Sad Times For Suns Fans: Sarver Doesn't Deny Kerr Pay Cut, David Griffin Out
by Seth Pollack on Jun 16, 2010 4:39 PM MDT
in Phoenix Suns Commentary
Email
PrintThings continue to shape up as more information comes out and it doesn't look good. Just weeks after the euphoric end to a better than expected season, the Suns seem to be imploding from the top down.
Instead of an anxious summer focused on making the best Amare decision possibly, the Suns are a team in free-fall, as the rift between ownership and management threatens to drag the franchise down for years to come.
Best case, the team will start the season once again with a large deficit of fan goodwill that they will have to earn back the hard way. Again. All momentum from this best season having been destroyed in the last 24 hours.
Worst case, think 20 years of Bidwell-run Cardinals or perhaps the LA Clippers -- low-balling coaches and key players, which leads to poor team morale and an organization that can't attract top free agent player or coaching talent.
I tried to be patient with this situation and not overreact, but at this point, 24 hours later, with the information that's come out and having heard from the key parties directly, there is absolutely no way to see anything positive coming out of this. I fear the Suns are in for a rough road as Sarver hopes to milk a couple of good years out of Gentry, Hill and Nash before their contracts are up and the team flounders as it tries to make crucial moves this summer when Amare opts out.
The latest sad news ...
Today, Paul Coro reported the following about what Kerr was offered, "a one-year contract to stay at his current salary or a three-year deal that would repeat his previous one except for adding a third-year bonus. That meant Kerr's first-year salary would be a cut of about 10 percent from last season, when his salary ranked in the upper one-third of West GMs."
KTAR's John Gambodoro continues to insist that Kerr was not offered a pay cut and today, while interviewing Robert Sarver on his radio show, said that Kerr told him there was no cut. But Sarver, when asked directly, didn't deny the cut and talked around the question.
Even more depressing is Sarver stating that the Suns would pick up Gentry's option year, keeping him one of the lowest paid coaches in the league through 2011/12 instead of giving Gentry a new, better deal. How do you think that's going to fly with Alvin and with the players who support him?
David Griffin, who is widely respected around the NBA and clearly qualified for the job, is the only chance for consistency in the front office. Unfortunately, Sarver made it clear that Griff doesn't have any kind of inside track and said he would give an interview if David wanted one.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the only guy the Suns could bring back with any hope of continuity in the front office. Then again, why would Griffin want the job if his hands would be handcuffed so badly by an owner who continues to show all the savvy of a bull in a china shop?
Were you shocked by Kerr's decision?
"Nah, I wouldn't say shocked. Nothing in this business will shock ya."
"He's had some good opportunities -- including going back to TNT -- and they made a hard sell to him this week, as well, as a team called to see if he'd be interested in being a head coach, which is something at some point in time maybe he'll end up doing."
What changed in the last 24 to 48 hours to make Kerr not come back?
"It's a stressful job ... at the end of the day, he decided this is what's best for (him) personally."
Steve Kerr told me (Gambo) he was not offered a pay cut at all, was he offered a pay cut on this next contract?
"A lot of these contracts -- GMs, players and coaches -- are based on what the market is and the market is, there's 30 teams, so there's 30 GMs, there's 30 coaches and there's 450 players. That's really what sets the market. In terms of Steve, he really wasn't at the top, but he was well compensated. He was in the top one-third of the Western Conference general managers and if you look at our payroll, our payroll is in the top third.
"Listen, you can't have the third best winning percentage in the league for six years and go to the Western Conference Finals three times unless you have good people and in order to get good people you have to pay them fair compensation and what makes sense in the market place."
Do you have to act quick to get a replacement in time for July 1 when free agency starts?
"The answer would be yes and no in that order. We have one of our best players who is a free agent.
"In terms of whether having a GM on board, I don't think that's going to make any difference.
"What's more important to players is number 1, the dollar amount of their contracts. Two, who are their teammates going to be, number 3 who's their coach going to be, number 4 what city are they going to live in and number 5, is this going to be a good fit, am I going to get to play, is this a winning team."
Were there philosophical differences between you and Steve that made him not want to come back?
"Over three years, we've made some good moves, we've made some bad moves.
"Do we agree on everything? No, we don't. Do we agree on 90%? Yes, we do."
Where are you with Gentry's contract (which has one year left and then a team option for the second year) and did that play any role in Steve not coming back?
"No, I don't think so. Steve was very excited about the job that Alvin did and so am I.
"Gentry signed a three year deal with the third year a team option. We are one year in.
"Picking up that third (year) option just makes sense, so that's what will be done."
What about David Griffin for GM and how quickly do you move forward on search for GM?
"I don't feel time pressure. What's important is that we get the right person in the job, so we will be looking everywhere. I don't have any preconceived notion as to who's the lead candidate or who isn't, who we'll include or who we won't include. We'll be assembling a list together of 20 to 30 candidates that will be looked at and narrowed down to a pool to be interviewed by several people in the organization and we'll go from there."
Will Griffin be on that list of candidates to be interviewed?
"If that's what he would like, he would. Yes."
204 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I heard someone say this morning that season ticket renewals were 80%
Can’t imagine they would have been that high with the way this piece of shit summer is shaping up.
RIP Seasons of Discontent
You know how it goes
they push you to renew season tickets in order to get playoff tix
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 16, 2010 4:47 PM MDT up reply actions
Of course
But if you sit on your hands long enough it actually works out OK for you.
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Jun 16, 2010 4:49 PM MDT up reply actions
My Negative Nancy prediction:
1. Kerr is gone.
2. Griffin is gone.
3. Amare is gone.
4. LB is traded for a pick.
5. Amundson is not brought back.
6. Frye is low-balled and decides to find greener pastures.
I have a feeling Sarver is going to try to do a lot of the free agency negotiations himself, and we all know how skilled he is at that.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
....and the Suns win.....
32 games next year?
J-Burn, you’ve reached Scott Howard level pessimism.
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Jun 16, 2010 4:51 PM MDT up reply actions
Hard to feel positive
When the most slam-dunk problem of the offseason (retaining Kerr) was derailed, and the most slam-dunk replacement (Griffin) is not being highly endorsed.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 16, 2010 4:52 PM MDT up reply actions
Trust me....I agree with you
This is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. Sarver has managed to waste everyone’s good feelings from the season.
RIP Seasons of Discontent
by Scott Howard on Jun 16, 2010 4:55 PM MDT up reply actions
Scott, normally I think you find a way to make crap out of lemons...
This time I am more negative about the situation than you…This sucks…!
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I think the Suns would win 38-45 games without Amare, though
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 16, 2010 4:53 PM MDT up reply actions
If this summer continues as its going the last 24 hours...
