Myth: Nationally-Acclaimed Summer Portends Successful NBA Season

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 7:57 AM MST in Phoenix Suns Commentary

Once again, the national media is not in love with the Phoenix Suns' summer moves.

Surprised? Hardly.

Here's something to remember about summer moves, though: the teams who have the "best" summer fit into 2 categories: (a) they had the longest way to go, or (b) they were already good, and somehow added even more big "names" to their rotation.

So does a great summer portend a great NBA season? Hardly.

Let's go to the tape.

First, let's recall last offseason.

Do you remember who got the highest marks last offseason, according to the mother ship (who did not widely differ from any other prognosticators)?

San Antonio Spurs - for adding McDyess, Jefferson and Blair to an already loaded team
Orlando Magic - for adding Vince Carter, Matt Barnes and several other role players to an already loaded team
LA Clippers - for replacing Zach Randolph with Blake Griffin and Rasual Butler
Detroit Pistons - for adding Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon, the summer's second and third best free agents (behind Hedo Turkoglu)
Washington Wizards - for adding Mike Miller and Randy Foye (and predicting a healthy synergistic comeback from Gilbert Arenas)
Boston Celtics - for adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels to an already loaded team
Dallas Mavericks - for adding Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden and Tim Thomas to an already loaded team
Toronto Raptors - for adding Hedo Turkoglu amongst a 90% roster turnover in an effort to appease Chris Bosh

Did ANY of these teams exceed their previous season because of these new additions? ANY of them?

The Spurs, Magic, Mavericks and Raptors all finished worse than the year before, in terms of playoffs. The Spurs even went down hard to a team that previously couldn't beat them! (ouch, huh?)

The Celtics made it back to the Finals, but Rasheed was a shadow of his former self and Daniels was out of the rotation in lieue of Nate Robinson (ouch again).

And here's the Suns writeup from last fall (out of all 30 NBA teams):

22. Phoenix Suns

Key additions: Channing Frye, Earl Clark

Key subtractions: Shaquille O'Neal, Matt Barnes

In limbo: Stromile Swift (U)

Phoenix GM Steve Kerr broke up one of the most enjoyable teams in NBA history to get O'Neal in 2008. But within about a year, the Suns went from title contender to lottery team. Last month, the Suns gave Shaq away for cap relief.

It appeared the team was beginning to embark on a major rebuilding project. However, there have been more recent signs that the Suns are still trying to compete. Talks of an Amare Stoudemire trade have cooled considerably; they signed Grant Hill and Frye; and they agreed to a contract extension with Steve Nash.

Still, do the Suns have enough to make a serious run in the West? With the Lakers still looking dominant, the Nuggets still a threat, and the Spurs and Mavs vastly improved, it's going to be harder than ever.

And then here's this year's grade (out of only the 15 Western Conference teams):

14. Phoenix Suns

Key additions: Hedo Turkoglu (trade), Josh Childress (trade),Channing Frye (re-signed), Hakim Warrick (trade), Lon Babby (president), Lance Blanks (GM)

Key subtractions: Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, Steve Kerr

After one last run in the playoffs for the always fun Suns, the sun began to set on Phoenix this summer. Steve Nash, the heart and soul of the Suns, is still plugging away at age 36. But the rest of his teammates have, one by one, left the team. Of the original run-and-gun Suns, he's the only remaining member.

The biggest defection of the summer came when Stoudemire bolted the team for the Knicks. If you've followed the Suns at all the past couple of years, you saw this coming, but when it finally went down, it still stung a little.

GM Steve Kerr also left the team, leading to an awkward situation where owner Robert Sarver used an NBA agent, Lon Babby, to help him navigate the summer free-agent waters without a GM. In the process, one of Babby's clients, Turkoglu, and one of his former clients, JChildress, landed in Phoenix and Barbosa was shipped off to Toronto. When the summer was over, Sarver hired Babby as the team's new president.

Babby is a respected agent and has been a voice of reason over the years, but his first moves this summer didn't wow anyone. Turkoglu is a good fit in the Suns' system but he's grossly overpaid with four years, $40 million left on his contract. Childress is super versatile, but was he worth a six-year, $33.5 million contract? And did I mention that he and Turkoglu both play the same position as another Babby client -- Grant Hill?

Meanwhile the Suns are very thin up front. Frye turned one good season shooting the ball off the bench into a starting gig and $30 million. The team also paid Hakim Warrick $12.75 million over three years to help back him up. Third-year big man Robin Lopez is the team's only true physical presence in the middle.

