Getting the Suns into the Playoffs - PHX trades with NOH

[Sun Scorched]

Part One
Pietrus + Warrick + Lopez for West (S&T)

Part Two
Brooks (S&T) for Stojakovic (TPE)

Why for New Orleans?
They're losing Paul - the main contributor to West's value for the last several years. West is already an unrestricted free agent and will leave the team for nothing anyways. In my estimation, the Hornets get back two positive assets (Brooks, Lopez), one nuetral asset (Pietrus), and one slightly negative asset (Warrick) who will still see significant burn in West's absence.

Why for Phoenix?
We need a scoring threat at the PF position. West next to Nash would give us the PNR back and West next to Gortat would give us a gritty frontcourt. Gritty. Of all options, I would imagine that signing in PHX would be the most attractive for West due to both Nash and the training staff.

What kind of Contract do we give West? I don't want to ruin our FA hopes for 2012!
Neither do I, and that's where we get creative. Sign West to a two year deal with a player option for the second year. Give him the maximum signing bonus possible, which will only hit his salary and our cap in year one.

Sign West to a deal starting at $10m for the first year and escalating to $10.45m in the second. 20% of that total amount is available as a singing bonus ($5.11m) and is included in all guaranteed years (only the 1st year here) which brings West's Y1 salary to $15.1m. That gives him the ability to earn $25.5m over two years (or $15.1 for only one if he wishes) with the added ability of being a FA again when the market is more loose in terms of team purse strings (due to the 2012 FA class). Win/Win.

Use the amnesty provision on Childress (or don't) and we're at $54.7m in salary this year (assuming we re-sign Hill) and $29.7m the following year (inlcuding West's option). $19.3 without.

And it gives us the ability to roll with:

PG - Nash
SG - Dudley
SF - Hill
PF - West
C - Gortat

[grumpysaddle]

That lineup looks counteractive to everything Nash is good at. Hill has gotten a bit better at 3-pt shooting, but even so... That's only 1.5 players besides Nash that can space the floor. Too much clogging of the lanes for Nash to be effective.

[YFZblu]

That lineup looks counteractive to everything Nash is good at. Hill has gotten a bit better at 3-pt shooting, but even so... That's only 1.5 players besides Nash that can space the floor. Too much clogging of the lanes for Nash to be effective.

David West is possibly the best midrange shooting big man in the NBA, save Dirk. Significantly more accurate than even Amar'e Stoudemire who boasts one of the smoothest mid range shots in the NBA for a PF. He's not Channing Frye from beyond the arc or anything, but he is certainly a reliable release valve in the pick and roll or really any other half court situation.

http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2011/9 ... e-shooters

[Sun Scorched]

I think West is underrated and while he will be looking for a significant contract, I think this provides an attractive level of flexibility for both sides.

More importantly, it gives the Suns a legitimate chance at making some noise. Count me in the camp of "I don't want to waste Nash's final year(s)" if possible.

[MarJJMar]

Those trades are absolutely terrible.

Sorry but that must be a friggin joke. David West is on the wrong side of 30 and breaking down physically. He is not even that good to begin with.

David West is about to go down the route that Shareef Abdur Rahim did. Plus he is awful rebounder and the only thing he does well is shooting midrange jumpers.

[Sun Scorched]

Those trades are absolutely terrible.

Sorry but that must be a friggin joke. David West is on the wrong side of 30 and breaking down physically. He is not even that good to begin with.

If you're looking at it from player merit alone, I still think it's defensible.

But when you add in the cap flexibility it provides the Suns with I think you're dead wrong.

[JohnVancouver]

[quote="Sun Scorched"]Part One
Pietrus + Warrick + Lopez for West (S&T)

Part Two
Brooks (S&T) for Stojakovic (TPE)

I was shaking my head and smiling grimly until I realized you mean David West, not Delonte ......

yes, well ..... glad I re-read it before posting the reply


I like unloading Warrick, can live with moving Pietrus though I still kind of like the guy for his defense and shooting (when he's on), kind of worried Lopez will come back and haunt us .... maybe not likely but I want to see him play a bit. But West is an all-star calibre big - worth doing. And I applaud your capology/salary maneuvering

Bench is gonna be kinda thin, though

and what do we do with Peja? He had one second-childhood kind of game last year that i saw, but he's pretty much done, right?





Brooks I could care less about but I don't much like taking Peja.

[Sun Scorched]

and what do we do with Peja? He had one second-childhood kind of game last year that i saw, but he's pretty much done, right?

Brooks I could care less about but I don't much like taking Peja.

Peja doesn't exist. Just his Traded Player Exception (TPE). It would be like trading Brooks for nothing, but since this is a two part trade it functions as though we are trading:

Brooks + Pietrus + Warrick + Lopez for West + Cap Space

It would look like the Suns were sending out $18.4m and only receiving $15.1m back. ($10m salary, $5.1m signing bonus).

[JohnVancouver]

Thanks - I totally lost track of the guy after he was dealt to TO - who the hell did I see him have that nice game with in the payoffs - Dallas?

[thamadkant]

David West is not going to help the Suns be a contender....

Develop Morris and hopefully he becomes Kenyon Martin part deux.

[Miklo]

I like the thinking on the trades.

This will be one of the things I'm in the minority on here, but the toughest part of the deal for me would be giving Brooks up in that package. People give him plenty of hate, but I've seen what the guy can do - I mean, some of his performances in Houston?? But alas, David West would be worth it. I don't think he's over the hill, I think in a system like ours he'd be one of those guys that's right back to prime. In all honesty there's no realistic way in hell we're winning a title with Nash. But a pairing with David West could give us a fun-to-watch, playoff bound team at least.

[RunDogGun]

Can we sign and trade Brooks, while he is under contract with his China team? Another question, when he is finished with his season over there, is he only a RFA this year? Let's say he doesn't sign with anyone this year, we keep his rights, but if another team offers him a contract in March, we have to match that or lose him, right?

[Sun Scorched]

Can we sign and trade Brooks, while he is under contract with his China team? Another question, when he is finished with his season over there, is he only a RFA this year? Let's say he doesn't sign with anyone this year, we keep his rights, but if another team offers him a contract in March, we have to match that or lose him, right?

We've extended him the appropriate qualifying offer which means we have the right to match any offer sheet submitted to him.

It's my understanding that we can S&T Brooks pursuant to his CBA contract - essentially, create a contract that exists after his contract with the CBA is finalized.

[_Nashoholic_]

Don't know why people are bashing this. I think David West is a great fit for us and would give good spacing. He is 31 and has injuries......Hmmm. Does that ring a bell for anyone in 2004 when we signed that one aging point guard with a bad back?