Winning 38 games would be a minor miracle…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
:( wow.. That's such an incredibly depressing future..
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
by Aztiramtempe on Jun 16, 2010 4:54 PM MDT up reply actions
who's gonna trade LB?
there’s no GM or asst GM to do it
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Sarver will click his heels together three times and it will just happen...
or whatever else bullshit he believes…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
WTF!!! Is wrong with Sarver ( is he really broked) or those he not cared!!
Or he just has no idea of what he needs to do to have a good happy team..
"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming!!!"
He might be broke
He was heavily involved with meritage homes if I recall. Everyone knows what’s been happening with real estate in Az the last 3 yrs! For those of you outside of Az, let me give you an example or two…things vary obviously in different areas of Phoenix. But, 2 things I know.
1, my mom is a real estate broker/agent (both) in Az and has historically listed and sold 50+ homes a year. The last 2-3 years, I believe that number went down to 2-3 homes!
2, I bought a house in Surprise 6 yrs ago. A new 2200 sq ft home for $140,000. It went up to $310,000 in less than 2 years and is now down to around $128,000 but likely it’d be hard to sell it for that!!
Good news is I got away to dallas before the total collapse, but not before a lot of damage was done
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....or makes you a Suns fan
as for me - my opinion of sarver
I always liked that he cheered so hard and carried that foam finger often. But besides that, I wasn’t so sure about his motives. Whatever you think of rare owners with a ton of money, those cities and fans (nj/dallas, etc) are lucky to have them because winning is truly their motivation because they have enough money that they don’t have to worry about things sarver and his group do have to worry about.
Key point (correct me if I’m wrong) but also these rich owners often own the team 100% where the suns aren’t really owned by sarver but by sarver and a bunch, and I mean a bunch of others with a lessor percentage of ownership in the team.
With this in mind, Sarver (imho) can’t be held to the standards of Cuban and those few rare others. They don’t have billions of dollars from one guy, they have 400 million from 10+ people (unsure on number)
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....or makes you a Suns fan
oohhhh damn
Now I’ve gone to great lengths to keep a cool head on this, and I’m sure I’ll come up with a way to do it again.
Sarver sounds pissed off at Kerr for leaving, I believe. That may just be his nature – to be pissed at anyone who doesn’t want to stay around. I’ve worked for respected bosses like that, and I’ve even BEEN a boss like that occasionally. If an employee wants to haggle over something I don’t agree with, I let them know. And if an employee takes a better opportunity, I let them do it. I don’t beg them to stay, or suddenly break the bank. Those situations never work out in the big picture. So Kerr’s departure doesn’t really bother me, after his press conference yesterday.
What DOES bother me is Sarver’s wave-off of David Griffin, and the need for a GM at all this summer. Who’s going to actually recruit these free agents in the first place, before they get to decide those ‘5 things’ that Sarver lists. Gentry? We’ve seen that before, and didn’t like the results (D’Antoni). You need a man with a plan, who’s emotionally distant from the team. That’s why they HAVE general managers.
Hopefully, Sarver is still just pissed off and needs time to cool. We just need to see what happens.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
I think the wave-off of David Griffin is because
His contract is running out in June, and he’s expressed that he’s leaving as well, but Sarver doesn’t want to spill the beans yet.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 16, 2010 4:55 PM MDT up reply actions
right, but he's the obvious replacement for GM
I got the impression he was being groomed for it by Kerr. I never thought Kerr would stay indefinitely. I just thought Griffin would take over when Kerr left. I’m dumbfounded.
Of course, Griffin may not be giving him any choice. Griffin may have expressed interest in leaving before Kerr did…
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Griff is also an ASU alum...
Sarver might not like going from UofA to ASU
by ajotanelsona on Jun 17, 2010 10:23 AM MDT up reply actions
i agree
i think he’s just speaking at this point to let fans / media know something. in a week or two when he has a clear head, everything will come to fruition
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
robert sarver is going to be the downfall of the suns organization.
and i bet he’ll be give himself the gm position pretty soon
revenge is like a ghost. it takes over every man it touches. its thirst cannot be quenched until the last man has fallen.
Do you think he give himself a paycut???
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
hard to say this franchise was in a downfall
When we just got done with the Western Conference Finals, having taken it to 6 games, with perhaps our best chance to win the title in the Nash era. So prior to Kerr leaving, I think we were pretty damn successful.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:11 AM MDT up reply actions
+1
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions
and, we haven't actually seen any real fallout yet from Kerr leaving
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Okay, where do you rate us now?
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
a top-4 team in the NBA
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:16 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
If everyone comes back...
I don’t know if that happens…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
you asked 'right now'
and all the players are still here
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:21 AM MDT up reply actions
if everyone comes back
dragic is only going to be better. earl clark has a chance to step up. lopez when healthy would have made the laker series very different. what would have been the season had barbosa and lopez been healthy? i think dudley will also get better and amundson. I feel the lakers wont be as good next year so we have just as good a chance to get there next year. however the trailblazers are going to be tough.
A stable headship forms a solid foundation for winning teams...
Right now, our leadership is floundering aimlessly. If it doesn’t affect our play on the court, it will be a minor miracle…Sarver, better pull this together quickly or it could get ugly real fast.
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
true
but like any change in presidency or ownership – it may take a few years to really see the affects of their bad decisions. I thought about your point shortly after i posted it, but i also thought that no one in this organization planned for this year to happen. they didnt get dudley, amundson, and think..“were going to the finals..”
I don't agree
Every GM/president think their decisions will ultimately put their team in the Finals. When Kerr took over, the prevailing thought was that all the Suns needed were scrappy players to add fire and grit to the talented starting lineup.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:16 AM MDT up reply actions
i agree
but i listened to interviews asking Kerr what he thought about the team and if he thought they could go to the finals and it was never a “yes.” it was always maybe or “we’ll see.” he never claimed to have a championship team. In the end i atually liked Kerr and now that he has actually created a good team i hate to see him go. Because now the future lies 100% in sarvers hands. do we have a sarver moron-o-meter?
well, Kerr would never actually say to the press that 'this is a Finals team'
because then they are ridiculed when it doesn’t happen, regardless of why. Only 1 team from the Western Conf can make the Finals each year.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:23 AM MDT up reply actions
I definitely agree
That Kerr and now Griffin leaving is bad, bad news. Especially if Amare also leaves.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:23 AM MDT up reply actions
i don't know what to think about this
i’m not exactly sad or ecstatic either way.
do i think sarver is a cheap a$$ hole, kind of. he could be a lot cheaper. but he has paid the luxury tax a few years. this team just happened to be more bang for the buck. now the man doesn’t have to spend like the lakers to appease me, just don’t milk this team. make smart personnel decisions and make the team BETTER.
do i like kerr leaving? yes and no. he said this was his vision all along. well no kidding, winning is everyones vision. he’s got a knack for seeing the potential in people (drafts / free agent pick ups). but if he really wants to spend time with his family, good for him. see ya in a few years
everything happens for a reason. i’m not going to jump the gun and let this ruin my summer, until i see how everything plays out.
