Does anyone else feel really refreshed about this offseason?

[BurningHeart]

I'm leaving the "mourning" phase and slowly transitioning into the "nervous anxiety" phase...

Yep.

[-SDU-]

I'm curious as to why people think that a new coach will automatically play the young players that the old coach didn't.

because mike dantoni has one of the shortest rotations / leashes in the entire NBA and 95% of other coaches will play those guys that dantoni didnt

I also want to know how any free agents will be signed without making a S&T move, since the Suns are over the cap. The MLE will only go so far.

I doubt the suns use ANY of the MLE to be honest. Were too cheap, The suns need 4 more players to make the minimum roster, i say we sign our first round pick, our second round pick, and then either an undrafted Rookie or free agent, or extra draft pick that we trade for and then a vet like allan houston, batista, or someone else to a minimum contract

if the suns use any of the MLE ill be more than shocked

[WTFsunsFTW]

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personally i cant fathom how people cant see all the good he did for this franchise

I don't see anyone saying he did nothing for this franchise. He made the suns fun to watch again, there is no doubt about it.

Did he hit his ceiling and were his weaknesses exposed after a few seasons? Absolutely.

The divorce was necessary.

[albasuna]

If I'm to be honest I just want this forthcoming season to be over with. I don't see us winning it next season but the following season we'll have some massive contracts coming off the books so we might be able to do some trades to put us in a better position.

We are stuck in a transition phase. We're still a good team but IMO not good enuff to win the whole thing. So I see next season as being a blend of making some massive decisions. Do we persist with Diaw and LB. Do we start winding down Nash/Shaq espec if we have a poor start to the season?

This next season could well be like the one in which we traded Marbury. Old side with a big salary which *could* do something but if I'm being realistic won't.

Unless something drastic happens next season will be all about how we start. If we start well then the oldies will play a lot. If we start off crap Shaq's gonna find something to complain about and mgmt will have to make a call about whether we start looking to the future or limp into the play-offs and have another early exit.

So no ... I'm not refreshed by any stretch of the imagination.

I still think we can win next year. No need to be pessimistic when you got Shaq, Hill, Bell, Nash, Amare and a full season of meshing.

[garrick]

If we can just get a couple more pieces like an athletic SF who can shoot and defend thereby putting Hill back on the bench where he belongs and a back up PG we may have a good shot in the playoffs.
Hill is an excellent SF but he is injury prone and we really need to watch his minutes.

[TASTIC]

I think Tucker and DJ can really help. Both need to be taking 3point shots by the boatload in the offseason, and Tucker needs to work on his finishing

[KJ7]

Not taking a dig here but what has Tucker shown to make you think he could even be a role player? I know he carved open the D-League but really that doesn't hold a lot of weight with me considering what others have done there. The problem with Tucker is I see him doing most of his best work with the ball in his hands. And he's not good enuff to be relied upon to even carry the bench. So where does that leave him?

DJ I can understand. At least we've seen him have glimpses of good defensive efforts. I have likened him to an Aaron McKie type. I think he'll be a good bench player to a borderline starter (give him 2 years). The biggest problem with DJ is that next season is the final year of his contract because he was a 2nd round pick. So if he plays well next season are we really going to spend money to retain him? I hope so but realistically?

[nevetsov]

So if he plays well next season are we really going to spend money to retain him? I hope so but realistically?

We could always decline Nash's team option.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

achilles lives.

[pidi]

Not taking a dig here but what has Tucker shown to make you think he could even be a role player? I know he carved open the D-League but really that doesn't hold a lot of weight with me considering what others have done there. The problem with Tucker is I see him doing most of his best work with the ball in his hands. And he's not good enuff to be relied upon to even carry the bench. So where does that leave him?

