<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Tougher, faster, better. The Suns' recent roster rearranging may go down some fans' throats like hot coals, but coach Mike D'Antoni and executive Bryan Colangelo pledge that the overhaul made the team better. The Suns introduced new players Brian Grant and Pat Burke on Thursday and will continue to overhaul the roster today, when Joe Johnson's trade to Atlanta is expected to be finalized. But D'Antoni and Colangelo said the Suns undoubtedly are improved, regardless of how pursuits of Michael Finley and James Jones end up. Colangelo said the staff "feels like we've dramatically improved our team. I know a lot of people don't think that's the case right now. We're taking a step forward. We're going to keep building this thing. We're definitely not only going to be just as competitive as last year but we're going to strive to win that championship these guys are talking about." He said the key to judging these Suns won't come in aspiring to last season's 62 wins. It will be how well prepared they are for the playoffs because they have become a deeper team. He alluded to how Johnson's facial fracture altered the team's approach during last season's playoffs. "A lot of the same stuff became very predictable," said Colangelo, the team's president and general manager. "It was a lack of depth that you could point to that perhaps was a part of that." This year's bench will include Grant, Burke, Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa and Scott Padgett. Jones could be acquired in a sign and trade with Indiana and a Finley signing may make Jim Jackson a reserve.</div> Arizona Republic
The Suns officialy signed Brian Grant <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Suns baited their hook with a family-oriented franchise, a talented core of players, a well-respected coaching staff, as well as a legitimate shot at an NBA title. Forward/center Brian Grant took it all ? hook, line and sinker ? and agreed to a free agent contract. The 11-year veteran and avid deep-sea fisherman is ecstatic about moving to Phoenix to join his fourth NBA team. ?As a player from the outside looking in, nobody really expected Phoenix to be as good as they were," Grant said during his introductory press conference at America West Arena on Thursday afternoon. "Knowing the players that made up the team, and after playing them and getting beat by them, I realized that this team is for real. I?m just happy to be a part of it.? Grant is expected to bring defensive intensity, rebounding and veteran leadership to the Suns? already formidable frontcourt. The 6-9, 254-pound big man has built a reputation as a durable competitor, strong rebounder and good teammate. ?He?s a skilled player,? said Suns assistant coach Marc Iavaroni, who was a Heat assistant when Grant was in Miami. ?He knows what the right plays are and I think he does a pretty good job of just keeping the game very simple. He knows when he?s open, he?s got to knock down the shot. He knows when he?s not open, he?s got to find the open guy. So all these years of experience, playing at high levels with quality programs, have made him into the player he is today. It?s one of those testaments here at 33, he?s in tremendous demand." Following a season in Los Angeles in which he saw limited action after suffering an early-season neck injury, the Lakers waived Grant as part of the NBA's amnesty program. The one-time option for clubs to rid themselves of high-dollar contracts came as a result of the collective bargaining agreement. Several teams were in hot pursuit and Grant had narrowed his choices down to Phoenix and the Bulls before agreeing to join the Suns. ?He works it," Iavaroni added. "He gets out there and he?s willing to put his body on the line. Sometimes you can take him for granted when you have him as a player and you have to be careful of that, because he does so many things that the opposition respects. ?When you?re the opposition, speaking from experience, you can?t penetrate his defense. It makes it very difficult to throw the ball inside against this guy. He really does a great job of using his body, putting his body on people. Anybody who comes near the basket, whether it?s to go for a rebound or to catch the ball and make a play, they are always met by Brian very early.? Of all the attributes that made Grant an appealing player for the Suns to pursue, his experience and will to win were at the top of the list. Appearing in the post-season six times in his 11-year career, Grant has averaged 8.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 53 games in playoff action. ?He runs the floor really well, he?s a rebounder, he?s a great defender and he?s a great person,? said Head Coach Mike D'Antoni. ?When you sum up what a championship player is made of, he is made up of those attributes. Someone who will work hard every day and listen, try to do the best that he can do and be a good basketball player. He encompasses what it takes to be a championship player.? The former Xavier University star will also bring a sense of community as one of the most active and generous players in the league, founding The Brian Grant Foundation and having been honored with the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his work in assisting underprivileged youth, seriously ill children and their families. A devoted family man with four children of his own, Grant is humbled by the plight of terminally ill children and his relationships with the families of those inflicted has made him appreciate his family?s good fortune