This does effect us on the recruiting level

[enigmatics]

I will say this much about losing Mike, I've heard so many players say that they'd play for him and his system. Jeff Dean on Xtra910 was just talking about this. The offseason of 2010 is a huge one and we suddenly just lost when of our best "recruiters." One of the reasons Walsh was ecstatic to nab him was because of this ....... I do believe the list looks something like:

The Big Dawgs:
Joe Johnson
Ray Allen
Ben Wallace
LeBron James (player option, likely)
Dirk Nowitzki (player option, unlikely)
Josh Howard (player option, likely)
Marcus Camby
Rip Hamilton
Stephen Jackson
Tracy McGrady
Shaquille O'Neal
Dwyane Wade (player option for 10/11, unlikely)
Michael Redd (player option for 10/11, likely)
Tyson Chandler (player option for 10/11 - 50/50)
Eddy Curry (player option for 10/11 - 50/50)
Amare Stoudemire (player option for 10/11, unlikely)
Brad Miller
Manu Ginobili
Chris Bosh (player option for 10/11, unlikely)

The Rookie Contracts:
Shelden WIlliams (restricted)
Rajon Rondo (restricted)
Adam Morrison (brah ha ha)
Tyrus Thomas (restricted)
Rudy Gay (restricted)
Kyle Lowry (restricted)
Randy Foye (restricted)
Marcus Williams (restricted)
Josh Boone (restricted)
Renaldo Balkman (restricted)
Mardy Collins (restricted)
Brandon Roy (restricted)
Sergio Rodriguez (restricted)
LaMarcus Aldridge (restricted)
Quincy Douby (restricted)
Ronnie Brewer (restricted)
Andrea Bargnani (restricted)

Young Filler Material:
Amir Johnson
Al Harrington
Cuttino Mobley
Tim Thomas
Derek Fisher
Mike Miller
Darko Mlicic
Brian Cardinal
Udonis Haslim
Quentin Richardson
Raja Bell
TJ Ford (player option for 10/11, unlikely)

Won't Be In The League Much Longer:
Mark Blount
Bobby Simmons
Troy Hudson
Jerome James
Darius Miles
Travis Outlaw
Kenny Thomas
Shareef Abdul-Rahim
Bruce Bowen
Matt Bonner
Luke Ridnour
Earl Watson
Damien Wilkens
Matt Harpring
Etan Thomas
Antonio Davis
Brendon Haywood

http://www.stopmikelupica.com/2007/12/n ... part_1.php

[Togo]

I think it comes down to a couple things.

1. How our next coach fares the next couple seasons.

2. How Robert Sarver is perceived in the next couple years. (Does he do everything in his power to win, or does he continue to sell important draft picks).

[TASTIC]

Grab Silas as an assistant...still close with LeBron...

[Mr. Sun]

Makes no difference if Mike is here or not. It's Nash.

[rsavaj]

Makes no difference if Mike is here or not. It's Nash.

I beg to differ. Mike's system was alluring to a lot of players.

[WTFsunsFTW]

Alluring to who? Joe Johnson? Kevin Garnett? Tim Thomas? John Salmons? Damon Stoudamire? Sam Cassell? Brent Barry? Tyronn Lue? All of these players have the odds in their favor to make a push to this be on this roster. Even Kobe had enough power at a point to make an effort to come here last july.

Its alluring to sean marks and eric piatkowski. Get over this lusty temptation you think this franchise gives off.

Here is who the phoenix suns are alluring to: Legit veterans who have one or two more punches to throw and are in need of miracle workings from our insane training staff. Im content with that, and dont delude myself with much else.

Oh, throw in a few guys who prefer the heat to the east coast cold.

[thamadkant]

D'Antoni's "free for all offense" attracts more players since its more fun and it allows them to bolster their stats in that end.


Suns just need to prove that they plan to contend, that should be good enough to attract some stars.

[chrice]

Alluring to who? Joe Johnson? Kevin Garnett? Tim Thomas? John Salmons? Damon Stoudamire? Sam Cassell? Brent Barry? Tyronn Lue? All of these players have the odds in their favor to make a push to this be on this roster. Even Kobe had enough power at a point to make an effort to come here last july.

JJ wanted to be "The Man." KG was very interested in playing here, had Marion not veto'ed that trade, it might have been a different story. TT wanted money. Salmons wanted PT and the chance to start; which was not going to happen here behind Marion at the time. Cassell has no athleticism left in his body, and it was pretty clear he wanted to ride Boston to a ring. Barry wanted to stay home in SA. He considered his options, but SA was always his first choice. Kobe had enough power to force a trade, but no player has enough to force a trade to division rivals. Lakers were going to keep him and bench him if they had to, to get him to reconsider.

Grant Hill came here because of the system.

[NaplesSunsFan]

NBA Players=Pampered

Pampered=Lazy

Lazy=Easy Practices/No Defense

Easy Practices/No Defense=Mike D'antoni

Mike D'antoni=0 Championships, 0 Finals appearances.

[rsavaj]

Alluring to who? Joe Johnson? Kevin Garnett? Tim Thomas? John Salmons? Damon Stoudamire? Sam Cassell? Brent Barry? Tyronn Lue? All of these players have the odds in their favor to make a push to this be on this roster. Even Kobe had enough power at a point to make an effort to come here last july.

