I like this deal better then anything w/ NOH or Dallas for Chandler or Dampier b/c those deals would require the Suns to take back big contracts and more importantly they would be helping western conf foes.

with the further salary cap space? Would cleveland include a draft pick? Or would we go out and get someone? This still doesn’t solve the problem of getting a “more active big man”, and even though I think Nash is stuck in the old ways of run-n-gun, he does have a point that teams are anchored on Big men that can at least pretend to defend the pick and roll and crash the boards.

That’s fine with me, as long as Kerr uses the space wisely.

I was against getting Shaq from day 1. Nothing against dude, I love him honestly, but he’s just not right for our team. And like I said with the JRich trade discussion, I dont care who we get in return, just get rid of them. Shaq and JRich are both really good players in their own right, but not right for us.

as long as Kerr uses the space wisely

absolutely

If Kerr trades Shaq, some (even himself) might view the original trade that sent Marion packing as a fold. We knew it was a gamble from the get-go. We saw the flop, and are folding without the turn or river cards. Thats fine! Its still okay to take a big risk and fold knowing you’re cards wont win the hand. You didnt go all in, and you’re ready for the next hand.

Im not okay with this trade. Never have been. For one, why are we giving the Cavs more talent? Two, what the hell are we getting in return? Bull $^it thats what. Pavlovic is overrated (just like everyone else on the Cavs team). Even if Wallace sells out at a low cost, say 8 million. Then we still have to pick up at LEAST one big. Despite Shaq’s defensive liabilities, we did have the best post game in the league this year. Only, only if we could guarantee a big man pick up like Gortat would I go for something like this. Better would be if we could pick up Gortat and Odom from the Lakes. But to get rid of Shaq for a pittance? No way.

Assuming we trade Shaq to Cleveland for Wallace and Pavlovic, and further assuming we buy out Wallace and cut Pavlovic (all things I am perfectly fine with), then in my opinion we need a rugged, good perimeter defender and a big man who can defend the pick and roll.

Obviously lots of teams are gonna want Odom, Ariza, and the other big name free agents..

For a big, what about lesser name players like Zaza Pachulia, Mikki Moore, or Brandon Bass…Obviously neither can play center but I assume if we don’t get a true center like Gortat, we’re gonna be playing small with Amare at the 5 when Lopez isn’t in the game

For a perimeter defender what about Dahntay Jones (I know he’s a cheat, but he’s the type of player we need), Ime Udoka

I say this deal only works if the Cavs are throwing in more to the trade like the #30 pick and J.J. Hickson, or a top 3 protected 2010 1st round pick. And they might too, the Cavs owner vowed to improve the team and guaranteed the Cavs would bring Cleveland a title – this trade would be a big statement in that regard, so I think the Suns have leverage.

It simply saves them tax and money. It is a purely financial trade that would not clear space to acquire additional players.

The salary cap this past year was 58.7M. It is not clear what the number will be next year and it is difficult to speculate b/c the word is that, unusually, the NBA will likely be lowering the cap this year b/c of general economic strain. Even if it did go up we’re talking 60M maximum, and that seems unlikely. So for the sake of this we’ll assume this past year’s cap

Salary cap: 58.7M

Suns 2009-2010 cap number before Shaq/Wallace trade: 76M (assuming the Suns pick up the Nash/Amundson options).

Suns 2009-2010 cap number after Shaq/Wallace trade: 74M (once again assuming the suns pick up the Nash/Amundson options).

2 million dollars in cap savings. That is what this trade nets us.

But let’s say we get lucky and Wallace will accept a 50% price buyout of his contract to retire i.e. a 7M dollar buyout. Well, b/c he only has one year left on his contract all 7M of the buyout must count against the 09-10 cap number. So…

Suns 2009-2010 cap number after Shaq/Wallace trade and Wallace 50% buyout: 63M

And then let’s say the Suns get ruthless and cut Pavlovic so only 1.5M of his salary stays on the books:

Suns 2009-2010 cap number after Shaq/Wallace trade and Wallace 50% buyout and Pavlovic cut: 59.5M

This number is still above the cap. And keep in mind this is with only 9 players under contract (Wallace will have retired and Pavlovic will be cut), so you can a 1.4M dollar rookie salary to that and at least one vet minimum contract and Hill resigned at near 2M, for a most likely number of 63-64M.

Thus, this trade does not give us any money to pursue free agents unless we want to use our midlevel exception. Plus, it deprives us of an all-star center for nothing except savings (b/c keep in mind we only save real money if Wallace retires and we cut Pavlovic) What it does do is get us far under the 71.1M dollar luxury tax threshold, meaning that in total it saves the Suns around 18M real dollars.

But please understand this trade is simply a Kurt Thomas trade i.e. only for saving money not for acquiring usable cap space.

is going to cost a lot more than an MLE. He’s a 26 year old who just averaged 16 and 12 and has efficiency numbers through the roof. No way he’s taking 5-6M per season. This is first, and maybe only shot, at hitting it big with a contract.

Odom and Wallace might seem plausible if the Suns were a legitimate championship contender, because I could see either of those guys going under market value for another shot at a ring. But the Suns aren’t that team.

Gortat? Sure. The price seems right and he would be a worthwhile acquisition.

But I’m not sure the Suns would even use the MLE. But even assuming they do and we get Gortat for 5.5M or so, I still don’t see the wisdom in trading in an All-star center for Gortat and 10M in savings, especially when that transaction actually raises(!) our cap number for the 09-10 offseason because Gortat is not taking a one year contract and we won’t have the 21M Big Expiration to lean on.

This trade only makes sense if the Suns are strapped for cash, b/c from a basketball perspective, any way you slice it, Shaq + 21M in cap relief after 2010 > Gortat and I really like Gortat.

1. Doesn’t put us under the cap
2. Sarver said he would be willing to pay the luxury tax for a year
3. We get NO ONE in return
4. There is no reason to pull the trigger so early – why not wait till the deadline, see how desperate the Cavs get.
The only time this worked was when we dumped Marbury on the Knicks, but that was WAY different, because it got us under the actualy cap.
This is a bad deal presently, and we will regret it. I don’t want to watch a 40 win team
This only works out of the MLE becomes Trevor Ariza

Keep Shaq, and get the $20 million cap relief at the end of the season. (why are we talking about anything else?)
Trade Jrich – he doesn’t fit. Think the TWolves and get JCollins and the #6. Draft Tyreke Evans to play SG and take over at point sometimes.
Draft James Johnson or Earl Clark to be the SF of the future (Do you realize the most recent JJ has the same physique as LeBron?)
Hope Amare was watching the finals and decides to do whatever it takes to get one for himself – Tell me, Amare, can you stand to see Kobe struttin’ like that?

New lineup

C – Shaq/Robin
PF – Amare/Lou/Dudley
SF – Hill/JJ
SG – Barbosa/Evans
PG – Nash/Dragic

Also, if we are tempted, let’s make Cleveland blow our doors off with a deal. Looks like they are pretty desperate:

http://ken-berger.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/11838893/15566449