and health. Naturally, he and his wife, Gina, plan to continue their charitable work in the Valley and are grateful for the opportunity to come to an organization dedicated to giving back to the community. ?When I was in Portland I had the opportunity to work with a lot of terminally ill children,? Grant said. ?Especially those three years in Portland when I went through a few relationships with those kids, going home from the hospital and seeing my own children made me very thankful to God for the blessing of having children that were healthy ? the fact that I had these kids and to love them, and not take them for granted. ?There?s nothing like going to a hospital and looking into a parent?s eyes who are looking at their sick baby, and they can?t do anything about it. They?ve just got to be there and be there for their child. That?s what?s really affecting me the most. It puts everything in perspective.? Gina, who sat in the front row for Thursday's introductory pres conference, is also excited to be in Phoenix and associated with a franchise that takes a family-first attitude. ?My impression of the Suns organization has always been wonderful,? she said. ?I?m attracted to the fact that they?re a family oriented organization and that was one of the main reasons why we?re so happy to be coming here.? As for Grant?s lifelong love affair with fishing, it began as a hobby at a young age and has grown into a full-blown obsession. ?It started with my Papa from the time when I was a little boy,? he beamed, more animated than in response to any other subject of his long day. ?When I was 4 he bought me my first fishing pole and started taking me down to the riverbank. I?ve always had passion for fishing since then. It started on the riverbanks, streams and lakes in Ohio. ?Then once I went to Sacramento, I?d go fishing in the slews and the Sacramento River. When I went to Portland, that?s when it really took off. My landscaper and I were in a bit of an argument. He was trying to tell me that the job he was going to do wasn?t going to be good enough because I wasn?t spending enough. To make up he asked me if I fished and he took me salmon fishing. Now he and I are best buddies. We go salmon, sturgeon and steelhead fishing. ?Then in Miami, that was the granddaddy of fishing. I got a boat, went deep-sea fishing. I actually got into free-diving and spear fishing. I just love fishing. I don?t like to try to catch something that I?m not going to eat, though. I?m not really a sport fisherman.? Grant, of course, realizes he is moving to a desert, but the fisherman in him is already thinking about how to continue his passion. ?There?s got to be some good cat fishing around here,? he laughed.</div> link
I agree that they are a better team. They've made smart moves to be a title contender rather than another Sacramento Kings or Dallas Mavs. Last season's Phoenix never had a chance at winning the title with a team as shallow and offensively minded as they were. Now they add depth and defense concious players such as Kurt Thomas, Brian Grant, Boris Diaw, and Raja Bell. All of which are exceptional (and possibly underrated) defenders.
I disagree.Theyve become significantly less potent on offense by losing Q and JJ.The Defense they added in the frontcourt consists of smallish players.They do have more depth though.All in all I dont think theyre as good as last year.
They probably won't have as good a season in the reguar season, but they are more built for the playoffs now.
^How do you figure? The Suns were the 2nd best team in the West last year because they were one of the best offensive teams EVER.Now theyre not even the best offensive team in the league.The smallish hardnosed front court players they added arent going to compensate for the lost offensive firepower.I would bet on this.NO WAY are the Suns better than they were last year overall.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">^How do you figure? The Suns were the 2nd best team in the West last year because they were one of the best offensive teams EVER.Now theyre not even the best offensive team in the league.The smallish hardnosed front court players they added arent going to compensate for the lost offensive firepower.I would bet on this.NO WAY are the Suns better than they were last year overall.</div> And why did we lose in the playoffs? Because we could not play defense or rebound. The Suns are still a great offensive team. Q did nothing in the playoffs and was very inconsistent; overall he hurt us on offense. We add Kurt Thomas and this addresses our problems defensively and rebounding. The loss of JJ hurts, but if we acquire a guy like Jones or maybe Finley we are an improved team. The Suns FO realized that past teams like Dallas, Sacramento, and the 04-05 Suns cannot win a championship. You must be able to rebound and play defense, we have greatly improved in both areas. I am not buying the fact we will not be a great offensive team. Here is how I see things developing next season.............. Amare: 27 ppg Thomas: 12 ppg Marion: 20 ppg Bell: 16 ppg Nash: 15 ppg Bench: 17 ppg I still think this team can be a force on O and keep in mind that the Suns will probably still acquire another potent scorer via the trade exception of $6.1 million or through FA (Finley ). I am also not buying that the Suns are a ?smallish team,? I challenge you to name 5 teams in the NBA that will give Phoenix because they are greatly larger. Please do not sat Miami, Houston, or Sacramento to name a few because the Suns won these series or tied them as a smaller team last season.