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
by twitte07 on Jun 16, 2010 4:58 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
good attitude
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
It's a little less about Kerr leaving
And more about what his leaving signifies about the future.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 16, 2010 5:08 PM MDT up reply actions
Kerr is not leaving.
He’s still a 5% owner. His opinion is still available on any move.
by ZonaFlash on Jun 16, 2010 5:09 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
that it's probably time for change?
embrace it… change happens.
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
about the lux tax
It can be a little decieving.
just because all of the allowable salary is waisted on someone like shaq doesnt mean we should pat Sarver on the back. In fact, to me, that should be another kick in balls for paying luxery tax on a single player like shaq who only hindered the organization.
oh please
you can’t blame Sarver for being cheap, and then also blame him for sinking too much money into one player.
As a collective, I mean. Not you, in particular.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:14 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
on the record
i have never called him cheap. i feel like he is cheap but you are right.
i like the point made earlier that you cannot buy a basketball team and not expect to lose money. So to try and save as much as you can is only going to suffer the team. Its not my money so its easy for me to say. however he does have fans that affect his income and should worry about them as well. everyone is nba is losing money, right?
don't forget
the Suns have had a top-5 payroll every year, and the 4th best winning percentage in the NBA since he took over. So, he’s not yet doing anything to the detriment of the team.
Its just that he’s a dick and doesn’t care how his actions look to us.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:24 AM MDT up reply actions
Eat it Sarver.
P.s. YOU SUCK.
They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...
I'm strangely encouraged
I’m strangely encouraged.
The two contracts were not particularly pay cuts as much as steady payments, which seems fair. You can say, but look at the Suns great run, but hey its not like Kerr wasn’t paid through the failings of last year, his fault or not.
He was already paid in the upper third, is a 5% owner, if he wasn’t good with that then eff him.
Alvin’s contract. Yeah, he did a great job. But he has a contract, for good or ill he gets paid. Why does a good run require a reneg?
As for Griff, yeah respected good guy, but I’ve just never been a big fan of his. I know people love him. Part of the hysteria is because no other prospects for GM come to mind.
I like the thought process here
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
I think I am jiving a little with you on this...
While there is a lot of talk about Sarver being cheap and not bringing Kerr back, this may not be a bad decision in the long run. If Sarver pays less for a GM, he can pay more for players. GMs do a lot of work but nothing on this team is happening without Steve Nash’s input. It doesn’t matter who the GM is.
Reading is good...
It's not like Gms get paid 10 million a year...
The difference is negligible..probably enough to buy a good D-Leaguer for a couple of weeks…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I'm not worried but I'm not happy either.
This leaves far too many questions for the team’s future and I hate sitting around waiting for answers to come. I stick with what I wrote in my rant. Please sell the team, Mr. Sarver. Please.
In Nash I Trust! Steve Nash DOES play defense, foo!
Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.
Speculation is fruitless. Attributing motives to inflections, body language, imagined or real hints in things that are said…that way lies madness.
I’m going to re-focus on the d0backs, and let all this shake out. It’s not like I can do anything about it, anyway.
Something will happen – of that, I’m sure.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
Yes
and fortunately, the D-backs are providing for an entertaining, winning summer. Might I suggest the Mercury?
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 16, 2010 5:16 PM MDT up reply actions
G-d damn it sarver, is there anyway the fans can force this guy to sell the team?
He blew up the 05 team by not re-signing joe johnson, he low-balled steve kerr after we made it to the WCF; each year a team has a 4 in 30 chance of making it to the wcf. Why does it have to be this organization? we are always the most successful but have crappy luck. this is going to be one looooooooooooooooooooooong summer
Amare+Lopez+Clark=Frontcourt 2011
Kerr is not the guy to make Amar'e stay or leave.
Sarver was still the guy to make the final decision. I read this situation to indicate that he thinks he can get it done without Kerr.
Also, Kerr wasn’t responsible for the draft picks, from what I’m picking up – so if Amar’e stays, there is no urgency. Sarver can then decide to keep Frye and Lou, right? Or maybe not, but I gather from the interview that Sarver wants to get a really good GM, and he’s not in a hurry. That’s good, right?
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
Sarver already lost some fan with the "Los Sun" move
Now he’ll lose another because of mismanagement and stinginess. He might not give in to the pressure of the fans right now but one way or the other it will affect him and force him to put the Suns up for sale. I just hope it doesn’t take too long.
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
i'm sure making the team happy was what mattered at the time
i agree it was stupid, but if the team is happy, they are winning.. winning = $$
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
Worth noting
Some fans were gained through the Los Suns thing. My mom, for instance.
Phoenix Suns Basketball
THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
by RMason on Jun 16, 2010 6:36 PM MDT up reply actions 2 recs
as much as i liked this team, they over achieved by 1000%
the “experts” and pretty much everyone on the planet that knows anything about basketball picked the suns as a lottery team. there was a reason for that. blame that on Nash for not playing defense, blame it on STAT for not rebounding, blame it on hill for being old, or whatever everyone had said about the team… this team was not a championship team, just a cinderella story that had a bad ending. LA was a far superior team, and the suns showed tenacity and heart and almost took it to them.
does the roster / front office need to be blown up? maybe, maybe not. definately, some tweaking needs to be done. if there is ever a post made for roster decisions, i’ll rant there.
I don’t have a comment about kerr. I didn’t think he did that great of a job. did he luck out this year? hell ya. but, i don’t think he did that horrible of a job either, C+. would i have paid him more? i won’t ever have to, so it doesn’t matter.
just don’t get too caught up about what is going on yet. it’s too early to freak out
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
¡Agreed!
I absolutely LOVED this team! In fact, I took their Game 6 against the Lakers harder than I took the death of my grandfather, and the fact that they made the playoffs as third seed, the fact that they trounced on the Blazers, the fact that they took a poo on the Spurs’ faces, and the fact that they made it into the Western Conference Finals was by NO means a fluke. They deserved all of that!
However, this team is and has been missing something for a while, and I could speculate as to what that is, but that’s not the point. My point is that the Lakers – even though they’re soulless asses with an owner that loves to buy the best team in basketball – were, indeed, a better team… It pains me to say that…
And I think it’s incredibly ironic that a lot of you are totally loving on Steve Kerr. I never thought he was amazing, but also never thought he was atrocious. He was lucky, my friends. And Sarver was lucky. He didn’t make this team that we loved to tears this year on purpose. He made it to be a mid-conference underdog contender because that’s what the Suns have always been.
