title contender that attracts more talent with less money. What the Suns have is their top target, Grant Hill, putting them atop his list, and the hope that they can land a veteran big man such as Antonio McDyess or Joe Smith. Free agency begins at midnight in the East, opening the gates for contact at 9 p.m. Phoenix time. Hill, a Suns forward the past two years, can expect a visit to his Orlando home Wednesday from Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. Hill will have as many questions about the Suns' direction as Kerr does about Hill's intentions. "I look ..."
Stoudemire waiting for decision
Comment
June 29
Arizona Republic
 
"Amaré Stoudemire's camp has not heard from any other NBA team about the possibility of acquiring him or any interest in securing his future with a contract extension. Stoudemire's agent, Charles Grantham, said he would like to hear a commitment from one team in particular - the Suns. "Either he's in or out," Grantham said Sunday while in Phoenix. "You're going to have to really make a commitment to him that he's part of your program going forward and that you're going to work around him. Those decisions seemingly are still up in the air. They are going to have to be made at some point. You'll have to talk about either committing to him or trading him. "Those discussions haven't happened ..."
Clarifying the Suns-Warriors situation
Comment
June 27
Arizona Republic
 
"When Minnesota picked Jonny Flynn with the sixth pick Thursday night, the Suns basketball operations office erupted in elation audible from a floor below. They had their guy ... or at least they thought they did and still believe they do. The Suns had an agreement in principle with Golden State about a deal that would send Amaré Stoudemire to the Warriors for Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli and the No. 7 pick. It was the Suns' understanding that the Warriors were drafting Curry for them. But with Biedrins' base-year compensation status, a deal can't be completed immediately because his cap number is lower than his actual $9 million salary until July. The Suns were ..."
Suns get 'tremendous athleticism' in Griffin pick
Comment
June 27
Arizona Republic
 
"We didn't share much about the Suns' second-round pick, Oklahoma forward Taylor Griffin, who Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin (no relation) said measured at 6 feet 8 inches and 235 pounds at the Portsmouth Invitational. The Suns have an affinity for the less-heralded brother in drafts after taking Robin Lopez last year. "He's got tremendous athleticism," Griffin the executive said. "He's extremely aggressive, both offensively and defensively. Somewhat in the mold of a Lou Amundson, he's going to guard multiple positions. We feel he's a high-end offensive rebounder."
Suns hope Clark is a perfect fit
Comment
June 27
Arizona Republic
 
"Earl Clark opted to be with family in New Jersey on Thursday night rather than across the river under the NBA draft's New York stage lights. That meant putting on a new suit for the first time Friday after he came to Phoenix to be introduced as the Suns' first-round draft choice. The pants made him look ready for a monsoon flood. The shirt made reading his watch no problem. He borrowed Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin's belt. The only thing tailor-fit about his appearance was the Suns jersey he held up. With size (6 feet 10), athleticism and multifaceted skills that often make up top-10 picks, Clark has been enigmatic for scouts because they can't settle ..."
In blockbuster deal, Shaquille O'Neal shipped to Cleveland Cavaliers
Comment
June 26
Palm Beach Post
 