^Raja Bell is going to start and have a breakout year getting 16ppg huh ? The starting front court consists of players who are 6'10 and 6'9.That is small.They lost a TON of perimeter fire power when they lost Q and JJ,especially JJ.Theyve yet to replace any of that outside shooting.How is acquiring Bell,Thomas and Grant going to make them better when they lost JJ and Q? JJ was the BIG loss in my opinion.It pretty much looks like acquire Finley or take a big step back for the Suns.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">^Raja Bell is going to start and have a breakout year getting 16ppg huh ? The starting front court consists of players who are 6'10 and 6'9.That is small.They lost a TON of perimeter fire power when they lost Q and JJ,especially JJ.Theyve yet to replace any of that outside shooting.How is acquiring Bell,Thomas and Grant going to make them better when they lost JJ and Q? JJ was the BIG loss in my opinion.It pretty much looks like acquire Finley or take a big step back for the Suns.</div> You are a funny guy ! Assuming we do not acquire Finley and Bell starts it is very possible that he averages 16ppg. He averaged over 12 ppg last season and will greatly benefit from playing with Nash and two other All-Stars in Amare (future MVP) and Matrix. Nash makes every person he plays with better and will afford him with easy scoring opportunities. He will see many wide open shots and has the ability to make the wide open 3 (shooting over 40% last season, higher then Q). Also I asked you to explain how the Suns would be hindered with the so called "smallish lineup" and you have failed AGAIN to give me a relevant answer, give me 5 teams (can you?). The Suns were smaller last season and yet you called them a better team with more firepower. I believe you said something like the Suns had a much better chance to win last year because they had better perimeter threats. This is playing into my point exactly. The Suns cannot win a championship as a finesse perimeter team. Dallas could not, Sacramento could not, and Phoenix could not last year. They have addressed their weaknesses in acquiring these post players. Also you can look at size all you would like but when you?re starting frontcourt averages over 30 rpg that is a telling stat (Marion, Amare, and KT). How many other teams averaged 30 rpg in their frontcourt last season? Not to mention that Shawn Marion and Kurt Thomas are good defenders (Matrix being an excellent defender). Amare will greatly improve defensively, and KT will help him do so. I'll take these 3 players in this "smallish frontcourt" over any other frontcourt in the league!
That last statement is because youre a homer.You arent thinking correctly when youre adding up individual stats either.Marion averaged 10 boards because he was a PF last year.KT averaged the numbers he did while playing in the East.If you cant accept the fact that having a front court that has no players over 6'10 is a hinderance then this isnt worth arguing.The way it works is,players who are taller can turn around and shoot over smaller players.Thats just the way it works.You say they couldnt win being a perimeter oriented team.So did acquiring Brian Grant and KT turn them into a low post oriented team?No,it didnt.If it did,is scoring in the low post going to be their bread and butter with the acquistion of Grant and KT? No.So what have the Suns done? Theyve replaced the players they lost with inferior ones.The Suns beat those teams you mentioned during their regular season series's last year because of their ability to regularly score more points than any team in a long time.Nash had JJ and Q to pass to behind the 3pt line.This year he has Raja Bell and Shawn Marion behind the 3.Less offense and outside shooting and a small frontcourt make this team worse than last year.Thats just how it is.
Have we not learned from players such as Barkley and Rodman that size doesn't necessarily matter? Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant don't need size. Look at how they play? They are brutally strong down low and grab boards aswell as block shots very well. If you think size matter so much, then I guess you would be chearing if the Suns sign Shawn Bradley. Oh what at awesome player in the post!! HAHAAHHAHAHA! Oooooh, George Muresan... What a mad player!! He's big, he MUST be good!!! OMG Desanaga Diop. He's got the size, he is automatically a great fir for Phoenix.. PCH!! Your comments are an insult to every undersized post player in the nba. Thomas, Grant.. Barkley, Brand.. Rodman.. Z. Randolph.. The list goes on.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">That last statement is because youre a homer.You arent thinking correctly when youre adding up individual stats either.Marion averaged 10 boards because he was a PF last year.KT averaged the numbers he did while playing in the East.If you cant accept the fact that having a front court that has no players over 6'10 is a hinderance then this isnt worth arguing.The way it works is,players who are taller can turn around and shoot over smaller players.Thats just the way it works.You say they couldnt win being a perimeter oriented team.So did acquiring Brian Grant and KT turn them into a low post oriented team?No,it didnt.If it did,is scoring in the low post going to be their bread and butter with the acquistion of Grant and KT? No.So what have the Suns done? Theyve replaced the players they lost with inferior ones.The Suns beat those teams you mentioned during their regular season series's last year because of their ability to regularly score more points than any team in a long time.Nash had JJ and Q to pass to behind the 3pt line.This year he has Raja Bell and Shawn Marion behind the 3.Less offense and outside shooting and a small frontcourt make this team worse than last year.Thats just how it is.