STICKY: Hill stays, Frye signs, Nash very close to extension

[Wayne Kerr]

There are only 2 teams that are above and beyond anyone else in the west and that is the SPURS and the LAKERS, Denver is maybe a tad bit better and everyone else is either at our level or below.

We have a very good chance at being the 5th seed.

Amare will be out to prove that he is a max player next year, and will have a monster season! better then weve ever seen.

And I do not know why EVERYONE BAGS on J RICH, hes really not that bad, he did have a brain fart a few times against the Spurs... But he will also have a great season next year and will avg, 20 pts. and prove hes worth his contract.

nash will be nash agian!

frye will have a really good season for us as roger mason was for the spurs.

but enough of how much im on the suns balls...

please tell me what you predict.

[rsavaj]

i'm fine with saying that we're probably a playoff team, but we're absolutely brutal on D and without Shaq we're going to get killed on the boards again. Remember what that was like?

We NEED another piece. This is not enough to be a top 5 seed in the West. Amare and Frye is a pretty abominable defensive frontcourt pairing.

There's gotta be something else.

You'd think so, right? Gonna change my prediction: right now we're not going anywhere in the playoffs. Remember every big man having career highs against us? How are we going to compete with that?! Unless Gentry's SSOL creates ~120 ppg, i think we're going to have a hard time winning games....but hey, they'll be fun to watch, and since our "window" is shut anyways, i guess that's all we can hope for.

[Wayne Kerr]

we got killed on the boards every year in ssol before shaq.

and we dominated teams!!!

[rsavaj]

we got killed on the boards every year in ssol before shaq.

and we dominated teams!!!

The league was a lot weaker, we were a lot stronger. Nash was a two time MVP, and we had Shawn Marion instead of Grant Hill, Raja instead of Richardson, and Boris instead of Dudley. imo this team is now somehow being overrated by our fans.

[BurningHeart]

I think Dallas is winning the title. We're Suns fans. Shawn Marion is a Maverick. You do the math.

[DaDragicShow]

I think Dallas is winning the title. We're Suns fans. Shawn Marion is a Maverick. You do the math.

I'll quote you on that once they get eliminated in first round next year.

[ray ray]

We need Wilcox and Aaron Afflalo!

Since the Piston are ready to give up Afflalo for basically nothing becouse of all the guards in front of him. I posted a trade scenerio involving the Suns and Pistons in their forum.

Suns trade:
Alando Tucker ( has a non gurantee contract if he's waived before October)
Cavs 2010 2nd pick

Pistons trade:
Aaron Afflalo

This kid reminds me so much of Raja Bell.

Then you waive Ben Wallace (8 millions of saving) and waive Sasha Pavlovic (saves 6 mil) a total savings of 14 mil!! After that's completed you go after Chris Wilcox.

Suns projected lineups:
Nash/Goran
Richardson/Barbosa/Afflalo
Hill/Dudley/Clark
Amare/Frye/Lou
Wilcox/Lopes/Frye

That's a good, unexpensive and under luxury tax basketball team.

Then you hope that Richardson
play brings his value up in order so we can trade him before the deadline. I truly believe that JRich is going to play much better since Shaq is no longer is clogging up the lane...

[Wayne Kerr]

the west is still very weak its only top heavy now.

i know the suns are no where near what we where.

nash is still nash, nash has not lost a step it may have seemed like it under porter, but it looked like everyone lost a step under porter, when gentry took over we look great, i know it was wins agianst the clippers but still.

nash will be nash.

richardson>bell

grant is gonna be a solid player for us like he has been.

amare 09-10 >amare any other season

and frye will be very good.

and we have a much better bench then in recent years. maybe need just one more perimeter defender.

i am not over rating them, but just saying that we all might be underating them...

we were a very good team last year.

we have only lost shaq, but he can be replaced with people who actually fit our style.

the only teams that got better in the west are lakers spurs. every other team has gotten worse.

Denver-lost jones, and may very well lose klieza. two key players on there team.

Utah-maybe better with addition by subtraction. if they they get rid of boozer. but whos to say there a lock to be better then us.

portland is still nothing unless they add a better point.

houston selects john wall with the number one pick...

golden state sucks

hornets- if healthy can be a top 5

mavs. i do not know what all the talk is about them being a contender... they added marion. cool. he is nothing like he used to be. i honestly think we are better then them.

[Wayne Kerr]

also, everyone over rates bell!
he was an ok defender.

what did he do so great on d... hold kobe to 40.

if anything the only person we should be missing is Diaw.

oh and joe cool. lol

[DaDragicShow]

I miss Diaw and House the most.

[Wayne Kerr]

I miss Diaw and House the most.

Diaw was my fav. player. come use my sholder to cry on as we both weep and remember the good ol' days.

[Kerrsed]

please tell me what you predict.

