Kurt Thomas vs Shaq: Why Was Kurt a Better Fit?

[The Diesel]

Hey guys,

Everyone keeps saying that Shaq slowed down the offense too much and was a bad fit, but Kurt Thomas is even slower than Shaq and was a great fit.

Why was Kurt Thomas a better fit for the Suns than Shaq was?

I am interested in hearing your opinions on this.

Thanks.

[MaryvalesFinest]

He was a better compliment to Amare, the year Amare made first team all-nba he was playing next to Kurt Thomas. Also he opened up the lanes and didn't clog the middle as much as Shaq. Kurt Thomas could also defend the pick and roll pretty well. Shaq's the better player but Kurt Thomas fit the Suns running style better.

[lilfishi22]

KT played strictly as a role player like Shaq was suppose to. Shaq dominated the ball more than he should and that took shots and efficiency away from guys like Amare and Nash. On top of the Shaq clogged the lane because that's the only place he was effective. KT had a pretty reliable mid range shot that allowed Amare to do his thing in the post. As for KT being slower than Shaq, yeah he is. But our offense didn't rely on him as much so we didn't have to slow down for him like we did with Shaq.

KT was the perfect role player for us and for Amare in particular, he didn't take shots away from Amare, he guarded the bigger and more gifted bigs, he boxed out and rebounded and most important of all, he knew his role on the team.

[BurningHeart]

KT played strictly as a role player like Shaq was suppose to. Shaq dominated the ball more than he should and that took shots and efficiency away from guys like Amare and Nash. On top of the Shaq clogged the lane because that's the only place he was effective. KT had a pretty reliable mid range shot that allowed Amare to do his thing in the post. As for KT being slower than Shaq, yeah he is. But our offense didn't rely on him as much so we didn't have to slow down for him like we did with Shaq.

KT was the perfect role player for us and for Amare in particular, he didn't take shots away from Amare, he guarded the bigger and more gifted bigs, he boxed out and rebounded and most important of all, he knew his role on the team.

Exactly. And he was a positive influence because Kurt Thomas is not the biggest attention whore in the league like Shaq is.

[The Diesel]

Thanks for sharing your opinions on this issue. I enjoyed reading them.

[Qwigglez]

KT played strictly as a role player like Shaq was suppose to. Shaq dominated the ball more than he should and that took shots and efficiency away from guys like Amare and Nash. On top of the Shaq clogged the lane because that's the only place he was effective. KT had a pretty reliable mid range shot that allowed Amare to do his thing in the post. As for KT being slower than Shaq, yeah he is. But our offense didn't rely on him as much so we didn't have to slow down for him like we did with Shaq.

KT was the perfect role player for us and for Amare in particular, he didn't take shots away from Amare, he guarded the bigger and more gifted bigs, he boxed out and rebounded and most important of all, he knew his role on the team.

Well put. I have to agree here.

[JohnVancouver]

Hey guys,

Everyone keeps saying that Shaq slowed down the offense too much and was a bad fit, but Kurt Thomas is even slower than Shaq and was a great fit.

Why was Kurt Thomas a better fit for the Suns than Shaq was?

I don't remember anyone saying Shaq slowed us down. What he did do was kill offensive momentum, push nash and Stat out of their comfort zone so that they were less effective. He clogged the lane on offense and was a liability on defense - too easily exploited with PNR.

No knock, just who he is and what his game is. he bvecame a focal point of the offense under porter and we never recovered. Terrible idea. BTW, it was Porter that slowed the team down. Shaq was very good when he first got here.


KT played a whole differnt game on offense, had the step outside jumper, and was mobile on D

The anti-Shaq

[statisback]

And I still wonder if we didnt trade James Jones for cash, Kurt Thomas and future picks for cap space, Shawn Marion for Shaq, and Boris Diaw/Raja Bell for JRich how good would the Suns have been? What was Sarver and Kerr thinking?

[RunDogGun]

KT was the better fit for the Suns. He played better defense, and could hit the pick and pop. It is too bad that we first said we couldn't use him, and then just give him and the 2 first rounders for basically nothing. Nash seemed upset by this, not as much as when Bell and Diaw were traded, but definitely upset.

After trading KT, we realized we needed a big who could ignite the break. This front office takes too long to figure out what they have. I hope Studley and Lou get noticed for their hard work.

You need role players, and KT filled his role well. To top it off, his birthday is only 1 away from Grant Hill. Which is the greatest day of the year.

[DirtyDez]

KT was money, why D'Antoni kept taking him out at the end of games is beyond me. We need a post man who can make a defensive stop and rebound down the stretch and Mike replaces him w/ James Jones every time, and every time we give up the huge basket. Unbelievable!