Gentry and Nash will still figure out how to get the most out of this squad and maybe even sneak the team into the playoffs -- but the direction the Suns are heading is clear and it won't be long until darkness covers the land of the sun.

Grade: D+

So, does it matter that the mother ship rates the Suns' offseason 14th out of 15 teams this year?

No, it doesn't.

What matters is what happens on the court. Bring on the season!

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Comments

Let me get this straight, Alex -

You’re telling me the pundits and prognosticators can be wrong?!?!?!? But they do it for a living! If they were wrong, year after year, then…well…
Ohhhhhhhh, I get it!

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 8:30 AM MST reply actions

Quite a few lol-worthy points from the mothership (haha nice name btw Alex)

1. Babby’s moves didn’t wow anyone – It’s like they don’t even try. Seriously? Sarver made nearly every move before Babby even set foot in Phoenix. Smh.

2. Childress, Turk, and Hill all play the same position. – If ESPN can understand Wade and LeBron playing some PG once in a while, what’s so hard to understand about Childress playing SG and Turk playing some PF?

3. Frye gets the starting job – I don’t even know what to say about this.

Steve Nash is my mancrush. But Goran Dragic is the 2nd coming of Manu Ginobili, which makes him just as tasty.

by NashMV3 on Sep 17, 2010 8:37 AM MST reply actions

what Frye is the starting PF already??????????

The national journalist are stupid…………..

by PhxSuns#7 on Sep 17, 2010 3:08 PM MST up reply actions

the sun began to set on Phoenix this summer.

That sun has been reportedly setting for five years now.

Steve Nash, the heart and soul of the Suns, is still plugging away at age 36. But the rest of his teammates have, one by one, left the team. Of the original run-and-gun Suns, he’s the only remaining member.

How many teams have the same core of players that they had six years ago? Answer: The Spurs, and that’s it. Never mind that JRich fits better in this system than any backcourt mate Steve has ever had. Or that Dragic is the best backup that Steve has ever had. Or that for the first time since Boris Diaw’s lone productive season, Steve has someone to help facilitate the offense. Or that there is finally a legit center to gasp anchor a defense. Nah, let’s all just pile on Hedo, since he’s such an easy target for criticism.

Whatever, October is rapidly approaching.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 8:41 AM MST reply actions 5 recs

First off, +1 to your comments

2nd, damn you I didn’t think of using block quotes….

Steve Nash is my mancrush. But Goran Dragic is the 2nd coming of Manu Ginobili, which makes him just as tasty.

by NashMV3 on Sep 17, 2010 8:43 AM MST up reply actions

+1

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 10:56 AM MST up reply actions

Jerk-off motion.

RIP Seasons of Discontent

by Scott Howard on Sep 17, 2010 8:45 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

how’d you know my nick name?

"I’ve been in the league 14 years and I don’t think I’ve been called for a carry yet. It’s news to me," "I’ve never heard anyone complain about me carrying the ball. The best coach in the league Gregg Popovich didn’t have a problem with it last week."

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 9:17 AM MST up reply actions

I don't read any mothership material anymore

… It just doesn’t do it for me anymore

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Sep 17, 2010 12:27 PM MST up reply actions

hahaha

by hoodieNation on Sep 18, 2010 6:16 PM MST up reply actions

We're doooooooooooooooooooomed.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 8:49 AM MST reply actions

I predict the

Suns will finish 17th in the West. What of it?

Raising Arizona Sports at SB Nation Arizona twitter: @sethpo

by Seth Pollack on Sep 17, 2010 8:51 AM MST reply actions

I agree.

Just behind the Sonics and the Expos.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 8:52 AM MST up reply actions

Ehhhh

I think they can get by the Expos this year.

RIP Seasons of Discontent

by Scott Howard on Sep 17, 2010 10:03 AM MST up reply actions

Maybe...

But the Whalers are a nightmare matchup.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 11:08 AM MST up reply actions

Nah, we'll never even finish the season.

WE LOST KERR! How can we go on?
Doomed, I tells ya.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 8:57 AM MST up reply actions

I predict that come February Hollinger will right a "OMGZ, ARE THE SUNS LEGIT?!" article...like he does every year.