"Call him The Big Pirogi. Label the season "The King and I." Shaquille O'Neal is now in Cleveland, where he'll combine with superstar forward LeBron "King" James to give the town formerly known as "The Mistake by the Lake" the most high-profile 1-2 punch in the NBA. Cleveland General Manager Danny Ferry hopes the LeBron-Shaq pairing wins the city its first championship in any sport since 1964. "Our goals are aligned with what our players want, including LeBron, and that's to win a championship and win it next year," Ferry said of Thursday's trade that sent O'Neal to the Cleveland from Phoenix in exchange for a package that included center Ben Wallace and guard Sasha Pavlovic. "I was elated ..."
Picking Curry may help Warriors deal with Suns
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June 26
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"It's hard to know just how invested Warriors fans should be in first-round choice Stephen Curry. After all, he may not be here all that long. Then again, he, Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson and Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire may form the nucleus of a dramatically different Warriors team. Not necessarily better, mind you - the franchise history demands low expectations and dismal forecasts - but different. The Stoudemire trade has been rumored for awhile now, with changing components that swirl around Andris Biedrins, but also include some combination of the draft choice, Marco Belinelli, Kelenna Azubuike and Brandan Wright. That rumor has only grown in intensity since the Curry selection. ..."
Suns snag versatile Clark at No. 14
Comment
June 26
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns entertained options for trading their 14th pick for most of the draft day but said there was one case that would prevent them getting out of the position. It happened. Louisville forward Earl Clark lasted until the Suns' choice came up and the Suns stayed put to tab him and intend to keep the versatile playmaker with good defense. "In this league these days, if you can't guard the hybrid 4s - the Dirk Nowitzkis of the world, not that anyone can really guard Dirk -- but you've got have people that at least have the size and ability to stay with Dirk," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. "That was probably the most appealing thing about Earl for us. He moves his feet well and ..."
Kerr explains Suns' decision to trade Shaq
Comment
June 26
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns acquired Shaquille O'Neal nearly 17 months ago in order to win a championship. One playoff win later, they weren't close and that was why they decided to trade O'Neal in the name of finances to rebuild a championship plan, Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said Thursday. O'Neal, 37, was sent to the Cavaliers for $10 million of savings in a trade for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a conditional 2010 second-round pick and $500,000. The deal was approved Thursday with a tweak to the second-round pick that Phoenix should receive next year. Pavlovic will be cut for $6.9 million in savings while the deal itself is worth $3.1 million in luxury tax and payroll savings. Wallace, considering ..."
A new look in the works for Suns
Comment
June 26
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns hit their target when their 14th pick came up in Thursday's draft and could have landed another target before that pick even came up. With its first-round pick, Phoenix selected 6-foot-10 Louisville forward Earl Clark, but the bigger news was that sources said the Suns expect to complete a trade with Golden State that would send Amaré Stoudemire to the Warriors next week for Davidson point guard and No. 7 pick Stephen Curry, center Andris Biedrins, power forward Brandan Wright and shooting guard Marco Belinelli. If Curry is not included, the deal will not be made. A trade cannot be completed until Wednesday because Biedrins, a 23-year-old Latvian 7-footer, is a base-year ..."
Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James convinced Shaquille O'Neal is a good fit
Comment
June 26
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shaquille O'Neal became real ity for the Cavaliers on Thursday, but the team has been considering the possibility for months. How the future Hall of Fame center would fit into the team's offense, defense and locker room chemistry have been the subject of many meetings and private conversations. LeBron James and several other players weighed in. Team owner and check writer Dan Gilbert weighed in. There were film sessions, reams of statistical analysis and even a dossier of background research. So yes, there was plenty of sizzle. "Shaq is an incredible ballplayer and a four-time NBA champion," James said Thursday. "I have a lot of respect for him and his game. It will be a real honor to ..."
Big deals are the big deal in NBA
Comment
June 26
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Mark Heisler
"The ground trembled beneath the NBA once more as Shaquille O'Neal was traded . . . .. as it always does when Shaq joins another team, and this makes five. Now 37 and a shadow of the Diesel who left the Lakers at 32, O'Neal still reconfigures the league whenever he moves. Of course, Thursday may be remembered in the NBA as the Feast of the Configuration, with Vince Carter going to Orlando in another deal, amid reports Phoenix has agreed to a deal sending Amare Stoudemire to Golden State. Oh, the NBA also held its draft, which was important for a lot of teams who haven't been heard from in years. (For the rest of our draft analysis, please see the bottom of this story.) We'd better take a ..."
Curry pick part of likely Amare deal
Comment
June 25
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns likely landed their man in Thursday night's draft before their pick ever came up. Golden State's selection of Davidson point guard Stephen Curry at No. 7 was likely made for the Suns as part of an Amaré Stoudemire trade that can't be completed until Wednesday. That is because Phoenix would be acquiring Warriors center Andris Biedrins, a base-year compensation player, as part of a Stoudemire deal that would include more Warriors players, possibly power forward Brandan Wright and/or shooting guard Marco Belinelli. The Suns were hoping they could land Curry or Arizona power forward Jordan Hill with the Warriors' seventh pick but had their choice after Minnesota took neither with its ..."
T-Mac, no; Chandler, maybe
Comment
June 25
Arizona Republic
 