So don’t be sad that Kerr is leaving because the next lad (or lass – has there ever been a female GM??) will likely do an okay job putting together a “sort-of” contender. But you can sure as hell hate on Sarver because he’s always been the Suns’ weakest link. And I wished I could say “Good-Bye” to him like Anne Robinson. That would be fun.
by cryogenic_tone on Jun 17, 2010 10:26 AM MDT up reply actions
Not a good sign considering how big this summer is
Sarver is the master at lowballing people. Absolute master. I wasn’t a Kerr fan to begin with, but he won me over and now this…just a shame. Kerr finally made his stamp and was actually proving he had some chops. Then Sarver lowballs him.
There may be more to this then what we’ve heard so far, but it sure starts the summer off on the wrong note.
i know...and our player evaluations...do we even continue?
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 16, 2010 6:57 PM MDT up reply actions
Thanks Sarver!
You effed up our summer blog discussions! Jerk.
Phoenix Suns Basketball
THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
Open letter time. Where's Keify or Eutychus when you need them.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 16, 2010 7:02 PM MDT up reply actions
actually, he gave us something juicy to talk about
so thats something
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
More comments than we would have gotten in a week otherwise...
Silver lining to a shit cloud….
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
Silver lining to a shit cloud...lol
I’ll have to use that!
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger....or makes you a Suns fan
My brain hurts
Too much speculation. Bedways is rightways now.
Phoenix Suns Basketball
THE FUTURE IS UNWRITTEN
What I wanted to hear
Was maybe something to the effect of: “It’s a change, but the fans shouldn’t worry. We are committed to putting out a winning product….” etc etc.
and unless i missed something i didn’t see it.
so at the moment, rob sarv is coming off as an arrogant prick to me
im turning to the dark side-this is sarver’s doing, sarver is going to ruin this franchise, etc, etc.
and more thoughts:
and….if im amare or a free agent thinking about what I want, some continuity, stability, from the fanchise, well then the Suns are not high on my list. we need to start talking sign and trade….
While Sarver doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to find a replacement, there are no neogtiations to be had, deals to be made, etc. Come June 30, someone’s going to have to handle that.
What if David Griffin is pissed? “Sure Dave, you’ll get an interview if you want…” That would piss me off. Maybe someone swoops in and offers him a promotion? Portland, Cleveland? then you can count on a “sea change” around here….
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
Sarvers reaction t the Griff question
sounded like he already knew (a) he didn’t want Grif or (b) Grif already said g-bye.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Unfortunately I think you are right....
Then Sarver will probably bring in Isiah Thomas to perform a lobotomy on our team chemistry…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I'm sad
Sarver clearly knows nothing about business, especially in sports.
Even though he may be (or more accurately—-was) a successful banker, he has really shown that he consistently makes bad decisions and likely would go bankrupt had he tried to start a bank now. just like most things in life, he was a benefactor of timing, when pretty much all banks made tons of money…he’s showing now, in his running of this franchise, that he’s just another douchebag banker. the type that will always lead us into financial ruin.
well the Suns wins are going up and payroll going down
how is that not good business?
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Ben wallaces behemoth contract comes off the books next year, which would have given sarver the ability
to resign kerr with the same contract; it also allows sarver to save more money; especially seeing how much he loves it so much.
I dont understand why this moron doesnt leave already; if he makes the wrong move and alienates the fans he will lose a ton of money in a heart beat; which is basically what he is doing right now. He needs to learn a lesson from jerry buss
Amare+Lopez+Clark=Frontcourt 2011
Wallace's 10 mill can only be spent on players
and not FO staff.
and Sarver doesn’t just walk away because he owns the team. And since he goes to every home game and spent some of the most money of all owners since he’s bought the team, why would he or should he?
I’m not saying there aren’t better owners out there. But there are worse too.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Steve Kerr is still being a good soldier for the Suns
And it’s clear that he not being 100% honest here, and that his leaving is due exactly to those same “artistic differences” responsible for breaking up many great rock bands.
My guess is that he decided to walk after the contract offers, which must have come as a wtf? moment to Steve Kerr, especially since he had finally gotten the team on the right track, long term:
- got a 2-time MVP, best point guard in the league, to sign a 2 year $22M extension ($10.3M in 10/11, $11.7M in 11/12)
- got the team into fiscal sanity territory in 10/11 ($62.8M including Amare & Frye’s player options, & Lou/Jarron/Dwaynes expirings)
- got to the WCF with a young team, which will mostly be in place next year.
The problem with this front office turmoil is that it usually carries over into the locker room, since players don’t feel that the organization has their back.
Now, that kind of feudal system is a fine way to run a bank, where everyone is scared of losing their jobs, but a piss-poor way to deal with expensive talent with guaranteed contracts. Mark Cuban is right on this point: only a comfortable work environment (and I don’t mean fluffy pillows in this case) can deliver good results on the floor. Unlike the movie business where your talent only signs a single picture deal, in the NBA the consequence of bad blood lingers and translates into long term poor player performance, which makes those players untradeable.
If Sarver wants to be Donald Sterling, that’s fine, but he should pay attention to the fact that with the current regime in place, during his brief tenure as Suns owner they’ve delivered overwhelmingly more success than Sterling has had in total since he bought the Clippers in 82. If he wants to offer a substandard product, he’ll find that his paying customers will abandon him in droves, as they started to do last year.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 16, 2010 10:45 PM MDT reply actions
Don't forget
that 2 time MVP is 36, and will be receiving $11.7 million when he is 38.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
yeah, but he's still the best pg in the league
and a definite crowd puller, so he should get paid as such, right??
My point is that Nash could easily have gone to a team like the Blazers for a lot more money, and Steve Kerr not only convinced him to stay, but take a pay cut for the good of the team, in hopeful anticipation of the season we just had.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 17, 2010 1:42 AM MDT up reply actions
come on, Donald Sterling? really?
you already made your own argument against it in the same breath you made the comparison.
Sarver and Sterling are nothing alike. Neither are Cuban and Sarver. For better or worse.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
you need to pay attention to what I'm actually saying here.
Sterling is well known for the kind of shenanigans Sarver is pulling with the front office and playing staff, and it has resulted in long term mediocrity for that franchise.
If Sarver wants to behave that way, and also treat his staff like minions, then the same fate awaits his franchise, I guarantee it.
