I was just looking through the rosters of some older teams and I was surprised to find that the 1996-1997 Phoenix Suns were completely stacked at the point guard position. During that season, they had Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Sam Cassell on their roster. Do you think that's the deepest point guard rotation of all time? Those four playes are all potential Hall of Famers (in my mind Kidd and Nash are locks) so I think it has to be up there. What do you guys think?
Actually that was one of the Suns worst teams in the 90s, that summer they traded Barkley and started the year 0-13. It was Nash's rookie year, he really didn't make that big of an impression, KJ was at the end of his career, Cassell was traded along with Finley for Jason Kidd so they never played together. So it really wasn't that big of a deal, when we got Kidd there was some hype having Kidd and KJ in the same backcourt but it wasn't all that it was cracked up to be considering they were both point guards. The reason most Suns fans remember that team is the 0-13 start but still making the playoffs & Rex Chapman's amazing fall away 3 point shot against Seattle in the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">scorbutic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Rex Chapman's amazing fall away 3 point shot against Seattle in the playoffs.</div> I still remember that shot till this day. Freakin Rex Chapman.
<div class="quote_poster">23MJordan23 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">One of the most potential line ups of the Suns, however, they were terrible at the time.</div> Terrible... They did finish the year on a thirteen game winning streak to make the playoffs so they were not terrible per-se. That line-up was interesting because it brought a lot of false hope. Cassel had just torched us the prior two years while he was on the Rockets and Robert Horry was also part of that trade. Tough transition year, I remember both Cassel and Horry struggling and wasn't this around the time Mcdyess was injured?
Interesting to debate that, but Nash was nothing more than an afterthought at that time. I believe he might have barely even played. I do know that Kidd was traded to the team halfway through the year, and it's difficult to make the adjustment, plus he got hurt for a big part of the season. Cassell was part of the trade too, and just like with Kidd, the adjustment was tough and he had to come off the bench. He really wasn't that good of a player back then yet, but would develop his shot and his court leadership later. So to answer your question, no, I do not believe it was the deepest point guard rotation of all time, because at that time, Nash was still very young and not yet able to contribute, and Cassell WAS TRADED FOR KIDD. Your potential point guard rotation NEVER EXISTED. Don't mean to call you out, but your reasoning is quite a bit off on this one.
<div class="quote_poster">djdiggydiggy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Intersting to debate that, but Nash was nothing more than an afterthought at that time. I believe he might have barely even played. I do know that Kidd was traded to the team halfway through the year, and it's difficult to make the adjustment, plus he got hurt for a big part of the season. Cassell was part of the trade too, and just like with Kidd, the adjustment was tough and he had to come off the bench. He really wasn't that good of a player back then yet, but would develop his shot and his court leadership later. So to answer your question, no, I do not believe it was the deepest point guard rotation of all time, because at that time, Nash was still very young and not yet able to contribute, and Cassell WAS TRADED FOR KIDD. Your potential point guard rotation NEVER EXISTED. Don't mean to call you out, but your reasoning is quite a bit off on this one.</div> For one thing, I didn't realize that Cassell was traded for Kidd until it was brought up earlier in this thread. I didn't really follow basketball back then and like I said, it was just something I noticed when I was searching through some old rosters. Also, while they may not have been great then, Nash, Kidd, and Johnson made for a backcourt filled with future star power (or past in Johnson's case).
For somebody who doesn't follow the Suns, especially back then, yes I agree on paper that backcourt does seem like one for the ages. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I remember both Cassel and Horry struggling and wasn't this around the time Mcdyess was injured?</div> McDyess wasn't on that team, they traded for him during that summer. Also McDyess was never hurt when he played with the Suns... he was actually injured AGAINST Phoenix after he signed back with Denver after only 1 year with the Suns (which is why we boo'd him until Phoenix traded Marbury for him... or should I say his expiring contract). I still harbour bad feelings about that whole situation. Cassell and Horry barely played with the Suns, as I said Cassell was in the Kidd trade, but I do recall him being very good energy off the bench. Horry on the other hand had some attitude problems, as most Suns fans probably recall he threw a towel at Coach Danny Ainge that year and was traded immediately after -- we got Ceballos back from LA, who is a hometown favorite and still part of the franchise... though we had to include Joe Kleine in that trade (not a great player, but a favorite around Phoenix, even today). P.S.>> Great topic, I love reminiscing on past Suns teams!
Thanks for clarifying Scorbutic. I had forgotten he injured himself after that trade. Of course I was 12 at the time so it doesn't surprise me I could not remember that well.
That series versus Seattle was one of the better first round series that I remember. Gary Payton dominated that series and that is when he cemented himself as the best point guard in the league. The crazy thing about Rex Chapman's shot was that it only forced overtime and the Suns eventually lost that game and then lost the series in five in Seattle. The bad thing about that game was that I knew the Sonics were going to melt down and the moment that Rex Chapman caught the ball I knew that the game was headed into overtime. That series had to be one of the most entertaining series of all time, just b/c of the brashness of Rex Chapman. He hit nine threes in route to a 40+ explosion in Game One of that series. I think that Kevin Harlan really made a name for himself calling that series.
<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I was just looking through the rosters of some older teams and I was surprised to find that the 1996-1997 Phoenix Suns were completely stacked at the point guard position. During that season, they had Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Sam Cassell on their roster. Do you think that's the deepest point guard rotation of all time? Those four playes are all potential Hall of Famers (in my mind Kidd and Nash are locks) so I think it has to be up there. What do you guys think?</div> That is insane! I bet they had no clue who they had on their team at the time. but Sam Cassell isn't going to the hall of fame.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Sam Cassell </div> and to think of all the teams that need a pg
<div class="quote_poster">THE DREAM Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">and to think of all the teams that need a pg</div> OT, but here are my top 5 teams that need a point guard: LOS ANGELES LAKERS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS LOS ANGELES LAKERS MILWAUKEE BUCKS LOS ANGELES LAKERS
<div class="quote_poster">scorbutic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">McDyess wasn't on that team, they traded for him during that summer. Also McDyess was never hurt when he played with the Suns... he was actually injured AGAINST Phoenix after he signed back with Denver after only 1 year with the Suns (which is why we boo'd him until Phoenix traded Marbury for him... or should I say his expiring contract). I still harbour bad feelings about that whole situation.</div> I do too. I remember when he came back in the Marbury/Hardaway trade, the Republic put out an article detailing how it all went down back then. I was pissed that the Nuggets shut out several Suns players like Kidd, Chapman, Person, etc. that went down to try to convince McDyess to stay in Phoenix. That was cheap and cost us a great player. I'd even venture to say a young McDyess could've been better than current Amare.
<div class="quote_poster">Downtown Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I'd even venture to say a young McDyess could've been better than current Amare.</div> Offensively maybe, but Amare brings a lot defensively (rebounding, blocking) plus Amare is just pure nasty, McDyess never put fear into other players like Amare can.