"A direct Suns source has shot down the report that the Suns are talking about trading Amare Stoudemire for Tracy McGrady in a package including other players. Such a discussion has never taken place, according to the Suns this morning. There's the same full-fledged denial out of Houston. As for speculation about Ben Wallace being moved on to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler, it's a possibility. Chandler has long been of interest as an ideal basketball fit for the Suns that would make them a really good team immediately. Chandler also has a big in-house fan in Suns assistant coach Bill Cartwright, who was Chandler's first head coach in Chicago. Chandler would be the ideal center in a Suns ..."
NBA approves trade making Shaquille O'Neal a Cleveland Cavalier
Comment
June 25
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"The Cavaliers have completed their trade for Shaquille O'Neal, having gotten the league office to approve it this morning. But it did require a tweak that impacts tonight's NBA Draft. On a technicality, the Cavs could not send the Phoenix Suns their second-round pick, the 46th overall, in addition to Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace plus cash to complete the trade. So the Cavs will now keep that pick and instead send the Suns next season's second-round pick. That selection, though, is protected if it is in the top 40 picks. If it is, the Suns will get the Cavs second round pick in 2011."
Suns and Warriors in talks about Amare, #7 pick in draft
Comment
June 25
Yahoo! Sports
 
"League executives say the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors have discussed a possible trade that is centered around sending Amare Stoudemire to the Warriors for a package that would include Andris Biedrins and the No. 7 pick in the draft."
Amare Stoudemire-Tracy McGrady swap being discussed?
Comment
June 25
New York Post
 
"According to the same source that disclosed Terry Porter was about to be fired as Suns coach, the Rockets are leaning toward swapping Tracy McGrady's expiring $22M contract, Carl Landry and Aaron Brooks for Leandro Barbosa and Stoudemire, who owns an escape clause after next season and is demanding an extension this summer to waive it."
Shaq traded to Cavs on eve of draft
Comment
June 25
Arizona Republic
 
"Like many of the Suns' recent NBA draft days, this one will be more about who the Suns are sending away with Phoenix agreeing Wednesday night to a trade that will ship center Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In exchange for the 37-year-old, 15-time All-Star, the Suns will get about $10 million in savings by acquiring Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic and then releasing Pavlovic, who has only $1.5 million of his $4.95 million salary guaranteed. Phoenix also gets the 46th pick in Thursday night's draft and $500,000. A buyout of Wallace's contract is also possible after injuries reduced his effectiveness and caused him to ponder retirement. He is due to make $14 million this season ..."
Shaq to Cavaliers
Comment
June 25
Washington Post
 columnist Michael Lee
"Oh snap. The Arizona Republic, ESPN.com and the Cleveland Plain Dealer are reporting that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns have agreed to a deal that would send Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland and pair him with league's most valuable player LeBron James, which makes the Eastern Conference very, very intriguing. It also adds a lot of spice to the Cavaliers-Wizards rivalry (you ready, Brendan?), injects more excitement to the battles between Cleveland and the Magic (mostly because of Shaq's riffs on Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy), and attaches an interesting sidebar to the LeBron-Dwyane Wade matchups. Should the Lakers and Cavaliers make it to the NBA Finals, you already know that a ..."
The Cavs have Shaq; so what is the impact?
Comment
June 25
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"From a blockbuster perspective, getting Shaquille O'Neal is the biggest trade in Cavs history. There's a lot to discuss there. But what does this mean for the Cavs, the remaining players on the roster and the rest of their offseason plans? Let's discuss. • Shaq will now be the Cavs starting center, which means for the first time in a decade Zydrunas Ilgauskas will move out of that role and come off the bench. This will not come as a shock, the Cavs discussed this move with both Z and LeBron months ago and likely spoke to them about it in the last week. • The Cavs still want to re-sign Anderson Varejao. Not only do they still need a young big man but Andy is a perfect foil for teams that ..."
Cavs reportedly reach deal for Shaquille O'Neal
Comment
June 25
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shaquille O'Neal is going to be a Cavalier. According to multiple team executives, the Cavs have agreed in principle to a trade with the Phoenix Suns to bring the four-time champion and future Hall of Famer to Cleveland. The team is hoping he is the biggest missing piece alongside LeBron James in a quest to win their first NBA Championship. The Cavs will send the Suns veterans Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic in a deal plus the 46th overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. It is a trade that has mostly financial incentives for the Suns as they stand to save around $9 million in salary and luxury taxes while the Cavs take on the final year of O'Neal's contract at $20 million. The Suns could ..."
Are you ready for LeShaq?
Comment
June 25
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Shaquille O'Neal is going to be a Cavalier. According to multiple team executives, the Cavs have agreed in principle to a trade with the Phoenix Suns to bring the four-time champion and future Hall of Famer to Cleveland. The team is hoping he is the biggest missing piece alongside LeBron James in a quest to win its first NBA championship. The Cavs will send the Suns veterans Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic plus the 46th overall pick in today's NBA Draft. It is a trade that has mostly financial incentives for the Suns as they stand to save around $9 million in salary and luxury taxes while the Cavs take on the final year of O'Neal's contract at $20 million. The Suns could save even more if ..."
Shaquille O'Neal steals the NBA draft's thunder
Comment
June 25
Los Angeles Times
 