Say what you will about Cuban, but since he bought the Mavs, they’ve enjoyed a great stretch of success, going from being possibly the worst team in the NBA, and a joke, to one of the best franchises, and a perennial playoff contender. The only problem with the Mavs franchise, as far as I can see, is that they have a bad front office. If Steve Kerr were their GM, they might actually have won a title by now.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 17, 2010 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions
sorry Pliny, I'm still confused
Cuban has been the owner of the Mavs for 10 years, and the “only problem with the Mavs franchise, as far as I can see, is that they have a bad front office”. Doesn’t that fall on Cuban?
And again, you’re comparing Sterling’s mgmt style to Sarver. Sterling had Elgin Baylor for a lot of years and they ended up with a lottery pick in all but 1 of the last 20 seasons. Sarver has hired Kerr and the Suns have the 4rh highest winning % since he took over, all while signing this entire current roster to new deals along the way. Amare re-signed in 2006, Nash in 2009, Hill in 2008 AND 2010,…
I just can’t understand the comparison. At all.
Other than Sarver is a prick in the worst way. but at least he hires good people and puts a winner on the floor.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 11:36 AM MDT up reply actions
let me clarify...
It’s true that Elgin Baylor worked for Sterling for a long time, but in that time he only sporadically put together teams that even made the playoffs, and it’s not clear that he was anything except a yes-man and a figurehead.
The Clippers were/are notorious for being ultra-cheap and for the whole organization being dysfunctional. That’s why so many players departed, often on bad terms, despite being in LA with all the financial and other opportunities available to players there. The only reason the Clippers have had lottery picks all these years is because the team perpetually sucks, they draft poorly, and when they do luck out draft wise, those players pretty soon want to leave. And you clearly were not paying attention to all the front office drama there with Baylor & Dunleavy.
As for the Mavs front office.. well lets just say that overall I don’t think very much of Donnie Nelson’s GMing skills or his strategy for that franchise.
Anyway, to get to your point.. So, while it’s true that up to this point, Sarver inherited a good front office and has been fortunate with it, so far, he also drove Bryan Colangelo & Rex Chapman out of town, and had a year of Mike D. as GM.
My point, which should have been clear, is that this kind of organizational turmoil is the very thing that drives franchises into the ground. So while the franchise has been successful so far, it’s continued success is dependent on having a front office that works together properly, where the coach, players and the GM are on the same page.
Moreover, Sarver hasn’t always hired wisely (Mike D as GM, Terry P.), and there’s a clear warning sign as to this franchise’s future with what happened during the Shaq years, when Mike D and Steve Kerr were in constant conflict, and during the following year when Terry Porter pissed off just about everyone in this organization, and we ended up missing the playoffs simply because of organizational dysfunction and the consequent low morale.
Clearly, I’m not talking about the past here, but about whats going to happen down the line.
I’m very concerned about what I hear regarding Steve Kerr’s departure, and it doesn’t bode well for the future of this franchise if Sarver continues to act that way. As Adande’s source put it: “it took the air out of all that happened this year”.
I’m very worried that someone like Jerry Buss, Mark Cuban or Paul Allan could make a play for Aaron Nelson, and his team, that he would find difficult to refuse. Without Aaron, I don’t see Steve Nash or Grant playing even 60 games a season, let alone 82, and his departure could severely cripple our chances.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 17, 2010 12:57 PM MDT up reply actions
Nelson already re-signed this spring to a new contract
his team is staying.
ok, I’ll stop arguing now. We have a difference of opinion. I’m simply stating that “to date” the organization has not suffered like the Clippers’ has.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 1:04 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
Does Sarver read this?
I know you gotta call em as you see em and I respect you for that. But I can’t imagine you’ll be on Sarver’s holiday card list. I’m glad we have someone who’s not afraid to comment on the Emperor’s wardrobe.
Like many, I feel that we have seen the best showing from our Suns that we will see with this current owenership. #1 wants all the dollars he can grab so he won’t be back. Nash has a few more years as does Hill. JR will to to the highest bidder. That kind of leaves us with the bench that showed lots of heart but lacks the sauce to beat great first stringers.
Can we really expect this team to contend again?
If he does....
I hope he knows that he is doing a horrible job at bringing a championship trophy to Phoenix.
by cryogenic_tone on Jun 17, 2010 10:27 AM MDT up reply actions
more on this sitch from JA Adande @ ESPN
theres an article on espn.com by JA Adande, that tells a little more about what happened behind the scenes. Not sure if his story is accurate, but I can buy the gist of it.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 17, 2010 12:37 AM MDT reply actions
I don't believe it
Because it says that D’Antoni wanted the Shaq trade, BS! D’Antoni hated the Shaq trade and didn’t want it because Shaq would slow down the offense.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
you'd be wrong about that
It’s well documented that Mike D was for the Shaq trade, and they had to do something about the Trix/Stat sitch in the locker room.
BTW, if you go back and look at the stats, you’ll see that the Diesel fueled fast break (Mike D & Gentry) was one of the most efficient offenses ever. Mike D certainly had an idea of how to use Shaq in the 7 secs or Shaq offense, as did Alvin. The only guy who was clueless was Terry Porter.
Only problem is that when Shaq & Nash are your two primary pick & roll defenders, you’re gonna get creamed on the p&r.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on Jun 17, 2010 1:57 AM MDT up reply actions
+1
Fans forget that the Suns were dominating the a few games after Shaq arrived. That is when Amare started averaging 35+ in games with 10 rebounds. The reason we call is a “fiasco” is because of what happened in game one of the playoffss (which was not Shaq’s fault) and what happened with Porter (which was not Shaq’s fault).
Reading is good...
+1
Seven Seconds or Shaq was legit
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."
Mike has never denied the fact that he was for the trade
now, if that was him being stubborn to the point where he lobbied for the trade just to PROVE it wouldn’t work.. well, I have no insight there. But D’Antoni wanted the trade more than Kerr.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Prediction
LB will be traded for a pick
Amare will leave, actually I’m positive Amare is gone now
Amundson will leave
Frye will stay
We sign no free agents, or if we do we sign FA we do it for under $3 million
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
In short, a miserable season awaits everyone of us
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
It won't be Isiah Thomas Knicks pitiful...
But we would be hard press to hit the playoffs with this line-up…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
well atleast we have our first round pick....
ohhhhh….. =(
by Superelkman on Jun 17, 2010 10:15 AM MDT up reply actions
Not funny...
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
Gets to the point where it's almost better to just have a high second rounder
Because at least they’re not guaranteed money
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:25 AM MDT up reply actions
I am not talking about that point...
I am talking in terms of how we literally gave them away…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I actually didn't mean to reply to you ... I meant to reply to Superelkman
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:36 AM MDT up reply actions
Our first round pick would have been fairly worthless
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:25 AM MDT up reply actions
yes it would have
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:35 AM MDT up reply actions
A first rounder doesn't make up for our losses
Amundson, Amare, LB, Frye > 20th pick
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
It would've helped somehow...