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

by rsavaj on Sep 17, 2010 9:03 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

hahahaha

by bigredd1987 on Sep 17, 2010 9:05 AM MST up reply actions

dear ESPN A-holes

IT"S CALLED THE NASH EFFECT…christ how hard is that to figure out? two time MVP for a reason. every year the suns are gonna suck for one reason or another every year they don’t (excluding the porter debacle)every year some player has a career year in the desert, shack and grant find the “fountain of youth” then by mid season all the pundits nod knowingly about how great a play maker nash is “even at his age” (for 4 fucking years now “even at his age”) and how so and so really stepped it up, and who knew robin had an offensive game, and this frye kid is really a diamond in the ruff…blah,blah,blah….then the summer comes around and “the window slams shut” “the sun sets” …blahblahblah. and all the pundit monkies go back to scratching thier asses and flinging shit.
Its not complicated ESPN, dudes’ name is STEVE NASH! put him on a team of players who give shit, work as hard as he does and any other skills they bring are like found money

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 9:12 AM MST reply actions

They're just setting up the storyline.

It’s no fun to pick the Suns to do anything – they already have half of their stories written for the second half of the season. They’ve probably already programmed their ‘F’ keys—-
F1 – “Picked to finish 14th in the Western Conference, the surprising Suns”
F2 – "At the ripe old age of 37, Steve Nash is once again "
F3 – “In the absence of Amar’e Stoudamire”
F4 – " Hedo Turkoglu continues his campaign for another ‘Most Improved Player’ award"
A few more of those, and you can finish an ‘insider’ story in under 200 keystrokes.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 10:47 AM MST up reply actions

don’t forget “rising Suns”

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 11:04 AM MST up reply actions

Can you put Scott's 'Jerk off motion" on an F key?

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 11:10 AM MST up reply actions

Scott might be happy to do that for you...

But you probably wouldn’t want to use that key again afterwards.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 11:20 AM MST up reply actions 2 recs

oh man

i wish I hadn’t read that comment…

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 12:02 PM MST up reply actions

We're never very far from the gutter, are we?

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 12:13 PM MST up reply actions

Actually, a masturbation joke seems classy

When compared to ESPN articles like the one featured in this post.

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 12:35 PM MST up reply actions

Don't knock masturbation...it's sex with somebody I love.

Woody Allen

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 12:37 PM MST up reply actions

not sure if "woody allen"

is a nickname, or a reference to something he said in a movie.

not sure I want to know which, either

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 1:06 PM MST up reply actions

Dammit! I'm late to the masturbation joke party!

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
~Mark Twain

by East Bay Ray on Sep 17, 2010 1:23 PM MST up reply actions

Perhaps you would prefer a quote from Dick Smothers?

"We didn’t go for coffee and this kind of stuff."
-El Dragon on his relationship with Sasha Vujacic

by RMason on Sep 17, 2010 1:30 PM MST up reply actions

lol

really. lol.

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 1:31 PM MST up reply actions

I’ve always been a fan of Dick Trickle

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 2:45 PM MST up reply actions

I'm envious of the owner of the NY Jets

Because his name is Woody Johnson.

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
~Mark Twain

by East Bay Ray on Sep 17, 2010 5:33 PM MST up reply actions

I'm a fan of Richard Gobbler.

Steve Nash is my mancrush. But Goran Dragic is the 2nd coming of Manu Ginobili, which makes him just as tasty.

by NashMV3 on Sep 17, 2010 7:11 PM MST up reply actions

When I was in high school, the star of the girls state basketball championship team was named Fonda Dicks.

Seriously.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 8:49 PM MST up reply actions

I'd hate to be her haha

Steve Nash is my mancrush. But Goran Dragic is the 2nd coming of Manu Ginobili, which makes him just as tasty.

by NashMV3 on Sep 17, 2010 10:13 PM MST up reply actions

no way

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 17, 2010 10:44 PM MST up reply actions

some parents should be tested for sobriety before being allowed to name their children…major major major

by 2NASHTY on Sep 18, 2010 9:42 AM MST up reply actions

I used to think

masterbation was the greatest,then it dawned on me…………I was only fucking myself!

by stevedavis_ on Sep 18, 2010 10:14 AM MST up reply actions

ha ha ha

good one

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 18, 2010 11:17 AM MST up reply actions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNIqArJj8Eo

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 11:23 AM MST up reply actions

this ones for you scott

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNIqArJj8Eo

by 2NASHTY on Sep 17, 2010 11:23 AM MST reply actions

ooooohhh man

That’s just wrong

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Sep 17, 2010 12:32 PM MST up reply actions

We should sign Tim Duncan next summer.