"Remember the NBA draft of 2009 . . . as in "What draft?" On the eve of the event, the ground trembled under the NBA amid reports from myriad sources that the Phoenix Suns are close to a deal with the Cavaliers, sending Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland. the deal is done today, it will be remembered as the day the Clippers got Blake Griffin (that's nice) and the Cavaliers got Shaquille O'Neal (HOLY MT. OLYMPUS, SHAQ AND LEBRON JAMES TOGETHER!). The deal being discussed is similar to the one they discussed at midseason, with the Cavaliers getting a center, and the Suns getting cap relief. The package the Suns would take back, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, is almost comical: Ben ..."
Cavs closer to getting Shaq?
Comment
June 24
Yahoo! Sports
 
"Phoenix center Shaquille O'Neal is creeping closer to joining the championship chase with LeBron James, league sources said on Wednesday. The Shaq-to-Cleveland trade talks have gained momentum and Cavaliers officials are nearing the conclusion they should make the move for O'Neal, sources said. Now, they have to find the package that'll work with Phoenix. One league executive says there's an "inevitability" to the talks and that, "It's going to get done." Nevertheless, there are still hurdles. Besides taking Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, Phoenix wants Cleveland to surrender cash and future draft picks. Both teams have tried to find a third team to get involved, but with no luck yet. ..."
Trade chatter: Buzz on Shaq, Cavs
Comment
June 24
ESPN.com
 columnist Marc Stein
"Three reasons we've experienced a hush -- temporary hush, that is -- of Shaquille O'Neal-to-Cleveland talk: 1. The Suns and Cavs, sources say, were trying hard last week to recruit a third team to help facilitate the deal, presumably to help furnish Phoenix with more than just the financial relief that would come with the acquisitions of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. No willing third team offering up a serviceable big man whom Phoenix likes has been located. Yet. 2. The Cavs recognize that Big Ben's potential willingness to be bought out of his $14 million ending salary and the expiration of Pavlovic's $4.9 million salary (with only $1.5 million guaranteed) add up to two decent trade ..."
Draft and Trade Buzz
Comment
June 24
Yahoo! Sports
 
"As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare to make a push for Memphis' pick at No. 2, it's become clear that they won't package the fifth and sixth picks to get there. The Wolves have made it clear to teams that are trying to pry their 18th pick that it isn't available. They want to use that in combination with one of the two higher picks to make a deal with Memphis. … The Utah Jazz are enamored with University of Pittsburgh tough guy Sam Young at No. 20, who is a perfect fit for head coach Jerry Sloan. … Golden State has long been enamored with Brandon Jennings at No. 7, but league sources say the Warriors are considering Wake Forest forward James Johnson there as well. Few teams would have ..."
Suns could pick from large PG pool
Comment
June 24
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns intend to extend Steve Nash's run in Phoenix beyond his upcoming final contract year. They maneuvered in last year's draft and spent buyout and first-round money to land point guard Goran Dragic. So what stocks Thursday's NBA draft the most? Point guards, naturally. But with Nash's unsure future, Dragic struggling for most of his rookie year and point guard being a tough spot to fill, the Suns will consider drafting a third point guard. Suns General Manager Steve Kerr likes internal competition. A first-round pick and Dragic would each have two guaranteed contract years to go at it. Nine or 10 point guards could be taken in Thursday's first round but the Suns might not tab one ..."
Wing might be best fit for Suns
Comment
June 24
Arizona Republic
 