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
I think if we were to trade LB for a 15-25 pick we should consider Luke Babbit, Daniel Orton or Avery Bradley.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
I want Babbit
The guy is a 50/40/90 guy and is way more athletic than Morrison. Plus he has the bb IQ on top of those.
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
From Paul Coro today:
“Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin won’t be selected. He told Sarver he would not be a candidate and would not stay with the organization after his contract expires in two weeks. He is not expected to return to the Suns after working for them for 18 years.”
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
panic time and go...
ok so kerr is out and now griffin says after 18 years he is leaving as well.
anyone know where griffin is going now or why he is leaving?
I think we need to get the guy from denver Rex Champman but he left as well back in 05 so we need to find out why he left?
at least kerr and griffin will be here until the end of the month and supervise the draft. i think if sarvar is in charge i think to save face he will give amare the max.
"Da Suns’ Bench. Call them Victoria’s Secret — all kinds of wonderful support."
If Griffen is out,
…then lets get out some names that could pop up that Sarver would seem fit for the job.
I was listening to Gambo and Ash while driving home and they mentioned Vinny Del Negro may come back to the Suns organization since he used to work as an Asst. GM.
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
I was concerned when Kerr left
and now I’m freaking out after I heard that Griffin is leaving. There’s something going on and it’s not good. Everyone’s jumping off the ship. Amar’e is gone for sure now.
"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"
The Adande article on ESPN is an interesting read...
…but I dont get these so called sources. Don’t people have close door meetings anymore or they have secretaries with a glass on the door listening intently.
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
Adande bleeds forum blue and gold
and has always treated the Suns like a little puppy. no respect, ultimately. don’t worry about what Adande says
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:12 AM MDT up reply actions
I've seen Adande
in action in the locker room and w/ coaches. He’s tight with a lot of people in his league and so there’s no reason to think that he doesn’t have legit sources on this….
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 17, 2010 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
I'm not saying he has bad sources
I’m just saying that his opinion leans toward the Lakers, and that the tone of his writing is always that the Suns are a nice little plaything, not worth worrying about
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 11:31 AM MDT up reply actions
true that
and for the most part, he’s been right (from a national perspective)
Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 17, 2010 11:49 AM MDT up reply actions
This friggen sucks. Sarver fails at life and fails as a business man.
Why in God’s great name would you dismantle prominent pieces in the FO right after a successful season.
God I hope and pray that Sarver sells the team to someone at least semi competent in the near future.
"Yeah I could have been king, but maybe I already am king. Hail to the king baby." Ash from Army of Darkness
Im giving me credit
I kind of called this above:
What if David Griffin is pissed? "Sure Dave, you’ll get an interview if you want…" That would piss me off. Maybe someone swoops in and offers him a promotion? Portland, Cleveland? then you can count on a "sea change" around here….
Now it’s pretty clear what’s going on…Anyone for an online petition asking for Sarver to sell and go back to San Diego for good where he belongs?
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 17, 2010 9:32 AM MDT up reply actions
Heck yeah I'm up for any petition to get Sarver out of Dodge
"Yeah I could have been king, but maybe I already am king. Hail to the king baby." Ash from Army of Darkness
Ouch... Hiring Griffin would have been a saving grace in this situation but way to go and piss off everyone in management...
I don’t disagree with not upping Gentrys contract though until he proves to be a good coach for one more year… this BS with the FO though is insanity…
My thought is if you gonna jump, you might as well jump bad....
What does Sarver hope to do by keeping Gentry and discarding all his front office guy? Might have well as just got rid of Alvin and started with a clean slate…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I said this somewhere else
But if a guy like Griffin, who bleeds orange and has for 18 years, jumps ship, you know there’s some plague-carrying rats on that ship.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 10:24 AM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
its true...didnt Griffin start as a ball boy?
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 17, 2010 10:54 AM MDT up reply actions
well, here is some good news and some bad news.
If Sarver really is gutting things for money, we will most likely have a first round pick this year. Paying a draft pick 1.5-2mil is alot cheaper than paying LB 7 mil. So i see that kind of deal getting done.
by Suns Fan For Life on Jun 17, 2010 10:28 AM MDT reply actions
I am still not convinced anybody wants to give up a first rounder for LB...
If anybody out there know teams that are interested, let me know…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
same here
not sure we get anything but a future second rounder…
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 10:35 AM MDT up reply actions
Regardless though. I think this maybe makes an LB move more likely. Although If Amare goes, we are going to need his scoring.
by Suns Fan For Life on Jun 17, 2010 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions
There are so many possibilities right now...
I think the full ramifications won’t even be know until well into the off-season…if at all…
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I think a move was inevitable -
I love LB – a lot. But we don’t need him, and 7.7 mil is a lot to carry. Anyway, he doesn’t need to be moved quickly – it could even be into next season.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
any news when will we get new GM?!?!
we need it PRONTO!!!! amare, frye, lou… ok, sarver can discuss with them but seems like he is such bad negotiatior with terrible ego… so he can chase them all away because of it… then there is a draft, LB situation…. we must not lose much time to get new GM…
No-check the interview
Robert sees no reason to hurry
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 17, 2010 10:55 AM MDT up reply actions
well that is alarming!!!!
as if kerr leaving is not alarming as it is….
what a emotional turnaround… I just got over losing to lakers and now this shock…
and then sarver saying all of those reasons for players to sign with a team, he is not mentioning GM position at all?!?!?! maybe he didn’t need one, jesus?!?!?!?!
Question. What kind of bear is best?
No really. Does kerr leaving put a big damper the Suns negotiating power at the draft?
by Suns Fan For Life on Jun 17, 2010 10:55 AM MDT reply actions
depends
A big damper? Kerr was well liked, but the money is bottom line.
Who does the negotiating now? Kerr will be working (or so they say) until June 30….Not sure of the structure, but perhaps everything falls in Rick Welt’s lap until a new man signs on. I can’t think of anyone else’s name in the FO….I’m sure Gentry (if he doesn’t leave) will have a large say in draft and what not…But let’s face it, we’re drafting a second rounder and below. Id oubt it matters much.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Jun 17, 2010 10:58 AM MDT up reply actions
Well hell,
It’s rebuilding time sucka’s!
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
Trade LB for Marion!!!!
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
Oh yes I did!
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
YEAAAAH ROIIIIII!
And then we can trade Taylor Griffin for DJ Strawberry!
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."
Even if he's not on an NBA team!
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."
Stop it
I’m too new to nba fandom to offer any comments of consiquence…but you mofo’s are givn me that sinking feeling. I’m starting believe my suspsions that this has less to do with a kerr pay cut or personal time and more to do with closed door conversations about what will and won’t be spent this summer. the result is kerr throwing his hands in the air and saying “you know what, fuck it I’m out of here”. I prefer to be peacefully ignorent.
