Bill Simmons: What if Sarver Payed the Luxury Tax

[Seattlesun]

you know what I love, Katherine Heigl!

is it wrong that I want to see 27 Dresses?

she is so amazing, i'm in love with her. she is beyond beautiful with the best smile i have ever seen.

at the oscars, it was katie and then everyone else.

[walkingart]

you want to feel real dirty, go rent My Father the Hero and Under Seige 2 back to back!

[Seattlesun]

How about the Seahawks?

Second longest playoff streak in the NFL. Four straight conference championships. Lost to the Steelers in 2006. Another good franchise that has never won. Hell, I would argue they are the only professional sports team in Seattle and they actually play the "real" American pastime.

they went through a period of close to 15 years of being a horrible franchise. from late 80s to early 2000's when paul allen saved them. but there is a similarity between them and the suns in that they were the best NFL team and didnt win in 2006. the got cheated by the very league they play in - sound familiar?

[Seattlesun]

you want to feel real dirty, go rent My Father the Hero and Under Seige 2 back to back!

hehe, so funny you say that. Under Seige 2 was on this weekend and I watched it for awhile. She was cute and had the smile workin but she definately has grown into herself. just a stunning and talented woman.

[Cash]

there is several things that all of you are failing to recognize. this current trend of selling/trading away our picks started because of Kobe. He let the team know that he wanted to come to Phoenix when he became a FA. So the Suns traded their pick to the Bulls, for a 1st the following season(thinking it would still be a good pick, which it wasn't). they dumped White with picks to free up money before that as well. They did all of these moves to free up enough space to give Kobe the max, but he stayed put and we moved on to Nash in FA instead.

as far as the other picks we have sold. maybe some of those players have worked out for the teams they are on, but if they played here, they wouldn't play and wouldn't be as prepared as a minimum vet who has some experience.

that being said, why fill our bench with rookies that will never gain any experience. the Suns hardly practice and rooks never get off the pine. Rondo would be useless here. Iggy/Deng would both be great. But Marion would have been moved or let go, because we can't afford him, Amare, Nash, and Iggy/Deng. Those four guys alone will put you over the cap when their extensions kick in, and you would still have to sign 9 more guys. Hell, add Barbs and Diaw and you hit the tax. 6 guys and you are at the tax! Dollar for Dollar for 7 guys!

If we want to talk about bad trades, How about Scola to the Rockets or Rudy Gay for Battier to stay with trades involving the Rockets.

Let's all leave this fantasy world where money grows on trees and come to back to reality!!!

You've just exposed your foolishness. Rondo is everything Marcus Banks was supposed to be, at a fraction of the price. Not only would he be infinitely better as the backup point than LB right now, Rondo will probably be a top-tier point guard in a few years (though I don't think he'll ever be a franchise guy like Nash or Chris Paul).

[Cash]

I really do respect and appreciate the concern over building for the future, it has merit.

I've just been a fan long enough to realize that the future will always be there but the NOW is fleeting. I applaud efforts to win now at all cause because in this league its the select few that can actually be contenders.

Building for the future is what teams who cant win now do. I wish those of you concerned with 5 years from now understood that. You will eventually...

Eff 5 years from now. Which would've helped us more the last 2 years, Rondo or Banks? How about next year, when Nash, Shaq, & Hill will probably still have something left in the tank? Who helps us more, Tiago Splitter or no one?

[Frank Lee]

What happens next yr when RSarver gives the mandate of no Lux tax ??? (what will it be ? ... we already have close to 70 mill spoken for)

[walkingart]

You've just exposed your foolishness. Rondo is everything Marcus Banks was supposed to be, at a fraction of the price. Not only would he be infinitely better as the backup point than LB right now, Rondo will probably be a top-tier point guard in a few years (though I don't think he'll ever be a franchise guy like Nash or Chris Paul).

Foolishness? I never said Rondo was a bad player or implied that he was not good enough presently to backup Nash. If you read my posts in its entirety and didn't focus on one phrase you would have understood my point was that Mike D never would have played Rondo in the games because he wasn't ready to be a solid contributor when he first entered the league. The Suns are known for having light practices making it virtually impossible for rookies to get any better here. The entire organization is not set up to develop players, but rather to cater to veterans who are better prepared physically through the rest they are able to get here.

For the record, Rondo averaged 1 turnover for every 2 assists and shot 20% from behind the arc last season and is incredibly slight in frame making it impossible for us to have used him as a defensive minded reserve. DJ has shot 25% behind the arc has a similiar turnover to assist rate and is by far a better defender yet remains to ride the pine.

So, I will say again RONDO WOULD BE COMPLETELY USELESS IN PHOENIX! And furthermore, I am glad he is not here because Phoenix may as well be a giant iceberg in the middle of the Arctic Ocean where rookies are sent to have their skills frozen and then cut from their body like frostbite. He deserves better than that and so does Strawberry! And I hope they trade Tucker so he can get chance to play and improve.