</div> What team in the league has a better frontcourt then the Suns? Actually Matrix averaged a little over 11 rpg last year and has rebounded well throughout his career even at the SF spot. Prior to 04-05 he averaged 9.3, 9.6, 9.9, and 10.7 rpg in his four years as a starter. To say KT averaged over 10 rpg was because he played in the East is ignorant. The Suns will also play small ball still and will sign another guard who can score whether it be Finley or Jones. And your explanation of what happens when you start smaller players is truly genius! Dakeem thanks for having some sanity.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Have we not learned from players such as Barkley and Rodman that size doesn't necessarily matter? Kurt Thomas and Brian Grant don't need size. Look at how they play? They are brutally strong down low and grab boards aswell as block shots very well.</div> that is EMMENSLY disrespectful to charles barkley and denis rodman. comparing 2 of the greatest players of the last 20 years to BRIAN GRANT andd kurt thomas. both are servisable players, but come on man. besides, i'd love to see either of them play defense against some of the wests best big guys. duncan or nowitski could put 50 on either of your frontcourt guys.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting lessthanjake:</div><div class="quote_post">that is EMMENSLY disrespectful to charles barkley and denis rodman. comparing 2 of the greatest players of the last 20 years to BRIAN GRANT andd kurt thomas. both are servisable players, but come on man. besides, i'd love to see either of them play defense against some of the wests best big guys. duncan or nowitski could put 50 on either of your frontcourt guys.</div> Typical Hawks fan! The man was merely pointing out that many small players are effective players. While KT and Grant are not All-Stars they are good defensive players. To say Dirk and Timmy would score 50 on them............. Matrix guards Dirk for us and he did a great job limiting him in the playoffs. KT will do a much better job on Timmy then any player did last season. These are guys that will help us not hurt us. Have a fun time going 22-60 (JJ cannot greatly improve a team).
I can name plenty of teams that should give Phoenix problems because of their lack of size in the frontcourt.MOST teams will be able to take advatage of the fact that Phoenix's frontcourt is small.Whether it be an increased ability to score or outrebound them or whatever.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">I can name plenty of teams that should give Phoenix problems because of their lack of size in the frontcourt.MOST teams will be able to take advatage of the fact that Phoenix's frontcourt is small.Whether it be an increased ability to score or outrebound them or whatever.</div> NAME THEM!!! You say that the Suns were better being a smaller team with the likes of Q and Joe. Then the Suns get bigger and you say that the Suns will have problems with size. So the Suns were better last year as a dramatically smaller team and this year having more size they will struggle being bigger? As I have said the frontcourt trio of Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas, and Amare Stoudemire averaged over a combined 30 rpg last season. The Suns team last year that had problems on D had a 6'7 Matrix at PF, and he excelled. Now you move Marion to SF and KT to PF and you get bigger and better. KT is able to give us over 10 rpg as he did last season and will be a presence on the defensive end. I do not see how subtracting a horrible defensive player from our frontcourt in Q and adding KT who can rebound and play D will make us worse. Also the fact that we still have that 19 ppg and 11.3 rpg man in the frontcourt will do nothing but help us. How are we not better off in the frontcourt? How are we not one of the best frontcourts in the league with two All-Stars (one being an All-NBA performer), and a player who actually plays good defense and rebounds. And on the size front I agree with Dakeem. There have been many smaller players that have produced..........A.I., Barkley, Rodman, etc. While I do not see this frontcourt as undersized, your height and weight do not make you a basketball player. All of these players (Amare, KT, Matrix, Grant) are producers and great players, THAT IS THE BOTTTOM LINE!
The Suns didnt get bigger man.They added two players who are 6'9 to their frontcourt.SA,Dallas,Indiana,Houston,Minnesota.There are more.The point is that teams that have a tall player that can score will be able to exploit the fact that the Suns dont have a similar body to matchup.That was a problem last year and its STILL a problem. They basically replaced shooting with more physical play.Stop being such a homer. The Suns were smaller last year but had alot more firepower.That extremely highscoring offense (which they dont have anymore) is what made them so good.They will be worse off.
The suns frontcourt is SICK! Marion, Amare, and Kurt Thomas! Watch out! I dont know how anyone could think they are worse off than last year. With Nash at the helm running the offense, they are a team to be reckoned with in the West.
You won't see it in the wins but yes the Suns will be better. They got so much better defensivly by adding Raja Bell and Kurt Thomas it's not even funny. Yet still they have Amare who is going to be even better if possible and the MVP in Steve Nash. Plus another great all-star in Shawn Marion. Amare will be the center piece to this teams sucess and with out Q or JJ throwing up threes he should average 30 a game.
I agree the Suns have improved their playoff chances, but the Rockets frontcourt of Yao, Swift, and McGrady should dominate the Suns (and just about every other team).
