Supernova Part 2

I’ve gotten a lot of questions from Suns/NBA fans asking if I’ve heard anything on the Suns trade front, as well as what I think the Suns should do.

Originally, I wasn’t going to post anything on this for the sole reason that it’s all rumor/speculation.  However, I do have a few sources in Phoenix as well as other areas of the country, and this is a HUGE turning point in Suns history regardless of what happens or doesn’t happen…and it would be dumb of me to ignore it as a writer and not post my thoughts.

So, I’ll now go over what I do know, what I want to happen, what I don’t want to happen, and what I think will happen.

What I Know

• Not many players on the Suns get along with Amare; actually, very few do.  It’s not that they hate each other, it’s more along the lines of just putting up with each other.
• The Suns front office is not confident, at all, that they can build around Amare for years to come.  Neither am I.
• Steve Nash is unhappy.  Obviously.
• Grant Hill is attempting to defuse the situation by trying to blame himself for the Suns recent play, as a leader should (even though it’s not even remotely his fault).  My man crush is quickly heating up for Grant.
• Sources tell me that Kerr will not make a move to completely rebuild this season, and a move wouldn’t be a salary dump.  A move made by Kerr will be with the intention of making us a better team and a contender for one more run.  If that still doesn’t work, all bets are off after the season.
• I will be 100% surprised if Nash gets moved.
• I would not be surprised at all if 2-4 players are moved by February 19th.  Also, be on the lookout for draft picks in addition to any players we get back.
• Contrary to a report coming out on Yahoo! today, I’m personally hearing that J-Rich and Hill are also not on the block (along with Nash).
• I’m hearing there is speculation/interest regarding Shaq, although, I don’t see that happening.
• Porter will not lose his job this season.
• As our roster stands today, we are built to be a running team; not a defensive team, not a half court team, etc.
• No matter what happens, I’ll always love the Suns.

What I Want to Happen

• First of all, I want a freaking identity for the team.  Either we are a running team or we’re not.  Right now, we’re playing hesitant and unsure of when to run and when not to.  Doesn’t matter who we have on our team or who we don’t have - we need an identity and a commitment to that identity, as well as buy-in from the players.
• I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong, and I think Kerr is too.  I’d like him and Porter to go back to solely a running team to best utilize the players we have (back to that square peg in a round hole thing).  It’s clear we’re not going to be an improved defensive team, and we’re not as good when we slow it down.
• I’d like Porter to go back to the rotation that D’Antoni used on Nash; sub out the last few minutes of the quarter, then sub back after a few minutes of the next quarter.  Playing Nash for an entire 1st or 3rd quarter is not using him effectively.  Not in the least.
• I’d want a lesser role for Shaq, similar to last year, but with his improved conditioning he could be even more effective.
• Copy the Lakers model of using Kareem in addition to running the break.
• It would be my wish to trade Amare for Dirk, straight up.  In a perfect world, that would happen.  Why?  We’d have a consistent scorer and shooter that can work the high post much more effectively than Amare, while allowing Shaq to operate down low.  We can still run with Dirk, as evidenced by Nash’s time in Dallas and the seasons of 60+ wins.  Plus, a happy Nash = a winning Suns team.
• Since that trade won’t happen ever, especially now that Dallas has been playing better (dammit), the Suns will have to find another way to get rid of Amare in an addition by subtraction type of way that will unite the team and keep our leaders (Nash) happy.
• My 2nd wish:  Trade Amare and Lopez/Dragic to Memphis for Hakeem Warrick, Rudy Gay, and Mike Conley.  This would give us a stellar young rising star in Gay, a young back-up to Nash that has been fairly effective in Conley, and another athletic wing in Warrick.  Memphis can’t afford to keep Gay, and they sure as hell can’t afford to keep Amare after 2010.  But they’d bring in some more fans with O.J. and Amare on the same team.  The Suns new starting 5 would be interesting with all our athleticism, and it would force us to run since our only big would be Shaq.
• My 3rd wish:  Trade Amare and another piece to Detroit for Rasheed Wallace and Rodney Stuckey.  Wallace would work the high post and is a proven shooter, while Stuckey would give us a rising star to build around.  Plus, Rasheed’s contract expires after this season allowing us more freedom for youth.

What I Don’t Want to Happen

• I don’t want the current roster to stay in tact for the remainder of the year.
• If the Suns trade Amare for Rasheed straight up, I will go berserk.  Yes, it may work this year, but the bad far outweighs the good if we don’t get any younger players in return for the future.  Remember, we have a draft pick this year but we don’t in 2010.  Thank you Kurt Thomas.
• I don’t want the Suns to trade the following players:  Nash, LB, Hill, Dudley, Tucker, and J-Rich.
• I don’t want to trade Amare for expiring contracts and financial stability.
• I don’t want to continue to watch a Hall of Fame PG used improperly.
• I don’t want to continue to talk about who to blame for the Suns demise, it’s ridiculous and hindsight is 20/20.  We increased our payroll by $40 million dollars when Sarver took over.  Man up, and figure out a way to make it better.

What I Think Will Happen

• Porter will be our coach for the remainder of the year.
• Players that are most likely to be moved:  Amare and LB.
• Players that could be moved:  Everyone except Nash, J-Rich, and Hill.
• I think Kerr will make a move that will make us better and allow us one more shot…literally; ONE more shot and that’s it.
• I think Amare will be traded before the All-Star game, probably sooner.
• I think our focus and identity will be narrowed down, based on who we get in the trade.
• My thinking, and what I’m hearing from sources, is that any move we make is with the intention of allowing Nash to create more than what he is now.  Though he is clearly unhappy, the guy has still tallied games of 18 and 19 assists in the most restrictive system in his professional career.
• Anything can happen.  I had absolutely no clue about Shaq and Marion last year, the furthest thing from my mind.  If the last two years are any indication, we really have no clue what to expect.

Look, who the hell really knows what will happen.  One thing is for certain…something will.  I do trust my sources, and although none have said that any deal is super close, they also said nothing would surprise them.  As an FYI, they were almost spot on about the Suns/Bobcats deal (they didn’t have Dudley included in the trade), but I didn’t post for fear of being shot/hated.  Again, I probably should have but hindsight 20/20.  : )

As I hear more, I’ll be sure to update everyone.

It’s going to be an extremely interesting next week or so…yikes.

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