I predict that the Suns will make one more move and that is for Dalembert. That means they finally get their poor mans Chandler (not the offensive threat as Chandler,but more then makes up for it with his health. Dont know if they get Dalembert for JRICH or if they give up Wallaces corps for it. Suns will also add Griffin. Taylor that is. Assuming we did the 76er trade for Old Ben, we have:

Nash/Dragic/Barbosa
JRICH/Barbosa/Tucker
Hill/Dudley/Clark
Amare/Frye/Griffin
Dalembert/Lopez/Amundson

That is good enough for a playoff spot (and us leaving in the 1st round).

JRICH will have an awesome season in the SSOL system and his trade value will go up. We will trade him (for who i do not know), and use the room to make a run at Wade (Is it just me or have him and Riley REALLY been going at each other in the media?). Wade would then jump at the chance to play in a uptempo system with Nash feeding him the ball and Amare covering his back. I really dont think Sarver would mind paying the luxury tax when he has a contender with the starting line-up of:

Nash/Wade/Hill/STAT/Dalembert

with Dragic and Clark learning and waiting in the wings to take over for Nash and Hill in a couple of years.

We will then make the playoffs for the next 2 years and possibly win a title or two.

2012 Nash and Hill will be gone, we will trade STAT and it really wont matter because as according to the Mayan Calendar, the world will end on Dec. 21, 2012. I can predict farther if you want me to go farther into the end of the world if you want as i watch alot of the Discovery/History/Science channel and truly believe in the Mayan Prophecy.

[ruiner]

If we're healthy, I'm confident we'll make the playoffs. At least somewhere between 5-8. Obviously, not good enough for a title. There's too much talent here and no Porter to slow us down. We'll be horrible defensively, if we don't make another move, but teams will still have a hard time stopping us. Like mentioned, at least it'll be fun to watch.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Good news to a point. Better than what we thought was going to happen. I respect Hill in his decision, but am kind of puzzled. I’m surprised he did want to go to Boston for a chance to win a championship. I know Nash is great, but come one, a ring is one of those things that defy your legacy as a great player like Hill. If he would have left, I would have not problem with it. I met him when he first signed with the suns at Nash roast party almost three years ago. Nice and down to earth guy, just like nash. I am excited he is staying and hope we can at least get out of the first rd for once.

On the bolded part, I wouldn't think that would be the case with Mr. Hill. Think about it, he goes to Boston and say they win the Chip, he isn't playing a meaningful role behind Pierce, he is just another bench scrub. Basically meaning, sure he got a ring, but his career at this point wont mean a hell of a lot should he win a ring unless he is a big part of it. He still wants to play a meaningful role, and why shouldn't he, the dude still has game. Personally I think the only "better" chance he had whilst still contributing would have been back in Orlando. All the other "top" teams have the SF spot covered.

However, I am expecting a first rd exit again, which is better than last year. Oh, and on the positive side, nf33 is going to stay in the forum.

Feeling the love.

[KJ7]

You're right JV. The Pav situation is different however as (as far as I know) only the guaranteed part of the contract counts towards our cap.

All of Ben's contract is guaranteed and therefore regardless of what we pay him out at 14m will count towards our cap for the entire season ...

Now having said that if we save 4m (pay him out at 10m) for the season then we can use that 4m to pay part of the tax. I think that's where ppl get confused. You really need to separate what teams *actually* pay and what the team's cap is.

I believe that is false. Since both parties agree to the buyout, the buyout amount is what is one the books, making the original contract amount irrelevant. The buyout essentially is mutually voiding out the guarantee of money/services.

Just had to double-check that with the "business" board. You're right! Sorry for muddying the waters.

[WTFsunsFTW]

define, not defy

[Qwigglez]

I think many of you posters are underrating the Suns. After Amare was injured last February, the Suns still managed to play above .500 basketball. A team without their best offensive weapon still managed to put up 120 plus points on several occasions, and over 110 on many of the last 20 plus games. Imagine what we could have put up with Amare in the lineup.
How does an Amare-less Suns put up 154 points (on the Warriors, still an NBA team). With Shaq, Hill, and Nash combining for only 46points. Who made the other 108 points?

[Qwigglez]

please tell me what you predict.

I predict that the Suns will make one more move and that is for Dalembert. That means they finally get their poor mans Chandler (not the offensive threat as Chandler,but more then makes up for it with his health. Dont know if they get Dalembert for JRICH or if they give up Wallaces corps for it. Suns will also add Griffin. Taylor that is. Assuming we did the 76er trade for Old Ben, we have:

Nash/Dragic/Barbosa
JRICH/Barbosa/Tucker
Hill/Dudley/Clark
Amare/Frye/Griffin
Dalembert/Lopez/Amundson

That is good enough for a playoff spot (and us leaving in the 1st round).

JRICH will have an awesome season in the SSOL system and his trade value will go up. We will trade him (for who i do not know), and use the room to make a run at Wade (Is it just me or have him and Riley REALLY been going at each other in the media?). Wade would then jump at the chance to play in a uptempo system with Nash feeding him the ball and Amare covering his back. I really dont think Sarver would mind paying the luxury tax when he has a contender with the starting line-up of:

Nash/Wade/Hill/STAT/Dalembert

with Dragic and Clark learning and waiting in the wings to take over for Nash and Hill in a couple of years.

