Surprise: Chad Ford Harsh on Suns

[justinb80]

In his new Insider article, Phoenix is ranked 13th of 14 teams that didn't make a move at the deadline:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/ ... l-100219-2

13. PHOENIX SUNS

Positive spin: Psych! (I've used this joke for the past two years.) Owner Robert Sarver is a funny guy. He loves to punk his players, media types and Suns fans every season about trading Amare. "We're trading him! Wait, we're signing him to an extension. No, wait, we're not re-signing him; we're trading him. No, just kidding, we're keeping him." You got us again.

Negative spin: I'm not sure how losing Stoudemire this summer and getting nothing in return is better than a first-round pick from Miami or J.J. Hickson from Cleveland or Luis Scola, Shane Battier and picks from the Rockets. GM Steve Kerr said Friday the team isn't in full rebuilding mode. He left out the word "yet." That's coming in two months.

[grumpysaddle]

i think this whole thing is funny and these "TMZ"-like sports reporters are such idiots. i really don't see any team offering more than amare will make if he opts in next season, especially with the new CBA coming up. i don't think amare will walk away from a guaranteed $17 million paycheck. i think the suns end up extending him for 3 or 4 years at 14/16/18 with a player option for the 3rd or a 4th year.

if a good deal comes up where the suns get at least EQUAL value back and the team is looking like they are in a decline, then do a trade. but you have him signed so he won't walk from whatever team he gets traded to in 2 months. all these reporters are losing every ounce of any respect i might have had for them.

[HootieRules]

Just have one question, if Chad keeps getting the run-around from Sarver year after year, why do him and ESPN keep reporting all of these trades as "close"?

So tired of reading Chad Ford's name in posts. When he actually gets ONE FREAKING TRADE RIGHT, maybe we can take him as credible.

[MaryvalesFinest]

He's right, I can't wait for the national media to rip Sarver/Kerr a knew one this summer when he opts out.

Seriously, Barbosa is going to be this teams best player when Nash retires if that happens. At least this would be a good tanking team right?

[justinb80]

He's right, I can't wait for the national media to rip Sarver/Kerr a knew one this summer when he opts out.

Seriously, Barbosa is going to be this teams best player when Nash retires if that happens. At least this would be a good tanking team right?

Really? I can see Lopez, Dragic, and Clark all ending up better than Barbosa. Yeah, Barbosa can score, but that's about it.

[TXSun]

when is LB returning?

[MaryvalesFinest]

He's right, I can't wait for the national media to rip Sarver/Kerr a knew one this summer when he opts out.

Seriously, Barbosa is going to be this teams best player when Nash retires if that happens. At least this would be a good tanking team right?

Really? I can see Lopez, Dragic, and Clark all ending up better than Barbosa. Yeah, Barbosa can score, but that's about it.

Yeah you could be right about that but even at their peaks they wont be boarderline all-stars and to win in the NBA you need stars.

[justinb80]

He's right, I can't wait for the national media to rip Sarver/Kerr a knew one this summer when he opts out.

Seriously, Barbosa is going to be this teams best player when Nash retires if that happens. At least this would be a good tanking team right?

Really? I can see Lopez, Dragic, and Clark all ending up better than Barbosa. Yeah, Barbosa can score, but that's about it.

Yeah you could be right about that but even at their peaks they wont be boarderline all-stars and to win in the NBA you need stars.

True that. The Suns do need a "star" at some point here. I think Clark and Lopez both have shots at being the third banana. Clark, maybe second banana. But still, we definitely are going to need a franchise player.

[mikitodc]

Okay typical scenario: longtime lurker and I finally decided to start contributing when and where I can. Just to get everything out there I grew up in chandler for most of my life and now I’m in the northern va/ DC area. Started watching the suns during the barkley era and watched passively until about the time we got Nash. By this point I’m a basketball junkie and my girlfriend gets mad because even she is now able to hold intelligent conversations on basketball. I don’t believe in player loyalty, I’m one of those close-minded people who think you stick with your team and that’s it. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate Kobe and Lebron and even Shaq, but if Amundson knocks one of them on their butt I’m the first one laughing. I think Suns fans that are still around are quite emotional. I think most of us are prone to knee jerk reactions. Reading some of the trash “fans” throw out here is on par with reading youtube comments, but I’ve found it’s worth it to sift through because there are those posts I just get, and that makes it worth it to me.

