Questions for Steve Kerr

I have a shortminded question.

How much are we gonna get killed by tonight? No Shaq, three other rotation players gone, no Tucker…might be a train wreck.

All part of the greater good, I guess.

by Azreous on Dec 10, 2008 6:17 PM MST reply actions

All right.

So Singletary wasn’t playing much and Tucker will probably get a few minutes tonight. Still.

It’s hard to keep track with all this going on right now.

by Azreous on Dec 10, 2008 6:19 PM MST up reply actions

“Hey, Steve, that trade puts a whole lot of offense on the floor with our starting 5 now. Do you think perhaps there’s a coach out there who could really maximize this team’s offensive potential? I mean an offensive mastermind who would really know what to do when you have 4 guys on the floor who are good for 20, maybe even 30 points on any given night? What? Sorry, I couldn’t hear you because my head just exploded.”

Is it possible we just traded for the right player and are stuck with the wrong coach?

by Mike Lisboa on Dec 10, 2008 7:21 PM MST reply actions

That's what makes me mad about this trade.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 10, 2008 7:33 PM MST up reply actions

yeah nice.

Makes you think we should have just kept Joe Johnson for the same price as JRich

Window Closed? Shit, just break it then.

by ZonaFlash on Dec 10, 2008 7:44 PM MST up reply actions

J-Rich+Tucker for JJ!

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 10, 2008 8:09 PM MST up reply actions

You had to bring up Joe Johnson

I am still ticked that we didn’t keep him.

Oh and ESPN has us down to a 12% chance to win.

by TwinnerA on Dec 10, 2008 8:14 PM MST up reply actions

With Diaw gone.

With Diaw gone getting rid of Joe Johnson looks worse. I wish we kept JJ too.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Dec 12, 2008 6:38 PM MST up reply actions

ah interesting, I hadn't thought everything through

Everything must go.

by ZonaFlash on Dec 15, 2008 6:20 AM MST up reply actions

"Is it possible we just traded for the right player and are stuck with the wrong coach?"

Wrong coach? Not a chance. Check out Milwaukee’s stats while Porter coached them. They were a great offensive team during his time.

by underxthebridge on Dec 11, 2008 8:40 AM MST up reply actions

he's ceded the offense to assistant coach steve nash

Window Closed? Shit, just break it then.

by ZonaFlash on Dec 11, 2008 8:11 PM MST up reply actions

Paul Coro's article "Reactions to Suns' 5-player trade"..

Unless I’m reading this wrong, Raja has a quote saying…

“He’s athletic and gives us a really potent offensive player. … He’s also an excellent defensive player and he’s in his prime. He’s a very high-character guy and well-regarded around the league for his professionalism.”

This makes me sad… especially how Raja says that he “gives US a really potent offensive player.”

Maybe he can sign with us as a nice bench player when his contract expires?

by brian13 on Dec 10, 2008 8:21 PM MST reply actions

I think that's Kerr's quote

but Boris and Raja’s are telling:

“It definitely wasn’t as fun. … It wasn’t as exciting for the fans. It’s not as fun for everybody (on the team). I’ll always remember Phoenix with Mike (D’Antoni). We went from a winning team that was the most exciting team in the league to a half-winning team that wasn’t exciting at all.”

- Boris Diaw

“The team was underachieving. … They needed to make some changes. I guess they think it’s their best chance to win and I’ve got to respect that.”

- Raja Bell

Blogging Suns Basketball

by Seth Pollack on Dec 10, 2008 8:35 PM MST up reply actions

ooooh....

I figured i was reading it wrong… I just wasn’t smart enough to realize how.

by brian13 on Dec 10, 2008 9:12 PM MST up reply actions

I'm Surpised

By Doris’ quote.

He was playing better this year. I just don’t get it.

If he and Raja were living in the past, then it’s best they’re gone.

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Dec 10, 2008 11:15 PM MST up reply actions

Diaw

Couldn’t be more correct if he tried.

by turs12 on Dec 11, 2008 1:07 AM MST up reply actions

Word.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 11, 2008 1:10 AM MST up reply actions

Kerr is such a liar.

Richardson is a terrible defender.

I hate Kerr. I really do.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 11, 2008 1:11 AM MST up reply actions

he is a liar

but come on, JRich is a way better defender than Steve Kerr was.

Window Closed? Shit, just break it then.

by ZonaFlash on Dec 11, 2008 8:12 PM MST up reply actions

As I’ve said before, Kerr is a TV analyst playing GM. If I were Raja Bell and Boris Diaw I’d say good riddance. This team now is a farce. But, if there were any two guys who were hurt by Mike being pushed out of town, I’d say it was these two. I’m not sure playing for Larry Brown will be any better for them than Porter.

I’m still dumbfounded by the hiring of Terry Porter, though. So maybe Larry is better.