We will then make the playoffs for the next 2 years and possibly win a title or two.

2012 Nash and Hill will be gone, we will trade STAT.

Just wondering where the Suns got the money to sign Wade?
And wondering why if we had Wade, trade Stat in 2012 as opposed to keeping him?

[Wayne Kerr]

I think many of you posters are underrating the Suns. After Amare was injured last February, the Suns still managed to play above .500 basketball. A team without their best offensive weapon still managed to put up 120 plus points on several occasions, and over 110 on many of the last 20 plus games. Imagine what we could have put up with Amare in the lineup.
How does an Amare-less Suns put up 154 points (on the Warriors, still an NBA team). With Shaq, Hill, and Nash combining for only 46points. Who made the other 108 points?

+1

[The Diesel]

The very latest on the Nash contract negotiations from Marc Stein.

Friday's re-signing of Grant Hill and Steve Nash's subsequent congratulatory messages via Twitter are the latest signals that the Phoenix Suns will achieve their No. 1 priority this offseason by securing Nash's signature on a contract extension.

Nash, though, is still weighing his options.

Nash
Nash

Sources with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com that the sides are still working out the terms of a two-year contract extension and that the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player -- who wanted to see what sort of roster maneuvering Phoenix accomplished before committing to finishing his career in the desert -- has not ruled out playing out the final year of his contract next season to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2010.

Suns owner Robert Sarver said via e-mail Friday that he awaits the response to the team's latest formal presentation to agent Bill Duffy made earlier this week. The Suns' two-year extension offer is believed to be worth in the region of $20 million.

Sarver said further negotiations are scheduled for next week when Suns officials and Duffy are in Las Vegas for the NBA's annual summer league here.

"I am hopeful," Sarver said. "[Nash] likes Phoenix and we like him."

The expectation remains that the sides will eventually reach an extension agreement. Via his Twitter account Friday, Nash appeared to drop a couple hints by welcoming the signings of Hill and Channing Frye and sending birthday wishes to Suns swingman Jared Dudley.

Yet it's also believed that Nash still has questions about the Suns' ability to reload roster-wise in the next year or two to make a return to the Western Conference elite within the three years an extension would span.

As for Hill, knowing that he'll definitely be playing alongside Nash next season -- along with the Suns' beefed-up offer -- was enough to convince him to stay in Phoenix instead of signing with the New York Knicks or Boston Celtics.

The Suns certainly could move Nash this summer if they wanted, but they've made it known to anyone calling with trade interest -- most notably Portland -- that they will not part with Nash even if he insists on playing out his current contract to have the right to shop himself in the summer of 2010.

In the event Nash did choose to take that route, Hill's new two-year, $6.2 million contract contains an opt-out provision that will enable him to return to free agency next summer as well.

"It's important for Grant that Steve be there next year," Hill's agent, Lon Babby, told reporters during a conference call Friday. "I know they have had conversations, so I think he's quite confident that the team that's coming back next year is going to be a highly, highly competitive team, and obviously that would include Steve Nash. But you need to get those [extension] specifics from the Suns."

Nash's public comments on the subject, such as his Friday tweets, have generally given Phoenix hope that he is preparing to spend the next three seasons in the desert -- which would take him to age 38 -- in spite of the Suns' recent slide in the West. During the opening of another Steve Nash Sports Club in his native Canada last week, Nash said: "I still believe in everybody there and still think we can build a winner."

But Nash also made mention during that news conference in Vancouver of the "financial constraints" that prompted the Suns to trade Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland for two expiring contracts (Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic) after O'Neal's first and only full season as a Sun resulted in a 46-36 record that featured the midseason firing of coach Terry Porter and a failure to make the playoffs.

"We maybe don't have the deep pockets of some of the other teams," Nash said.

Since the O'Neal trade, Phoenix has drafted Earl Clark with the 14th overall pick and made two relatively cap-friendly signings Friday in Hill and Frye. They've also flirted with trading Amare Stoudemire, but NBA front-office sources said that the Suns were already strongly leaning toward taking Stoudemire completely off the trade market before Stoudemire's disclosure via Twitter on Friday afternoon that he was undergoing another eye surgery.

The Suns later announced that it was a minor outpatient procedure stemming from his Feb. 20 surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye and that Stoudemire will be able to resume workouts in 10 days.

"It was a routine drainage of a small amount of residual fluid that was simply the next step," team ophthalmologist Jay Schwartz said in a statement.

The Suns explored trading Stoudemire in February and again recently in conjunction with the draft but had begun to tell other teams that they were inclined to keep him for another season to play in the up-tempo system that has been restored under new coach Alvin Gentry.

"They were in that mode," one rival executive said of the Suns' stance, which was reached even though Stoudemire is likewise eligible to be a free agent in July 2010 and has been openly disappointed about the Suns' reluctance to sign him to a contract extension.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4320463

If Nash rejects the extension, I think Kerr should trade him.