On to the subject at hand, I think Kerr and Sarver have been working their collective butts off to get us where we need to be. They’ve made mistakes but I do believe they are in this to make us better and get us there. I believe the no-trade was the ballsiest thing Kerr has done and I think his stock has risen when it comes to negotiations. Nothing will come from this now but you’ve gotta put in your time and show you can’t be bent over. I think this gamble will pay off. We beat down STAT pretty bad, but it takes a lot to turn down offers and go, “You know what? You’re worth a heck of a lot more than what was being offered. Let’s prove everyone wrong.” Amare has shown throughout this that he IS a professional. I think he understands even more now that this is a business. He doesn’t have to be friends with his keepers, he has to win, and I believe he knows Phoenix is ultimately the best place to do this. If we keep getting him touches and work on taking the ball out of Nash’s hands I think he can thrive even more. I understand we have a lot to sort out as a team but I’m willing to take the positive outlook while being realistic and take it all in. The worst thing that happens is we have a crap season next year and rebuild with a ton of cap room and a new CBA in ’11, right?

[ma_falaa_50]

chad fraud is pissed because the suns ppl think he is a joke. so he is acting like an 8 yr old girl. chad fraud is a writer for a reason. no nba ppl takes him seriously but some ppl reads his cra and thats why espn still has him on payroll.

[Dr Manute]

Chad Ford's insider knowledge (trade rumers) are usually made-up. He is one of the worst sources of info, and his opinions are usually unintelligent at best.

[eastsidecrossover]

Who cares what Ford has to say. I mean, have you read his mock draft evaluations? the dude is way off on most of his predictions, where teams go etc. As a reporter, I think he has sucked. But he gets reads and that is what is important to the machine known as ESPN. NO matter waht Sarver and Kerr do, they are going to bag on them. I would like to see some of these so called "experts" run an orgnization.

[BringJerryBack]

Shouldn't Earl Clark get wayyy more playing time now? I mean we're obviously not gonna win the Title and we might not even make the playoffs. I say he should get some big minutes from now on.

[BurningHeart]

Mikito....welcome.

The second part of your post is absolutely, 100% correct. It's what I've been laboring to say the last three, four days.

[OrangeNation]

Do not speak so early, Chad might have a point here. Reportedly, all signs pointing towards Sarvar not willing to go more than 2 yrs on extension (Amare asks for 4), and might rather let him walk (or do a draft day S&T) . I'm holding out my opinion until they have this extension thing settles. But what Sarvar and Kerr just did, by not trading Amare, could easily set back this franchise for yrs to come.

[mikitodc]

Do not speak so early, Chad might have a point here. Reportedly, all signs pointing towards Sarvar not willing to go more than 2 yrs on extension (Amare asks for 4), and might rather let him walk (or do a draft day S&T) . I'm holding out my opinion until they have this extension thing settles. But what Sarvar and Kerr just did, by not trading Amare, could easily set back this franchise for yrs to come.

Okay, so what makes you think any other team is going to lock him down for more years? I don't see him getting more than maaaybe 3 on an extension with the kind of money he's looking at with the new CBA coming out. Either way, say he walks. Yes, we're going to suck next year, that's a given. As I understand it at the trade deadline next year JRich is going to be the new Z and have most of his money paid on a huge expiring. That will net us probably one young talent and a decent to so-so first rounder. On top of that we have something like 27 million committed for '11-'12, and that's IF all options are picked up. We have our draft pick next year, which I’m going to assume will be good, Dragic and Lopez will continue to come along and hopefully Clark will follow suit. We can use that money to attract a star or two and possibly resign people like Fry or Hill on the cheap. If not, we can pick up a few role players on the market. Keep in mind salaries will be easier to afford. I’m not saying it's going to be that drastic but we're not going to be looking at 20+ million for someone who can be the core of our team. More like 14-16. It's not all doom and gloom, but we also have to let go of our generation now attitude because patching holes just hasn't been working. Feel free to correct me sometimes the math with salaries doesn’t mesh in my head.

[justinb80]

I think saying this will "set back this franchise for years to come" is a little overboard. It will set us back, no doubt, because we could have used Amare to get a pick for this year. But unless we got Beasley, any actual player we got would have been somewhat marginal.

The main reason it sets us back is because we're losing an all-star and those are hard to replace. That always hurts. But I really don't see any scenario wherein Amare stays long-term, regardless of how they played this particular trade deadline.

However, these things are always cyclical. A new player will rise up. Will it be Robin Lopez? Will it be Earl Clark? Will it be someone we draft? Will it be Carmelo Anthony when we pick him up in 2011 free agency?

[ma_falaa_50]

i think how this amare situation is playing out.. I think the franchise will take a while to get back up. I think the players that the suns go after may not believe sarver because of how he treated Marion, JJ, and now Amare. If that reputation of being cheap is whats going to be more detrimental to the suns' future. players are not going to sign here if they feel that his desire to win a championship is second to savings.

[hunterxaz]

Amare will re-sign. He's going to stick around.

[sunsfolife]

Even if Amare does leave, we have a shot at Perry Jones in 2011. That kids gonna be a star.