"I DON'T EAT DAWG EITHER"...."A dawgs got personality, personality goes a long way."
by Mace Windu
haha me too
ignorance is bliss
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 12:18 PM MDT up reply actions
I honestly don't know what to think...
I am an optimist. I always root for the underdog. I have loved the Suns since moving here in 2003. I loved Marion, I loved Diaw, I loved Shaq as a Sun, I loved Kerr, I loved Tim Thomas, I loved Dantoni, I loved 7sol, and I loved this years team.
It looks bad right now. It’s hard to look on the bright side (pun intended) when there is so much negative, with no positive to balance it. But since I always root for the underdog, I am going to root for Sarver to prove us all wrong, keep this team competitive, and hire a great GM who will get us over the top.
It may be naive to be the way I am, but I’m happy every day. But one thing I know from rooting for underdogs – they are underdogs for a reason.
I’m just going to stay fat, dumb, and happy.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
I'm with you
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 12:55 PM MDT up reply actions
Suns Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin won’t be selected. He told Sarver he would not be a candidate and would not stay with the organization after his contract expires in two weeks. He is not expected to return to the Suns after working for them for 18 years.
Of course he wouldn’t comeback. Even I wouldn’t comeback if I were in Griffin’s shoes after hearing this:
Will Griffin be on that list of candidates to be interviewed?
“If that’s what he would like, he would. Yes.”
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
I am still wondering why Sarver put it that way...
He must have known that the utterance of those words sealed Griffen’s exit strategy.. Is it possible that Cheap Slot Rob had already made the decision that he wanted him gone???
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
or, Griffin had already made it clear he didn't want to pursue it
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
or it could be like breaking with a girlfriend
and someone asks you, “So, would you date her hot roommate/best friend?”
you’d hesitate a moment because you didn’t actually consider that her roommate/best friend would stab her in the back like that, then say, “Sure, if she’s interested”.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Bingo
I think Griffin had already given indications he would not be back with the Suns after his contract ran out.
Bloggin' 'bout AZ sports ... SB Nation Arizona
by Justin Burning on Jun 17, 2010 2:41 PM MDT up reply actions
This worries me.
I hope it’s not a pattern, but time will tell. Gentry deserves an extension, not just his option year being picked up, but I guess it’s still just 1 year into his contract.
But so much of the team we loved will be back, so I’m not ready to give up on them. The dealings with Amare and Channing and even Lou will be key here, as will who’s hired to replace Kerr. Hey, Barkley indicated he’d want to GM (kidding!).
I remember a few years ago
that Sarver is 100% against tearing up existing contracts for new ones. He only gave D’Antoni a raise when he added GM to his title.
There’s something to be said for forcing someone to “play out” his contract before giving him a new one. Though, as we see with Kerr, Sarver’s not really of the mind to give raises then either.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
by Alex Laugan on Jun 17, 2010 12:57 PM MDT up reply actions
i almost forgot
this is all because they are making room for lebron. they will trade barbosa, sign and trade amare, and gentry to get lebron. he will then act as GM, Coach and star shooting guard.
this is what my contacts in North Carolina are telling me.
Another thought I've had, regarding the Kerr/Sarver rift
Sarver might be pissed that Kerr was never able to trade Amare for quality, or Shaq for quality. You’d think the Suns would get more than was offered for those guys. Could he be holding that against Kerr – might explain the ‘philosophical diffs’ and lack of offering a raise.
Maybe Sarver couldn’t get over that, and now he’s in a f’d up position that he either loses Amare for nothing or pays him way more than he’s worth. Sarver might be bitter about that.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
dking - you yourself have illustrated that Amar'e has never been worth more.
He is one of Sarver’s biggest assets. There are 6-10 teams willing to pay Amar’e max – 3-5 of those teams have assets we could easily get in return. He’s too smart to let Amar’e go for nothing – at the least, he will s&t him, and probably get good value-even if it’s not for a corresponding player like Dirk or Bosh.
It will also be very easy to keep Amar’e – that is, if writing very large checks is easy. We all know that Amar’e will stay for the right money/contract – Kerr isn’t necessary to sign Amar’e.
While it would make us ALL feel better if Sarver came out in the press and expressed his intentions, I get the impression that he thinks that is not how to negotiate – and he’s probably right. So we’re probably going to just have to wait until it’s done before we know.
I hate that.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
Ten teams are definitely not stupid enough to pay Amare max.
Maybe about 3 (New York, New Jersey and Miami)
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
Not gonna have this argument again - but max for Amar'e is 16.4 mil. A lot of teams pay worse
players more money. Nor do I think it’s stupid.
This topic has been argued endlessly in other threads. I was just pointing out that whatever needs to be done, Sarver can do it.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
If max for Amare is 16.4, he would opt in and get 17 million
Max is 20 million. Sarver will not do it, Amare is as good as gone.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
If he opts in, he has to negotiate next year under the new CBA, in which the owners want to limit max to
$11-12 mil. It would cost him $75mil over his next contract.
Amar’e is limited to $16.4 mil because of his years in the league, under the current CBA.
Go read dking97’s post – I don’t want to re-litigate it here.
However, you don’t know what Sarver will do, you don’t know what other teams will do, so you stating things with an absolute certainty is a little silly.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
That's the thing, he's not going to opt in.
He said there is “no way” he will opt in.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
right, because it would only be for 1 yr
haremoor has it right. he can make more money in 2010-2011 by opting in, but then the lockout/new CBA is a whole different landscape at probably lower money. That’s why he won’t just play for 1 year, regardless of teh salary.
After opting out, the most he can get in yr 1 is 16.224 mil (the max for a player with less than 10 yrs exp). Then it’s 10.5% raises after that. The number of years is still a little fuzzy. I thought up to 6 more, but Seth checked with the Suns and they said the max yrs was 5.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
But he's not opting in :0
If he opts in he loses money in 2011-12 right? But if he opts out and signs a max contract he will make more.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
exactly
thats why he said ‘no way’ on opt-in, cuz its only 1 year then… BOOM.. there goes the CBA
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
right, Amare is worth the most money right now
and a number of teams would give him the max, once LeBron and Wade commit.
I think maybe that’s why Sarver wanted him traded BEFORE this, so someone ELSE could give Amare the money and later kick themselves for the year he’s on the shelf at (by then) 18-20 million or more in salary.
This is just a guess though, that might explain why Sarver would be less interested in giving Kerr a raise than we might think.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Question,
since Kerr will be GM until the 30th, can he do a Amare sign and trade on draft day?
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
If STAT opts out by then, the point is moot....
