Phoenix.BloggersPub

The other shoe finally dropped today for DJ Strawberry, as Kerr and Co. traded him to the Houston Snake Eggs for rookie point guard Sean Singletary.

The trade according to Kerr:

“Sean gives us depth at the point guard spot. We like his instincts and his ability to run a team. He also puts a lot of pressure on the ball defensively. We thank D.J. for his contributions and wish him well.”

It’s a shame DJ couldn’t get it done and didn’t improve to the point that a roster spot was secured, but when it comes down to it, he still would have been a practice player and not much more. Look for Singletary to now fill that void, with making Goran Dragic work at the top spot of his to do list.

I got in line and drank the Kool-Aid when Kerr traded for your bloated contract and insanely large gluteus maximus. I love the charity work you do in what seems like every community you’ve ever been part of. I even looked the other way when you infamously asked Kobe in front of the whole world how your aforementioned gluteus maximus tasted.

What I can’t get on board with is nonsense like this.

It’s been said you’re just a big kid and love having fun. Take note, big kid: GROW UP. This is the kind of stuff obsessed 18 year olds do (complete with grammatically disgusting emails,) not grown men with kids at home.

The ultimate goal you set for this team is a championship. Unfortunately, continuing down the path you’re currently on, you’ll be nothing but an embarrassment to the Suns franchise.

Via TrueHoop comes this scouting report on every Suns vet.

It’s good and long but I encourage you to read the whole thing. It’s pretty darn good.

Hell, they even include a report on now former Sun Gordan Giricek. Which gives me an excuse to use one of my all-time favorite pictures.

Our new fearless leader was a guest of Cardinals’ coach Ken Whisenhunt yesterday at Cardinals training camp.

Sounds like Ken had a nice little Tuesday lined up for he and Terry, as they had some lunch and Coach Porter was asked to stick around for workouts. According to Terry it’s good to know other coaches in town as they have plenty in common:

“Sometimes you just like to talk to (another one) because you are experiencing some of the same things,” said Porter (pictured below with special teams coach Kevin Spencer). “You are in the hot seat during the season, everyone coming at you, decisions being made, trying to figure out how to motivate your team and get the best out of them. It’s out of respect knowing what the other one is going through.”

No word on whether Coach Porter was able to slap some sense into Anquan Boldin or if Whisenhunt gave Porter terrible advice on how to deal with strong personalities on his team.

h/t to loyal reader Clydesdale

Paul Coro gives us this little tidbit from David Griffin on the newest Sun, Louis Amundson:

“defensive intensity, a toughness, a kind of unbridled enthusiasm.”

No word on whether his story is also one of love, deception, greed, and lust.

While it’s possible he’s a cockeyed optimist, Amundson doesn’t look to be a simple country boy, or someone mixed up in the high stakes game of world diplomacy and international intrigue.

Regardless, one can’t help but think his unbridled enthusiasm will lead to his downfall and that’s its always more a question of attitude than politics.

The Suns signed Louis Amundson to the veteran’s minimum contract.

Here’s the deal: I’m not going to lie. I like to think I know a little something about damn near ever player in the NBA or even guys on the fringe of the league, but I don’t have the foggiest idea as to who this guy is. Not a clue. Nada. Call me a moron, call me a jackass. Let me know I’m worthless and about as intelligent as naval lint. That’s fine. I don’t mind.

It doesn’t change the fact that I don’t know who Louis Amundson is. And let’s face it…you don’t either.

What we do know is that if Coach D were still around, the poor guy would be attached to the bench like Lucky Day in El Guapo’s prison at the end of The Three Amigos.

And thanks to Phoenix Stan, we know he has a full head of hair.

So we’ve got that going for us. Which is nice.

Goran Dragic’s situation is a complicated one. Different contracts, buyouts, countries and the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement combine for some difficulty. To help make this point and maybe even explain the mess a bit (at least I hope so…honestly, I’m just winging it) here’s an email string between myself and four friends/loyal readers:

Rob to McLane, Craig, Clydesdale, and Ozzy

McLane to Rob, Craig, Clydesdale, and Ozzy

Craig to McLane, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

Almost with you until you used the phrase “they’re only allowed to contribute…” who is “they” and which buyout are they contributing to?

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

The NBA’s CBA allows a team to contribute a maximum of $500k to a buyout of an international player. “They” refers to the Suns. The contract they’ll be buying out is Dragic’s contract with Tau, the Spanish team.

Clydesdale to McLane, Craig, Rob and Ozzy

“It’s gotta be your bull”

Craig to McLane, Rob, Clydesdale, and Ozzy

Yeah, but does the Spanish team then turn around and use that money to buy out the Slovenian contract? And I thought Dragic was going to put up some of his own money as well…

Clydesdale to Craig, McLane, Rob, and Ozzy

Either way the suns contribute 500k. That’s why they are going to have to pay him more than the avg. rook.

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

Right. I don’t know what has to happen first but it seems to me Tau would buy out his Slovenian contract. Sounds like the owner of the Slovenian club gets a little extra scratch from winning his court case against Tau. And yeah, even if the Suns aren’t allowed to throw down the $500k yet, Tau knows it’s money in the bank.

And yes, Dragic will have to put up some of his own money to get out of the contract. Which is why the Suns are going to pay him more money than a second rounder ever gets. There’s no rookie scale for second round picks, that’s how they can get away with it.

