Suns History

[bwgood77]

I remember that huge 31-4 start but once Nash got injured the team was incapable of winning without him. Think their 5 year record without Nash playing was 11 and 28.

If we would have taken Rondo in 2006 it probably would have been better most of those years.

I doubt it. The way D'Antoni felt about rookies? No way.

I kind of think we are still paying a little bit for the lack of talent development during that era. We were so reliant on free agency that once our core had aged and moved on we had no one to transition to.

And then the dark years came....

He liked Barbosa and I think Diaw was a rookie or 2nd year guy when we go him. Banks was a dumb signing though. Of course the biggest both was not taking Iguodala, and signing Q instead....signing Q ultimately cost us 2 draft picks too (3 if you count Iggy), because you could see we would be near the cap, so even though we traded Q for Kurt Thomas, we eventually had to dump Thomas which cost us 2 picks.

[Barkley6]

If we would have taken Rondo in 2006 it probably would have been better most of those years.

I doubt it. The way D'Antoni felt about rookies? No way.

I kind of think we are still paying a little bit for the lack of talent development during that era. We were so reliant on free agency that once our core had aged and moved on we had no one to transition to.

And then the dark years came....

He liked Barbosa and I think Diaw was a rookie or 2nd year guy when we go him. Banks was a dumb signing though. Of course the biggest both was not taking Iguodala, and signing Q instead....signing Q ultimately cost us 2 draft picks too (3 if you count Iggy), because you could see we would be near the cap, so even though we traded Q for Kurt Thomas, we eventually had to dump Thomas which cost us 2 picks.

Yup. Which cost us Serge Ibaka.

Imagine if we'd have had Iggy on those SSOL teams. And then if we'd added Ibaka in 2008.

He did like Barbosa, but Diaw was a little bit of a necessity being the mother of invention. If Amare doesn't get hurt, there's no telling what might have happened with Diaw that year.

Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but we made so many bad GM moves those years....we could really have been a dynasty.

2004 offseason we draft Iggy and don't sign Q.
2005 offseason, we re-sign JJ, we sign Raja Bell, 2nd round we draft and keep Gortat. We make the trade for James Jones. We add Tim Thomas in the buy out market that year.
2006 offseason we re-sign Tim Thomas with the Marcus Banks money, and draft Rajon Rondo.
2007 offseason draft and keep Rudy Fernandez, trade the Alando Tucker pick. Add Grant Hill on the BAE.

At that point our roster is not only stacked at the top but deep as hell.

Nash-Barbosa-Rondo
JJ-Bell-Fernandez
Iggy-Hill-JJ
Marion-Tim Thomas
Amare-Gortat

We were THIS close to having that roster. I mean none of those are WILD moves or would have been head scratchers at the time. It also wouldn't have hurt our cap that much either, because Iggy, Gortat, Rondo and Fernandez would have all been on rookie deals for that 4 season span.

AND you would have had a core moving into the next era (2010 on) of Rondo, JJ, Iggy and Gortat. Which would have definitely been the basis for a playoff team.

[bwgood77]

I doubt it. The way D'Antoni felt about rookies? No way.

I kind of think we are still paying a little bit for the lack of talent development during that era. We were so reliant on free agency that once our core had aged and moved on we had no one to transition to.

And then the dark years came....

He liked Barbosa and I think Diaw was a rookie or 2nd year guy when we go him. Banks was a dumb signing though. Of course the biggest both was not taking Iguodala, and signing Q instead....signing Q ultimately cost us 2 draft picks too (3 if you count Iggy), because you could see we would be near the cap, so even though we traded Q for Kurt Thomas, we eventually had to dump Thomas which cost us 2 picks.

Yup. Which cost us Serge Ibaka.

Imagine if we'd have had Iggy on those SSOL teams. And then if we'd added Ibaka in 2008.

He did like Barbosa, but Diaw was a little bit of a necessity being the mother of invention. If Amare doesn't get hurt, there's no telling what might have happened with Diaw that year.

Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but we made so many bad GM moves those years....we could really have been a dynasty.

2004 offseason we draft Iggy and don't sign Q.
2005 offseason, we re-sign JJ, we sign Raja Bell, 2nd round we draft and keep Gortat. We make the trade for James Jones. We add Tim Thomas in the buy out market that year.
2006 offseason we re-sign Tim Thomas with the Marcus Banks money, and draft Rajon Rondo.
2007 offseason draft and keep Rudy Fernandez, trade the Alando Tucker pick. Add Grant Hill on the BAE.

At that point our roster is not only stacked at the top but deep as hell.