"From Joe Johnson to Tim Thomas to James Jones to Shawn Marion, the Suns gradually have lost some of the length and defense that compensated for a fast, offense-oriented system's shortcomings. Length, defense and more will be available Thursday. The Suns' 14th pick in the NBA draft will come with choices at wing that other positions won't offer. Barring a tumble from a touted point guard, the Suns' "best player available" approach could mean choosing among a wide range of swingmen. The group has a combo forward who would be a Suns power forward (Louisville's Earl Clark), shooting guards (Duke's Gerald Henderson and North Carolina's Wayne Ellington), a tall shooter (Gonzaga's Austin Daye) ..."
Wizards Rebuffing Inquiries for Butler
Comment
June 23
Washington Post
 
"The Washington Wizards hold the fifth pick in Thursday's NBA draft and President Ernie Grunfeld has spoken openly about his willingness to move the selection, opening the door for numerous inquiries and trade discussions in the past few weeks. About half of the teams in the league have spoken with the Wizards, according to a league source, and most of those discussions have revolved around the draft choice. Some teams, though, have also asked about the availability of the Wizards' top players, with most focusing on Caron Butler. Multiple sources have confirmed that the Wizards engaged in conversations with the Phoenix Suns about acquiring all-star forward Amare Stoudemire last month, but ..."
Suns could pick from large PG pool
Comment
June 23
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns intend to extend Steve Nash's run in Phoenix beyond his upcoming final contract year. They maneuvered in last year's draft and spent buyout and first-round money to land point guard Goran Dragic. So what stocks Thursday's NBA draft the most? Point guards, naturally. But with Nash's unsure future, Dragic struggling for most of his rookie year and point guard being a tough spot to fill, the Suns will consider drafting a third point guard. Suns General Manager Steve Kerr likes internal competition. A first-round pick and Dragic would each have two guaranteed contract years to go at it. Nine or 10 point guards could be taken in Thursday's first round but the Suns might not tab one ..."
Suns move training camp to San Diego
Comment
June 22
East Valley Tribune
 
"The Suns are moving training camp to San Diego this fall. The weeklong camp will be hedl at the University of San Diego from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. The Suns have trained at McKale Center at the University of Arizona for three of the last four seasons (2005, 2007, 2008), with a trip to Italy in between. Before moving to Tucson, the Suns spent 16 of the seasons in Flagstaff from 1986-2004, plus a stop at then-America West Arena and Veterans Memorial Coliseum."
Suns to play 5 summer games in Vegas
Comment
June 22
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns are one of 21 teams competing in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 10-19. The games will be played the Thomas"
Kerr can't afford more air balls
Comment
June 21
East Valley Tribune
 columnist Scott Bordow
"This is a tenuous time for the Phoenix Suns. Their grip on Valley sports fans has been loosened. For only the second time in franchise history - 1998 being the other - they're looking up at the Cardinals, both in terms of success and popularity. Suns work out 6 players as NBA draft day approaches Meanwhile, the roster is getting older, Shaquille O'Neal is on the block and Steve Nash wants to know what's going on before he signs a contract extension. The Suns aren't about to sink to the depths of, say, the Los Angeles Clippers, but they're not promised a soft landing, either. It's entirely possible playoff basketball will be a memory around here the next few years. Which brings us to Steve ..."
Suns draft options remain wide open
Comment
June 21
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns are playing poker in Thursday's NBA Draft, weighing the idea of minimizing risk against maximizing opportunity. They have not shown their hand, but it's not for being coy. After Blake Griffin holds up a Clippers No. 1 jersey, the next 12 picks before the Suns' 14th spot are so unsettled that Phoenix's batch of candidates is larger than usual. They could address any position. Prospects are skilled and flawed. And the Suns brass' opinions are divided, except for a notion that the pick may not play much as a rookie. "This 14th pick has been really enigmatic for us thus far," Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said. "It's been hard to identify with ..."
Clock ticking on GM Kerr's regime
Comment
June 21
Arizona Republic
 columnist Dan Bickley
"Every so often, the mail clerk makes his way to the top floor. It's happening now with the Suns, for better or worse. David Griffin, the home-boy who first joined the team as a communications intern in 1993, is beginning to look and act like the next general manager. And Steve Kerr, the current GM, seems to be fading into the background. Maybe the weather gauge is wrong. But after the Suns auditioned a handful of potential draft picks at U.S. Airways Center on Saturday - including former Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings, who finally got around to playing a basketball game in the Valley - there was a subtle shift in perception. Kerr let Griffin, his senior vice president of basketball ..."
Jennings set to audition for Suns
Comment
June 20
Arizona Republic
 