Ozzy to McLane, Craig, Rob and Clydesdale

How did this guy last to the 2nd round if he is as good as everyone says, and is going to take over for Nash one day?

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

Kerr and Griffin supposedly almost took him at 15 in the first round. That’s how nuts they are about him.

I don’t know, Ozzy. He better pan out. For the money they’ll have to shell out and that they basically used two picks to get him, he needs to. Defense is something he excels at.

He’s also left-handed. Maybe Kerr wanted his own Manu.

Craig to McLane, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

Don’t compare him to Manu, I want to like this guy.

Clydesdale to McLane, Craig, Rob and Ozzy

I would like Manu if he were on my team but he’s not, so I hate his guts and want to kick him in his rather larger nose and rub Nair on his head so he loses more hair back there.

That is all.

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

I hate Manu’s face and skewer me for saying this, but he’d be my favorite player if he wore a Suns uniform.

Ozzy to McLane, Craig, Rob and Clydesdale

How come nobody else in the league took him until mid-late in the 2nd round? Hopefully he will be as good as Rondo, because we could have him right now. Or Marcus Williams or Jordan Farmar, or I hear that Fernandez guy we traded for nothing last year is supposed to be incredible now too.

I read how Dragic is supposed to be amazing I think the journalist even said as good as Nash one day, and I just don’t understand how Kerr and Griffin are the only ones excited about him if he is supposed to be that good.

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

The buyout/contract mess plays a big part in it, Ozzy. The understanding was Dragic would play out the remaining year or two on his contract in Europe and continue to develop. The need to get him over here arose when the Suns were unable to lure any retread backup points for the veteran’s minimum.

And to be honest, I’m not broken up about Jason Williams, Tyronne Lue and Anthony Johnson going elsewhere. The worst that can happen is Dragic comes over, isn’t quite ready to contribute and LB slides back into the role. It obviously isn’t ideal but the team has had that setup for years now.

Also, Marcus Williams is a chump. Farmar…meh. Fernandez is pretty darn good, but the Blazers bought that pick up from Sarver like the Dukes clamoring for frozen orange juice concentrate.

Rob to McLane, Craig, Clydesdale and Ozzy

This is all starting to make sense.

McLane to Craig, Rob, Clydesdale and Ozzy

I can see the wheels turning in Rob’s head right now.

Looks like Sarver is sticking to his guns and chalking up next season as a financial loss. The Suns will soon be finalizing a contract with Goran Dragic.

Terms have yet to be ironed out, but it looks like Kerr and Co. will get Dragic to sign on the dotted line.

This is of course fantastic news, especially if the kid is half as good as Kerr thinks he will be. Your guess as to what lies ahead for the team is as good as mine. LB’s role has surely changed (for the better.) DJ Strawberry? Um, yeah…. Steve Nash’s role has changed a bit as well.

For the first time in his second stint with the Suns, our two-time MVP has a true heir apparent. Here’s to hoping Dragic is all ears.

Team USA needs Amare Stoudemire.

I couldn’t agree more here. While I’m not so sure Amare should be described as “mean,” he’s certainly an intimidating presence when on the floor, as he’s been known to unleash a thunderous dunk on an unsuspecting schlub’s head from out of nowhere.

While his size would be a bonus for this version of Team USA, that’s only part of it. Combine his skills and his size and you’re on to something.

Chris Bosh is an incredible player. So is Carlos Boozer. And Dwight Howard? He’s a freak. But Bosh is still a beanpole. Boozer is closer in stature to Charles Barkley than Tim Duncan. Howard can’t put the ball in the bucket from outside five feet.

Amare is strong, he’s 6′10″, he can knock down the 15 footer all freakin’ day.

It’s a shame he isn’t part of Team USA. I say that as a Suns fan but also as a USA basketball fan. If Team USA can’t bring home the gold, it will be for a great deal of reasons. Amare not being part of the squad might just end up being one of them.

Pre-preseason scouting report for the Suns:

To be successful in the National Basketball Association, great point guard play is an absolute necessity. The Suns have this tool in Steve Nash and with him leading the charge, they will threaten the Lakers for the Pacific Division title in the National Basketball Association.

A high scoring big man is needed to win in the National Basketball Association. With Amare Stoudemire as one of the most dominant players in the league and starting at power forward, the Phoenix Suns have a chance to make some noise this year in the National Basketball Association.

A little bit of luck goes a long way in the National Basketball Association. If Terry Porter can catch lightning in a bottle with this experienced, veteran team, the Phoenix Suns will surprise some people in the National Basketball Association.

Solid bench play is a key to winning games in the National Basketball Association. With the added depth of Matt Barnes and up and comers Alando Tucker and DJ Strawberry, the Phoenix Suns should be able to match up with any team in the National Basketball Association.

While his best days are surely behind him, Shaquille O’Neal’s veteran presence and been there, done that attitude is something that can help balance any team in the National Basketball Association. With him manning the middle and giving whatever he can, the Phoenix Suns have a wild card this season in the National Basketball Association.

Anything is possible in the National Basketball Association. The Phoenix Suns have a chance to prove just that this year. Look for the Suns to give the Los Angeles Lakers a run for their money in the Pacific Division of the National Basketball Association this year, and to also be in the mix for the Western Conference Championship in the National Basketball Association along with the New Orleans Hornets, Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs.

It promises to be a knock-down, drag-out fight this season in the National Basketball Association. The Phoenix Suns will be right in the middle of things.