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Did Phx just lose out on its last chance for the title? I think definitely so.

1. They're obviously an old team with guys like Nash, Shaq, Hill, and Bell. None of those guys are getting any better, and in all likelihood, especially Shaq and Hill, they will probably see some decline next year.

2. The owner isn't going to add anyone. They don't go over the luxury tax, and with large, long term deals for Shaq, Nash, and Amare, Kerr has very little flexibility to add anyone via free agency.

3. The rest of the West is going to either stay as good or better than them. San Antonio's the next oldest team, but the rate of decline on Manu and Duncan should be less than Phx's core. Most of their age is in their role players like Barry, Finley, KT, and Bowen. LA will be monstrous next year if they have everyone healthy. New Orleans is still a young team, so is Utah. Houston gets Yao back next year. Teams behind them like Portland and GS are also young teams that are getting better.

4. The only way they can improve is through trades. Assuming they can't trade Shaq, and they're not trading Nash or Amare, their only valuable pieces are Barbosa, Diaw, and the Atlanta pick (15). Barbosa and Diaw have both been below average at best so far in this series, hurting their value. Its conceivable they can get something valuable with some combination of those players and pick, but that would leave them even thinner in terms of depth.

Yes, they are old, and the Jazz, Lakers, Hornets, and Blazers are making their way in.

5. seattle owns their first round picks this year and in 2010, unprotected.

dcash4 wrote:5. seattle owns their first round picks this year and in 2010, unprotected.

They might not be a playoff team in 2010.

Honestly, with how tough the west is.

Good be similar to the Otis Thorpe trade that landed Detroit the #2 pick.

Kerr never should've traded Shawn Marion. He fit in so well with Nash & Amare, why mess that up? I know they didn't reach the Finals the previous seasons but you never know. They had a better team before Shaq came. Oh well, they had their chance. Time for a new team to be the "it" team.

I think their window close back in '97 when the Spurs drafted Duncan.

Just my personally opinion thought..

dcash4 wrote:5. seattle owns their first round picks this year and in 2010, unprotected.

At least we helped Seattle and Portland build a championship team by selling them draft picks in the process. I'm proud.

Bring Back Marbury!!

mkot wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



At least we helped Seattle and Portland build a championship team by selling them draft picks in the process. I'm proud.

LOL first off theres no gurantee they will win champions second i hope you are a fan of both teams as well because being proud of your own team bowing down to 2 others is hilarious. or you were just being sarcastic which would be okay too.

they never had a window of opportunity to begin with anyway

the LAKERs added, and they needed it. it helped.

phoenix and dallas did not need to make the moves that they did. and its costing them. both wont make it out of the first round.

They had oppurtunities to improve where they were lacking, and what were main reasons for getting eliminated. To better their chances of going farther, and being more balanced - but ultimately didn't really do it.

Their identity, philosophy, style, ability stayed relatively the same. They failed to take that next step as a team.

When Duncan made the threes to tie the game, you know you don't have much to do.

Steve Nash's defense is just terrible, I think big time it is his fault. they could have cemented last year.

Phoenix was always a longshot just because of their style, but they were a legitimate contender. I think next year may be the first season since Nash where they aren't.

Their acquisitions of Grant Hill and Shaq was so that they could beat the Spurs.

Their on the verge of getting swept and those acquisitions have just made them older and closed their window.

the gamble for Hill and Shaq is failing in the playoffs. those two are only good for the regular season where teams can afford some losses. obviously, Hill will break down physically this time of year, whilst Shaq has lost his mojo. The Suns' sun has set.

v1n5anity wrote:Kerr never should've traded Shawn Marion. He fit in so well with Nash & Amare, why mess that up? I know they didn't reach the Finals the previous seasons but you never know. They had a better team before Shaq came. Oh well, they had their chance. Time for a new team to be the "it" team.

they didn't have any choice, Marion was going to leave, so instead of letting him walk away for basically nothing they tried to get something in return, can't really blame them to tell you the truth.

pro2020 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


they didn't have any choice, Marion was going to leave, so instead of letting him walk away for basically nothing they tried to get something in return, can't really blame them to tell you the truth.

marion wasnt a guarantee to leave. he had a player option to opt out of his contract making him an unrestricted free agent, but he'd be walking away from $17M a year in guaranteed money. and im highly doubtful he wouldve actually opted out given that i doubt any team wouldve payed him as much as he was already making in phoenix.