My question is, much like the ones above, Why the F didn’t you go for a guy like this when you really needed one? Kerr has made a career out of dismantling 7SOL, and then after he’s done a really excellent job of destroying the team’s identity and finding a coach who is as useless as possible, he brings in a guy who would have taken 7SOL to a whole new level.

I bet the Spurs front office is laughing hysterically because their spy has done way more than they could have expected.

by truth32 on Dec 10, 2008 9:12 PM MST reply actions

My sentiments exactly.

I really, really don’t like this trade.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 11, 2008 1:11 AM MST up reply actions

I can't stand this anymore....

When Terry Porter became coach, I was ok with that decision, because I thought, as an outstanding point guard himself, he’d be smart enough to understand what he had, wrt offense, and wouldn’t mess with that. I didn’t think he’d be just another shortsighted coach, who couldn’t think outside his own comfort zone, or wasn’t able to adjust his system to the personnel he inherited, or tried to turn the Suns into the Pistons of 3 seasons ago.

And that’s the root of this. Despite what the pundits say, this trade is almost solely about personality issues between Porter & Raja/Boris, and Terry Porter trying to reclaim his authority with his players.

Does adding Richardson make the Suns a better team? Hard to say.. With the recent offensive change, going more up-tempo, and putting the ball back in Steve Nash’s hands, this team was starting to jell together, and get into it’s comfort zone. Stronger defense would certainly have followed from the resulting improvement in morale. It’s not clear that the new players are a defensive upgrade.

When it comes down to it, Steve Kerr traded heart/cojones for compliance, and destroyed locker-room spirit. This team has almost no soul left.

Given that Kerr has traded almost all of Nash’s compadres from the 2006 season, he’s finally and unequivocally turned this into Amare’s team. As much as it pains me to say this, the Sun’s front office should just do the merciful thing and move Steve Nash to the Lakers or the Knicks.

"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".

by Pliny the Elder on Dec 11, 2008 1:28 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

Word.

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 11, 2008 1:52 AM MST up reply actions

comeback??

any chance diaw and bell don’t report and just come back in a month?? i don’t know the exact rules on this, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bell back if the Suns end up trading Barbosa.

by Suns' Sensei on Dec 11, 2008 2:51 AM MST reply actions

No way

That only works if the Bobcats buy him out of his contract. That would be absurd. So that means MJ might do it.

Blogging Suns Basketball

by Seth Pollack on Dec 11, 2008 8:27 AM MST up reply actions

I can't wait

For all the naysayers to come jumping back on the bandwagon within the next two months.

by underxthebridge on Dec 11, 2008 8:41 AM MST reply actions

Not liking the trade doesn't mean we're off the bandwagon

Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."

by rsavaj on Dec 11, 2008 6:00 PM MST up reply actions

I'm not sure I even care anymore..

Actually, while Steve Nash is still on the roster I’ll be rooting for this team, but Kerr is making this hard. Talk about a Napoleon complex…

I’ll say this: if Kerr & Porter had done to Jason Kidd, Dwayne, LeBron or Kobe, what they did to Steve Nash this season, you’d still be hearing about it from the press/fan base of those respective teams.

Taking the ball out of the hands of possibly the most feared offensive player in the NBA over the last five years, was not a smart move. I’m disappointed in myself for ever thinking that Kerr & Porter would never be that dumb.

"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".

by Pliny the Elder on Dec 11, 2008 7:03 PM MST up reply actions

Daaay-um. Kerr always had stone cojones, and a wicked-quick release. Plainly this has carried over to his deal-making. Is he as honed-in as a deal-maker as he was as a 3-pt shooter? I liked the Shaq trade, but I think this one is even MORE of a do-it-no-questions-asked type deal. Bell was unhappy, unproductive, and getting older. Diaw’s potential had ALWAYS been better than his production. Richardson can torch pretty much any given team on a given night for 40 points. He replaces the scoring production they lost with Marion. Kerr is making this team better, moving it away from that fake circus-ball that Mike, Dan, and Tony were foisting on the public. They are closer to championship material NOW than they have been in the last 5 years.

As for Nash…..big admirer of his, at least when he isn’t supposed to be playing defense. But seriously, man, toughen up. No point being so delicate mentally. You’re probably one of the sharper knives in the team’s drawer, so you gotta be able to understand it’s business. You’re also a team leader, so even if this is a disappointment personally, you still gotta keep a brave face and hard-sell your team’s chances to they younger guys on the team. When you had to leave Dirk behind in Dallas it was tough then too, but you BOTH came out better. THIS IS YOUR BEST CHANCE TO EVER HAVE A PRINCIPAL ROLE ON A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. Take advantage of it!

by Gar Van Awtrey on Dec 11, 2008 2:36 PM MST reply actions

Lol

I love this comparison of Kerr’s quick release with the 3 to his rapid fire trades. Not that I agree w/ you of course about the actual trades but well said sir. Well said.

Blogging Suns Basketball

by Seth Pollack on Dec 11, 2008 2:45 PM MST up reply actions