Nash-Barbosa-Rondo
JJ-Bell-Fernandez
Iggy-Hill-JJ
Marion-Tim Thomas
Amare-Gortat

We were THIS close to having that roster. I mean none of those are WILD moves or would have been head scratchers at the time. It also wouldn't have hurt our cap that much either, because Iggy, Gortat, Rondo and Fernandez would have all been on rookie deals for that 4 season span.

AND you would have had a core moving into the next era (2010 on) of Rondo, JJ, Iggy and Gortat. Which would have definitely been the basis for a playoff team.

If you don't sign Q to that dumb bit contract, you can extend JJ in 2004 and where they were only $5 million off over 6 years...you have him through 2009-10....since Iggy is only a rookie deal. This was partly Colangelo's fault for signing Q though.

But between JJ and Iggy I think our ballhandling is fine if Nash is out...and our defense is far better with Iggy instead of Q.

[Barkley6]

He liked Barbosa and I think Diaw was a rookie or 2nd year guy when we go him. Banks was a dumb signing though. Of course the biggest both was not taking Iguodala, and signing Q instead....signing Q ultimately cost us 2 draft picks too (3 if you count Iggy), because you could see we would be near the cap, so even though we traded Q for Kurt Thomas, we eventually had to dump Thomas which cost us 2 picks.

Yup. Which cost us Serge Ibaka.

Imagine if we'd have had Iggy on those SSOL teams. And then if we'd added Ibaka in 2008.

He did like Barbosa, but Diaw was a little bit of a necessity being the mother of invention. If Amare doesn't get hurt, there's no telling what might have happened with Diaw that year.

Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but we made so many bad GM moves those years....we could really have been a dynasty.

2004 offseason we draft Iggy and don't sign Q.
2005 offseason, we re-sign JJ, we sign Raja Bell, 2nd round we draft and keep Gortat. We make the trade for James Jones. We add Tim Thomas in the buy out market that year.
2006 offseason we re-sign Tim Thomas with the Marcus Banks money, and draft Rajon Rondo.
2007 offseason draft and keep Rudy Fernandez, trade the Alando Tucker pick. Add Grant Hill on the BAE.

At that point our roster is not only stacked at the top but deep as hell.

Nash-Barbosa-Rondo
JJ-Bell-Fernandez
Iggy-Hill-JJ
Marion-Tim Thomas
Amare-Gortat

We were THIS close to having that roster. I mean none of those are WILD moves or would have been head scratchers at the time. It also wouldn't have hurt our cap that much either, because Iggy, Gortat, Rondo and Fernandez would have all been on rookie deals for that 4 season span.

AND you would have had a core moving into the next era (2010 on) of Rondo, JJ, Iggy and Gortat. Which would have definitely been the basis for a playoff team.

If you don't sign Q to that dumb bit contract, you can extend JJ in 2004 and where they were only $5 million off over 6 years...you have him through 2009-10....since Iggy is only a rookie deal. This was partly Colangelo's fault for signing Q though.

But between JJ and Iggy I think our ballhandling is fine if Nash is out...and our defense is far better with Iggy instead of Q.

Fully agree. Q was a good fit for that system, no doubt, but he was a one trick pony. He would have NEVER been signed to that deal in the modern era, he shot 39% overall and 35% from 3 the year before we signed him. He was insanely inefficient averaging 17ppg on 16 shots, 11 of which were from 2 point range.

[SUN]

Rarely ever rewatch games, but got the urge to check out the 2005 Suns. Amar'e was truly something special before his knee surgeries. Dropped 34 against Gasol and the Grizzlies, so explosive. Later on in the series he records 5 blocks, his defense took the biggest nose dive after his return imo. Was never great but still.

Watch on YouTube

[bwgood77]

I can't believe this thread hasn't been posted in for 7 years. Unless there was a newer one. (Edit-just merged a "Suns History-SSOL" thread with it which had been posted in a lot more recently.

Anyway, I was going to post something I saw today, another thing I can't believe that it's been 24 years since Proski retired. Probabaly means most of you don't even know who he is.

Read on Twitter

[Saberestar]

Watch on YouTube

[lilfishi22]

Watch on YouTube

He's in my top 10 of favourite Suns of all time. Maybe top 5.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

[Saberestar]

Devin Booker on seeing Walter Davis highlights:

"Hooper. I would love to play back then! He's one of them guys that can translate to every level. Lot of points, lot of assists, lot of things for me to try to catch."

Devin Booker on Walter Davis getting in the Hall of Fame:

"Legend. Great class too. I love everybody involved. Just super special, special for the Suns organization. He's done everything to deserve it."