Its alluring to sean marks and eric piatkowski. Get over this lusty temptation you think this franchise gives off.

Here is who the phoenix suns are alluring to: Legit veterans who have one or two more punches to throw and are in need of miracle workings from our insane training staff. Im content with that, and dont delude myself with much else.

Oh, throw in a few guys who prefer the heat to the east coast cold.

Kobe wanted to play here, KG wanted to play here, Grant and Jalen wanted to play here.

Don't see how saying that PHX is a popular spot is "deluding" myself.

[rsavaj]

"Woz (Cleveland): What do you think of the rumors that D'Antoni was hired to lure LeBron to the Knicks in free agency, especially considering the fact that big stars are NEVER free agents, usually just traded?

Chad Ford: (1:25 PM ET ) It isn't just LeBron. Most of the players in the league want to play for him and would love to play in New York. Donnie Walsh is looking at the big picture and trying to make New York attractive again for free agents. Whether that be LeBron, DWade ... etc. "

[8/24]

Makes no difference if Mike is here or not. It's Nash.

What top free agents did Nash attract in Dallas, eh?

[-SDU-]

he wasnt anywhere near the player in dallas he is in phoenix

personally i think dantoni deserves more credit for this than he gets, BUT any coach who comes in now will use nash the same way so nash certainly has the ability to recruit players now

[Arles]

For as many players that wanted to play for Mike D because of the style, numerous guys decided against it because of his bench (Finley, Salmons, Barry, Damon S, Lue). I honestly can't think of one guy that came here because of Mike D. Maybe Grant Hill, but it was obvious this was his best combo of chance to win + PT. Our big signings have been Bell, Nash, Q and Banks. All four took the best financial offer and 2 (Nash, Q) gave their old teams a chance to match.

Hardly the track record of someone "everyone wants to play for". We've needed that type of reputation 5 times where our offer of PT+money was the same or less than others (Finley, JJ, Barry, Salmons, Tim Thomas). Each time, the player has gone somewhere else.

Here's the truth for anyone with value in their prime - if the Suns make the best offer, they will get him. If they don't, they won't. It's no different now or two years ago. For everyone else, it just comes down to perceived playing time + chance to win.

[-SDU-]

not to mention, a number of the guys who wanted to play for dantoni only did so to boost their stats and get a better contract which is counter productive to a team trying to win

ie steven hunter, eddie house, tim thomas, and lets see what gordan giricek does........

also, there are a number of players who signed here and dantoni screwed them also - jalen rose, jumaine jones etc

[mkot]

Jumaine Jones sucks. There's only one ball club offered him a contract that year and that's Maccabi Tel Aviv. There's a reason why he isn't in the NBA right now. Jalen Rose I agreed.

And I'm with Arles. I'm sick of people keep saying everyone wants to play for MikeD and FAs want to come to Phoenix because of MikeD and Nash. We all know that at the end of the day everyone wants to play for money. TT, Eddie, Hunter, all those guys went for money. Heck, Shawn loves Mike and his teammates too, he went for a chance for a bigger contract. Grant Hill is really the only exception, he wants to win and to be able to enjoy basketball again. Love him.

[Mr. Sun]

Heck, Shawn loves Mike and his teammates too, he went for a chance for a bigger contract. Grant Hill is really the only exception, he wants to win and to be able to enjoy basketball again. Love him.

He already cashed out with orlando so there was no money considerations. He can enjoy basketball here because he doesn't have the pressure of a mega contract and all the expectations that go with such. I am pretty sure he said it was the light practices that made the sale.

[Arles]

-= original quote snipped =-
He already cashed out with orlando so there was no money considerations. He can enjoy basketball here because he doesn't have the pressure of a mega contract and all the expectations that go with such. I am pretty sure he said it was the light practices that made the sale.

The teams that were in it were Toronto, Detroit, Phoenix and either SA/Dallas. The only places he would start were Toronto and Phoenix. The other 3 he would have been a bunch guy getting 15-20 MPG. And, at the time, Phoenix looked like a better chance to win than Toronto.

Regardless of style/coach, Phoenix was the best choice for Hill. He had a chance at a ring, started and would get 30 MPG.

[Sarlonus]

It won't affect us at all. We were not a big market team so we never had the big market lure (for endorsements). It all comes down to money. Free agency is about overpaying players and hoping they perform to the level of their pay-check. When the offers are close, there are some tie-breakers. Endorsements and chance for success are probably the two most important tie-breakers.

[rsavaj]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3 ... -York.html

Alan Hahn of Newsday has an article citing a single anonymous source (red alert!) saying that Monta Ellis might like to play in Mike D'Antoni's up-tempo style.

It's kind of a "duh, who wouldn't?" thing. Players have reportedly been eager to join D'Antoni's fun system in Phoenix for years. Why would that be any different in New York? People like scoring buckets!

And here's where the genius of Donnie Walsh comes to play: No matter how the Knicks are going to rebuild, it will have to involve free agents. Free agents love Mike D'Antoni. Always have.

In Phoenix, however, free agents have been limited by the team's other massive financial commitments, and the reticence of owner Robert Sarver to spend like a maniac.

But the Knicks will spend like maniacs! That has an NBA fact!

Great big pile of James Dolan money + a coach everyone wants to play for = a future rich with first-rate free agents.