If STAT opts in, I am not sure..Anybody out there have any thoughts???
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
I just realized there is no way in hell STAT opts in...
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can and slap the crap out of him before he figures out you are there...."
- me into a mental stupor after forgetting the rest of Ulysses S. Grant's speech....
That's right.
What can happen here is basically two things…(as I understand it – correct me if I’m wrong)
1) He can negotiate a new contract before July 1 with the Suns. He hasn’t formally opted out – at least to my knowledge, so that next year (the opt-in year) can be included in an extension. But the upshot is, we can give him 1 more year than other teams, and a bigger raise each year, so we have the edge here.
2) After July 1, he can negotiate with other teams. But until we renounce his rights, we can still give him more money and more years than other teams, so we still have the advantage in a sign and trade. (at least from Stat’s point of view). So even if he wants to go to Miami, if he wants the bigger raises and extra year, we would have to s&t, and we could get something back. I don’t know what or how much, but we still have some bargaining power.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
Stat had an MRI done on his knees in Miami....
….at the same clinic that Miami Heat uses for its players. The agent said he had no idea but we can all speculate what that means.
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
the interesting thing to me will be when we hear the results
if we hear nothing, then they’re bad
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
His agents said that it was done by the request of the Suns.
Are they testing his condition to see if they can trade him :O
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
TURRIBLE!
Could be, especially if its done in a clinic trusted by the team.
If its for the Suns, Stat could have just flown in using the private Suns plane, done it in a Phoenix trusted clinic and left. How long would that take.
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
This from Yahoo sports...
Looks like Amare is done.
Go Go Gadget Gagne
What if Broad Street Didn't Fight Back? History HAS been made. 5-7-10
5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!
Even so, it's a 'rumour' on Yahoo Sports, attributed to ESPN, but ESPN has nothing on it.
Not gonna slit my wrists yet.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
right. That's quoting Adande's article without actually linking to it
and Adande had no new info on Amare. I’m sure the almighty dollar (and Sarver’s intentions to use it) is the deciding factor, not Kerr’s presence.
Sloppy reporting with no real attribution.
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
Thats what gets me, their idea of reporting is to get every possible scenario out there.
When one of them comes out as true, then theyill be like, see I told you so, my sources are so great. Booya!
Slumdog Millionaire without the million.
It's the American way.
Our collective knowledge reduced to a Twitter feed.
Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy
interesting articles from SI
if you goto the miami website, there is a lot of FA talk. most of the fans there are either completely for or against bringing in LBJ, then they rank bringing in PF’s, with STAT being well below where i thought they’d have him on their wish list (between 4-5). some of the fans also mention what they think STAT is worth. if you get a chance, check it out. the amare homers probably won’t like it much, but those who are realistic will.
jarron collins doesn't tea bag the lakers, he potato sacks them
Goran Dragic's tears can cure cancer... too bad he doesn't cry
The fans there want no part of LBJ because they have Wade, they have their franchise guy. They don’t need another one but rather someone to go compliment Wade. STAT is an option but I don’t think Miami has given up on Beasley yet.
Go Go Gadget Gagne
What if Broad Street Didn't Fight Back? History HAS been made. 5-7-10
5-8-10...the day the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team won the 2011 NCAA Championship!!
Chris Bosh is Pat Riley's #1 pick
Amare only came in second while Boozer is third.
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
The Decision by Kerr and Griffin
I know things do not look good right now for the Suns and where there’s smoke there’s usually fire. However, sometimes the fire is created by the media something that really isn’t there (false alarm) We, as Suns fans, tend to jump to conclusions and then jump ship. We do not know what’s really happening in the front office other than Kerr is resigning for personal reasons in which he says deal with spending time with his family and Griffin will not be taking his place as GM.
The Kerr decision- Everyone is jumping all over Sarver here…. however, lets not forget how things were a year ago. Everyone wanted to throw Kerr under the bus and chase him out of town and Sarver kept him. People, why would Sarver allow Kerr to leave after the success the Suns had this season especially after he kept him a year ago after a very unsuccessful season. Kerr may actually be telling the truth about leaving due to his family. So, the rumors about Sarver cutting Kerr 10% in his salary just doesn’t make any sense. I believe Sarver did whatever he could to keep Kerr and Kerr decided to leave on his own due to the reasons in which he gave.
Griffin Decision- Maybe Griffin wasn’t the guy for the job, or maybe Griffin decided on leaving for another job. Maybe Sarver has someone more qualified in mind that none of us know about and he doesn’t want to give it away.
Amare- Amare is most likely going to leave, we were all expecting this. He’s not a Max guy and his knees are a liabilty which is too much of a risk. We give him the money and it could completely bankrupt the team. So, he’s most likely leaving for the highest bidder. This would have made no difference whether Kerr left or not.
The Youngsters- The Suns have a lot of very young talent in which they now have a lot of Play-off experience. People, that is HUGE!!! It’s true, they may not be able to make the play-offs next year but give these young players a couple more years (Dragic, Lopez, Dudley, and even Clark) and they will surely improve and develop into a very nice starting nucleus, one that plays defense. We could not say this a year ago.
My point is here, let’s stick to the facts before judging and pointing fingers at Sarver. Whoever Sarver chooses as GM we may be extremely happy with and realize we were silly making all of these accusations against him. Let’s reserve judgement and see how things play out before making assusations.
Gilbert Sportsfan
by Gilbertsportsfan on Jun 17, 2010 5:42 PM MDT reply actions 1 recs
OMG a voice of reason!!
we havent had someone like that around here in forever… better not let the mods see this ;)
Twitter: @dahking
Too late to change the stupid twitter name. Did it as a joke to my teenager, but now I'm hooked on the news-feed aspect of twitter.
I. Do. NOT....like this...
Maybe it’s good I won’t be paying attention to sports for the next 2 years…
Nash don't lie
-Credit given to RMason, stolen by..er..permission given to GiantBehemoth
No Phoenix Suns fan likes this
But it’ll be a fun ride just to watch Lopez, Dragic and Clark develop.
Timon: Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase
Pumbaa: Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze
Timon: It means no worries for the rest of your days
Timon: It's our problem-free philosophy
Both: Hakuna Matata!
The Lion King (1994)
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Friend Us On Facebook
SBNation.com Recent Stories
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Kevin Love would like the NBA to take the MLB’s approach on All-Star games
- Kobe Bryant fires a few hilarious salvos at Jeremy Lin
- Brandon Jennings states the obvious regarding his 2014 free agency, everyone goes nuts
- The Facebook campaign to hire Will Ferrell for All-Star Game player intros is underway
- Video: Meet the infamous bearded guy that goes nuts by the 76ers’ bench
Follow us on Twitter
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