"As he once pledged, Brandon Jennings is finally going to play in Arizona today. Jennings is expected to participate in a Suns pre-draft workout today at US Airways Center, where it already had been announced that two other candidates for the Suns' pick at No. 14 in Thursday's NBA draft - Louisville forward Earl Clark and Gonzaga forward Austin Daye (on his second trip) - would participate. The workout also includes Swedish forward Jonas Jerebko and a pair of second-round prospects, guards Nick Calathes of Florida and Jack McClinton of Miami. Opinions on what Jennings could be in the NBA and where he will go in the draft are as all over the place as his overseas performance. Just the fact ..."
Trading Shaq should work for Suns
Comment
June 19
Arizona Republic
 
"Forget the dark side and the petty jealousies. Shaquille O'Neal is a funny guy. He's the only person worth observing on Twitter, mostly because he thinks it's a stupid concept, too. Like his June 12 post about passing gas. "If others can smell you, u gotta be able to smell yourself Pfffffffffffff I farted Aggggh Can u smell dat Lol." More than 1.3 million people currently follow O'Neal's staccato riffs of personality. And you wonder how this country became stuck in the kiddie pool ... Shaq covers a lot of ground. One year ago, he was blasting Kobe Bryant in a rap song, and the lyrics were so crude that Sheriff Joe Arpaio took away O'Neal's coveted deputy badge. Now, Bryant is an NBA ..."
Jefferson staying put with Wolves
Comment
June 18
Boston Globe
 
"An NBA source said today that Minnesota forward-center Al Jefferson is not being traded to the Suns with the sixth overall pick for Suns All-Star forward Amare Stoudemire. An NBA executive told The Globe on Wednesday that both teams were discussing the trade. But another source said today that the Suns made the trade offer to the Wolves recently and were turned down. The source added that the Wolves new general manager David Kahn has even called Jefferson, an ex-Celtic, to tell him the trade would not happen. As for Stoudemire, the cost-cutting Suns definitely seem interesting in moving him and his hefty salary."
Jefferson on move again?
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June 18
Boston Globe
 
"An NBA executive told the Boston Globe today that the Minnesota Timberwolves is working a deal with the Phoenix Suns that would send former Celtics forward Al Jefferson and their sixth pick in next week's NBA Draft for All-Star Amare Stoudemire. The Suns, which have dangled Stoudemire for some time, fiound a suitor in Minnesota that is in transition. The team announced today that coach Kevin McHale has ended his 15-year association with the team. New basketball of operations David Kahn is looking to take the franchise into another direction."
Suns to hold draft workout Saturday
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June 18
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns are holding a draft workout Saturday, when at least two candidates for the team's No. 14 pick will be visiting. Forwards Earl Clark of Louisville and Austin Daye of Gonzaga will attend, as well as Florida guard Nick Calathes, Swedish forward Jonas Jerebko and Miami guard Jack McClinton. This would be Daye's second workout in Phoenix. The draft is next Thursday. Free throws The Suns' NBA Summer League entry is tentatively slated to play July 13, 14, 16, 17 and 19 at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The team will include Goran Dragic, Robin Lopez, free agents and the team's draft picks. Louis Amundson, Jared Dudley and Alando Tucker also could play."
Kerr to meet with Nash in New York
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June 18
Arizona Republic
 
"Suns General Manager Steve Kerr will be in New York Thursday to secure a piece of the Suns' future. Early draft preparation? No. A meeting at the NBA's offices? No. He's in New York to meet with Steve Nash, who lives there in the summer. Kerr will meet with the point guard and his agent, Bill Duffy, Thursday to discuss a contract extension and the the franchise's plan with the draft a week away, free agency two weeks away and numerous trade possibilities. "It's more about letting each other know how we feel," Kerr said. "I can give him some ideas (of a plan), but there's no telling what can happen.""