So, Suns fans, it's looking like the 2009-2010 Phoenix Suns team is shaping up.  (I still feel a little weird typing '2010', maybe that's just me.)  And, inspired from a comment in another post, I'm here to provide a reason why this team is going to be the "Feel Good" Suns team.  Nearly every era of Suns basketball has come with a title, a nickname of sorts, that describes the team.  And, I am dubbing this team the Feel Good team.

Now, for the reasons why...

 

 

Steve Nash: After a turbulent offseason, where none of us fans a.) knew if Nash would be a Phoenix Sun one year (or even one month) from today, b.) knew if Nash even wanted to be a Sun one year from today, and c.) were even sure we wanted Nash on our team one year from today.

While it seemed that Phoenix was set to go into full rebuild mode, Kerr talking about wanting to sign and extend Nash for another two years seemed preposterous.  Resign one of our oldest players for a considerable amount of money?  Yes, he is one of the best point guards to ever play the game.  It's true that without Nash, the last four or five years of success we've known don't happen.  But why resign a player obviously past his prime?

That's where Kerr had us fooled.  He wasn't going to blow up the team.  And while it was never really in any of our minds that Steve Nash would not be playing in a Suns jersey for at least this next year, it's becoming more and more apparent as this offseason continues that Steve Kerr really does love this team.  Resigning Steve Nash was a big sigh of relief (at least for this Suns fan).

 

Amaré Stoudemire: This one is a much more complicated, much more rewarding situation.  There were the trade rumors on draft night that our (mostly) beloved Sun Tzu would be heading to Golden State for Andris Biedrins, Kelenna Azubuike/Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright, and the #7 pick in this years draft...Stephen Curry.  When it seemed like the rumors and contracts were all but signed, Golden State either pulled a fast one when it realized that including Curry in the mix was too much, or the Suns and W's just kind of let the trade fizzle out.  There was undoubtedly interest from both sides, but it seemed like no one saw eye to eye.

Enter the Blog War of Summer '09.  Enter more trade rumors which give the Suns the shaft, and pry away our "crown jewel" (of sorts) for chump change.  While it's up for debate whether or not Amaré is really that integral to our franchise, and whether or not we should deal him for "the right deal" (which, let's face it, is about as promising as idly waiting for Mr./Mrs. Right to come along), I think one thing is certain: we need Amaré Stoudemire.

After all of the hoopla beginning in June, we just need the guy to come back and prove what he's worth.  He's always been a committed player in nearly every offseason, adding a new dimension to his increasingly versatile game.  He's always been a good person for PR, knowing what to say.  He seems to be a fairly high character guy off the court, and while you might say, "he's going to chase the money, no doubt", I think he'll stick around if we can show him that we both respect him enough to pay him what he's really worth (which we'll find out how much that is after a few months this season) and commit to him being the future of our franchise.  He's in his peak, and it'd be foolish to trade one of the best big men in the game for a chance at "young talent".

Whether you want to admit it or not, having Amaré back for this season was a big step in the right direction.

Grant Hill: Quite possibly my favorite Suns player in recent memory (Nash and Stoudemire are just too easy to pick), I was really hoping that Hill would be back on the team come October.  There is no argument that Grant Hill is one of the classiest NBA players to date, and after the turbulent career he's had (heralded as the next Michael Jordan, injuries galore, to rebirth in the PHX), it seemed like everyone was set upon his return this fall.  However, a few weeks ago, that notion seemed to be more and more incorrect.

New York offered him more money.  Boston offered him a legitimate chance at obtaining a ring for a player that's more than deserving.  I won't go into much detail (as it's already been beautifully done here), but I thought Kerr would have a Moron Point chalked up on his (now defunct) Moron Meter.  It didn't seem like either side was pressing too hard, when they should have been.  But, the Suns front office showed Grant just how much he means to us by giving him the respect that he deserves.  I'm ecstatic to have Hill back, and I hope he can have the success (and lack of injuries) he had last year.

All of these stories could shape up for a pretty good feel good team, but the list continues with...

• The signing of Channing Frye, who was apparently a beloved part of the Blazers' franchise (at least from a fan's perspective) and is a great character guy, with loads of personality.  I don't see how this doesn't end well for the Suns.

• The drafting of Earl Clark and Taylor Griffin.  The jury is still very out on both of these players, but I'll be the first to admit, when the Suns drafted Clark, I was very happy.  I watched a lot of Louisville games (since ESPN seems to have a love affair with East Coast teams) and began to really love watching Clark play.  And, while I was extremely pleased with the drafting of Clark, I was (at the time) very upset with the choice of Taylor Griffin.  I kept saying things like, "What is it with the Suns and choosing the lesser of two brothers?" and "Seriously?!  When Patty Mills was right there for our taking?"  I now retract (most of) my words.  After seeing how hard Taylor has worked out for the Suns, just to have a shot at making an NBA team (a historically darn good one, at that), it's been apparent to me that he's the kind of player we want.  We need the star power to give us credibility and firepower, but we need the role players to tie it all together.  It's almost certain that Griffin doesn't have the greatest ceiling, but I like what the kid shows.  He shows commitment.  He shows desire.  He shows that he's willing to do whatever it takes to try and help a team win.
• The hiring of Alvin Gentry.  He's a player's coach.  He knows our system, and better yet, he's implemented some of his own philosophies to the widely known "7 Seconds or Less" system.  He plays a fast game, but unlike before, he uses his bench so players don't wear out as quickly.  He gives rookies and young players chances to prove themselves in actual game time, as opposed to "Hey look, we're losing by 30 points with 3:00 left in the game" garbage minutes.  They might not stay in the game for very long, but at least he gives them the shot.  He's instilled confidence and is working to get us back to that Phoenix Suns swagger of a few years ago.  I like the guy.  He knows what to say, and has got a bit of a sense of humor.

There are still moves that can be made to further this team, but for now...the Feel Good Suns are coming into shape.  Prepare yourselves, Suns fans.  You may just be surprised.