Don't trade Dudley!

by Beavis 25 on Sep 17, 2010 12:48 PM MST reply actions

Keep this report and send it back to its writer at the end of the season.

The Suns will be 3rd-5th in the West this season NOT 14th. GO SUNS…………..

by PhxSuns#7 on Sep 17, 2010 3:03 PM MST reply actions

I hope so

my roommate said he’ll buy and wear a turk jersey for the playoffs if the suns get home court.

by STUCK IN LA on Sep 17, 2010 4:06 PM MST up reply actions

Pundits predict, but how often do they do a rewrite of their predictions holding themselves accountable for their errors….almost never!….I love stories that point that out
+1
+1
+1

by Michael A. Xidis on Sep 17, 2010 6:09 PM MST reply actions

I was looking at some Suns history tonight, and this is from the write-up concerning the 54-28 2005-06 campaign on nba.com.

The Suns encountered their first major hurdle in training camp when it was announced Stoudemire would miss at least half the season due to knee surgery. Groans of “Wait until next season” were heard all across the Valley as experts on the national scale debated whether Phoenix could win 20 games, let alone quality for the postseason. Suns Head Coach Mike D’Antoni – who still predicted a 50-win season – had other ideas.

Auntie Em: Hate you, hate Kansas, taking the dog.
Dorothy

by haremoor on Sep 17, 2010 8:55 PM MST up reply actions

ESPN

continues to prove that they have become more and more insignificant as the years pass.
I am glad they televise many sporting events, however there columnists are weak. The network is a bloated elephant.

by Grockcubs on Sep 17, 2010 7:17 PM MST reply actions

If I was as bad at my job as those at ESPN I would be out of a job. God only knows how they keep theirs?

by Sunderstruck on Sep 17, 2010 8:24 PM MST reply actions

They’re just bunch of retards.

Steve Nash can only give 100 percent. The other 10 percent he donates to his families.

I believe in the destiny of the Suns. We can prevail.

by suns champ on Sep 18, 2010 5:56 AM MST reply actions

Please don't disrespect special needs people like that.

Many of them are making positive contributions to society, despite the challenges they face. Which is more than you can say for ESPN’s “experts”.

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please."
~Mark Twain

by East Bay Ray on Sep 18, 2010 10:29 AM MST up reply actions 1 recs

its the same every year

Some of em will write they knew the suns would be a surprise,the rest will say ya there winning now but will tank in the playoffs,Guys nothing short of the larry obrian trophy will get the purple gang from phoenix any love.

by stevedavis_ on Sep 18, 2010 10:18 AM MST reply actions

Alex I got a Q

Is the “mothership” a reference to (hang on, let me kneel down before pronouncing…err…writing this) Battlestar Galactica and the Cylon motherships? If not, I apologize for my nerdy comment.

Follow me on Twitter: @lorenzoFB

by Lorenzo Franceschi Bicchierai on Sep 18, 2010 11:01 AM MST via mobile reply actions

haha no

ESPN

Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun

by Alex Laugan on Sep 18, 2010 11:18 AM MST up reply actions

Yea, I kjow you were referring to ESPN but

I thought it was inspired by Battlestar Galactica

Follow me on Twitter: @lorenzoFB

by Lorenzo Franceschi Bicchierai on Sep 18, 2010 12:59 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

rec'd for battlestar galactica

unrec’d for not using “base star”

by rsavaj on Sep 18, 2010 1:24 PM MST up reply actions

I understand where these media-types are coming from, because when you throw a pile of second rate players to a team that made it to the wcf, then of course

expectations are going to be low. If I was a media analyst I would also predict a long year for the phoenix suns because the talent simply just isnt there and the fact that they have a couple of bad contracts on board right now, 14 mil for jrich, 10 mil for hedo and Full MLE money for channing frye there just isnt much to stic to, at least on a superficial level. Now, what these media types underestimate is the fact that this team is like a taller, deeper, and better defensive model of the 05-06 model, but they arent going to go out of there way to bring up one really magical season that depending on how you interpret it, could be viewed as a fluke. I’m not saying you should cut the media a slack but try and understand that no one can really predict how a team will perform based on how they look on paper, so when they do make analysis based on how the team fits together on paper, the result is at best a lottery team. Anyway, Go Suns!!!!!!

"Remember this sh*t at christmas!"-Terry Crews, The Expendables

by Bkj on Sep 19, 2010 1:14 PM MST reply actions