[NashtyNas]

KT played strictly as a role player like Shaq was suppose to. Shaq dominated the ball more than he should and that took shots and efficiency away from guys like Amare and Nash. On top of the Shaq clogged the lane because that's the only place he was effective. KT had a pretty reliable mid range shot that allowed Amare to do his thing in the post. As for KT being slower than Shaq, yeah he is. But our offense didn't rely on him as much so we didn't have to slow down for him like we did with Shaq.

KT was the perfect role player for us and for Amare in particular, he didn't take shots away from Amare, he guarded the bigger and more gifted bigs, he boxed out and rebounded and most important of all, he knew his role on the team.

Well put. I have to agree here.

Completely agree. GJ LF

[azballer53]

i think frye or lou can be that role player for amare unlike shaq

[Austin]

I think Frye will do the KT job better than KT did it.

[realsunsfan]

I think Frye will do the KT job better than KT did it.

Frye will space the floor as kurt did, but I don't see Frye playing the same post defense as kurt....

[Qwigglez]

I think Frye will do the KT job better than KT did it.

Frye will space the floor as kurt did, but I don't see Frye playing the same post defense as kurt....

Frye should run the floor better too though. Kurt was only good on post defense because he has high basketball IQ, Frye can still learn.

[realsunsfan]

I think Frye will do the KT job better than KT did it.

Frye will space the floor as kurt did, but I don't see Frye playing the same post defense as kurt....

Frye should run the floor better too though. Kurt was only good on post defense because he has high basketball IQ, Frye can still learn.

Yes he can still learn, and I fully expect him play very well in our system. The only concern I have is his strength, would be nice if he could add a few pounds of muscle, would help him on defense....

[Sun Scorched]

It had nothing to do with how either of the two "fit" into the team.

It had everything to do with how they were "used" while on the team.

Look at what Mike was able to do with both Stoudemire & O'Neal on the court at the end of his tenure.

This "Shaq couldn't do this or that" phalacy was designed to ease the bruising of our collective egos after we were spoiled with a few seasons of SSOL.

I'm all for team chemistry, but the point of each and every basketball game is to put the ball through the hoop more often than your opponent. O'Neal shot 60% from the field and helped our anemic rebounding... which both directly serve my last point. I love Stoudemire, but he can't (or won't) do either of those two things.

And in terms of spacing, I understand that O'Neal is one big@ss body in the lane, but what helps spacing more than someone who commands a double team every time he touches the ball?

[realsunsfan]

It had nothing to do with how either of the two "fit" into the team.

It had everything to do with how they were "used" while on the team.

Look at what Mike was able to do with both Stoudemire & O'Neal on the court at the end of his tenure.

This "Shaq couldn't do this or that" phalacy was designed to ease the bruising of our collective egos after we were spoiled with a few seasons of SSOL.

I'm all for team chemistry, but the point of each and every basketball game is to put the ball through the hoop more often than your opponent. O'Neal shot 60% from the field and helped our anemic rebounding... which both directly serve my last point. I love Stoudemire, but he can't (or won't) do either of those two things.

And in terms of spacing, I understand that O'Neal is one big@ss body in the lane, but what helps spacing more than someone who commands a double team every time he touches the ball?

Shaq fit well when he first got here, until his mentallity changed from wanting to fit in and do what is needed to I need my touches to be Shaq. Once he started demanding the ball he disrupted the entire offense of the team, and yes he shot arounf 60% but at the cost of everybody else's % on the team. Again when he first came and was willing to be a "support" player to Stat, it worked extremely well but once he demanded the ball it failed.
As far spacing, Shaq does command a double team, unfortunately it was in the paint, exactly where we DON"T need it, it only reduced our spacing.........

[rsavaj]

It had nothing to do with how either of the two "fit" into the team.

It had everything to do with how they were "used" while on the team.

Look at what Mike was able to do with both Stoudemire & O'Neal on the court at the end of his tenure.

This "Shaq couldn't do this or that" phalacy was designed to ease the bruising of our collective egos after we were spoiled with a few seasons of SSOL.

I'm all for team chemistry, but the point of each and every basketball game is to put the ball through the hoop more often than your opponent. O'Neal shot 60% from the field and helped our anemic rebounding... which both directly serve my last point. I love Stoudemire, but he can't (or won't) do either of those two things.

And in terms of spacing, I understand that O'Neal is one big@ss body in the lane, but what helps spacing more than someone who commands a double team every time he touches the ball?

Word. Offensively, Seven Seconds or Shaq>SSOL. Too bad it didn't work out.

[the_warden]

I think Frye will do the KT job better than KT did it.

Frye will space the floor as kurt did, but I don't see Frye playing the same post defense as kurt....

Frye should run the floor better too though. Kurt was only good on post defense because he has high basketball IQ, Frye can still learn.

Who will he learn from? And he can still learn, but do you think that's likely?

KT also rebounded much better than Frye.



And in response to the question, I think it might be a little bit of a trick because we didn't have to give up Marion to get KT. I'd rather have Shaq than KT on that team, but I'd rather keep KT than give up Marion for Shaq.