DJ I can understand. At least we've seen him have glimpses of good defensive efforts. I have likened him to an Aaron McKie type. I think he'll be a good bench player to a borderline starter (give him 2 years). The biggest problem with DJ is that next season is the final year of his contract because he was a 2nd round pick. So if he plays well next season are we really going to spend money to retain him? I hope so but realistically?

had tucker a chance to show what he can? that

[Sun Scorched]

If we can just get a couple more pieces like an athletic SF who can shoot and defend thereby putting Hill back on the bench where he belongs and a back up PG we may have a good shot in the playoffs.
Hill is an excellent SF but he is injury prone and we really need to watch his minutes.

Maybe we weren't watching the same games, but when Hill was flowing well in our transition offense there almost wasn't anything other teams could do except weather the storm. It is a shame he was injured at the end of the season, but when we had Hill during our regular season outings against San An... we destroyed them.

Finally, Hill starts. Maybe you pull him earlier than anyone else, but he starts. When a guy like Hill takes the million-dollar exception to come play for you, especially a guy like Hill, you respect that.

For his salary and his production and outside of rookies, Hill is the most efficient player in the NBA.

[pidi]

^^ good point, especialy putting him earlier on the bench.
we have to get the team ready by the playoffs. hope that coach porter will have a 9 man rotation....

[Go7enKs]

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We could always decline Nash's team option.

Yeah! Great idea! And we could also trade Amare for Kwame Brown

[-SDU-]

tucker though, in his minutes on the court showed a great post game against other SF / SG's

i dont think he will be much for us, but i do think he could have a sparkplug like effect like azibuke did for GS after getting called up from the D league

ultimately its more strawberry that im looking forward to seeing

porter was part of a staff that effectively integrated late first rounders like stuckey and aaron afflalo into their system, so i do have some hope

[NotYoAvgNBAFan]

Well...I think your feeling is called delusion. But I really hope you are right when you say that D'Antoni was our problem and that we are better off with a practically inexperienced coach who isn't nearly as proven as Mike was.

I repeat, I TOTALLY hope you are right. But, as of now, we made a MAJOR step back. Time will tell.

Hello, I am from the Milwaukee Bucks board and I am a looooooooooooooonnngg time Bucks and NBA fan from way back.

I remember the coin toss between the Suns and the Bucks way back in 1968 when we got the call heads and selected Lew Alcindor and you then took a hairy beast of a guy named Neal Walk....

Then 4 years later I watched as a guy who used to play for you named Dennis Awtrey punched Kareem in the right eye and that began a down ward spiral for us until he left in 1975...then clocked another #1 pick Kent Benson which began another downward spiral for my ballclub...

Ok, now that I know you dont like me now...LOL. I have been a distant admirer of your franchsie ever since Jerry Colangelo brought it to the 'Valley of the Sun.' I remember the Pheonix Memorial Coliseum was it called?

The lights were so bright in there. I love Walter Davis and Connie Hawkins.

I thought Alvin Adams was as underratted a forward who has ever played in the NBA. I remember the Van Arsdales were a scrappy twosome...and
Ricky Sobers and the first Chris Paul named Kevin Johnson was a Hall of fame caliber PG.

Paul Westphal was not a bad two guard and had a great tan that rivaled Thundering Dan Majerle. Armon Gilliam was a load at PF as well. But I liked the Suns for their motion offense and crisp cuts and passes.

Games there were fun to watch. Where have you gone Tom Chambers and Oliver Miller...

But on to Terry Porter....Wrong coach. I like the hire in that I am happy for Terry Porter to get a second chance as a man..But with Amare and Shaq and Nash you hired the wrong guy.

The guy you should have hire who was proven was fired the day after you hired Porter....FLIP SAUNDERS. In fact, Jeff Van Gundy or even a Avery Johnson would have been a better hire.

But Terry will do well. I guess...He did ok here in Milwaukee until he did not want the Bucks to take Bogut and wanted Marvin Williams or Paul instead...and they let him go.

He is a good coach though. But you should have taken a guy with more experience for winning right now. If Nash and Shaq were gone I would say ok...bring him in.

But who am I...Only a guy who still thanks Jerry Colangelo for calling the wrong side of the coin back in 1968...LOL.