Well, you saw it this year. No one expected the Suns to get this far, but they did better this year than last year's 5 game loss to the SA Spurs. They have a good core of wingmen in Bell, Diaw, House, Barbosa, Tim Thomas, James Jones, etc..With Amare coming back, and hopefully playing the way he did 3 years ago, do you think they can make the Finals? Post your opinion.
I think they can win it all, but I am very, very worried about Stoudemire. I hope he can play like he did TWO years ago.I'd like to see a line-up similar to this:Kurt/DiawAmare/Tim ThomasMarion/James Jones Bell/BarbosaNash/Speedy Claxton(FA signing)It depends on the cap situation though. Thomas said he would sign for a lot less with us because he feels he fits in and wants to win, but we will see. Barbosa and/or even Marion or Kurt Thomas may also be traded, I don't know. I think the line-up above can win, because we have Kurt, Marion, Bell, Jones, Diaw and Claxton(steals) for D. That team when healthy has a lot of depth and can play our style. Nash should get a good amount of rest with a capable back-up point guard like Claxton. Diaw will still get a lot of minutes backing up the center position and the PF position also.That team right there can also send out many different line-ups and D'Antoni should have a great time with that. I think Diaw would end up taking away the starting job from Thomas sometime early in the season, or before the season but Thomas will still get plenty of minutes because we need his defense inside and his toughness. Diaw can be an all-star soon though. As the season went on he got better and better and I hope for more improvement.If Amare returns I don't see any big weakness in that team.
If Amare is healthy and plays the way he played two seasons ago, along with Tim Thomas and the rest of their FA's coming back (I'm not sure if they have any important ones other than him), then they have a shot at winning it all. Look how far they went this year without a legitimate big man... and they were still in position to win the conference finals, and possibly the NBA Finals.With Amare back (and healthy) they will only get better... but Nash's window of opportunity is closing by the year. One thing I would like to see them do is sign a decent back-up point guard so that Nash doesn't have to play as many minutes in the regular season.
They do not have any other big FA's I don't think but one big thing the HAVE TO DO is sign Boris Diaw to an extension and not wait until he's asking for a max contract.
I am calling it right here, the Suns will win the NBA title next year. Keep this post, I'm not changing my word, the Suns are that closeOn a team with NO inside presence at all, the take the WCF to the 6th game and have a LEAD for most of it until blowing it. Imagine if they won, then in game 7 anything goes. The Suns could be in the Finals rite now and I don't see the Heat with their old ass reserves keeping up with themIf Amare is anywhere close to the Amare we all know and love, then it's over. They need him back, TT back and Kurt Thomas back and they got a title. Book it
They'll probably get to the finals but i just don't see the run and gun style of basketball succeeding.
It would have succeeded here if we didn't have so much bad luck injuries. Give us KT and Kwame wouldn't have abused us inside and the Clippers also wouldn't have had such an easy time scoring. Give us Amare and we'd finally have someone that can get people in foul trouble and score at will inside. There is no more argument about it not working anymore after this season. I just really don't get why people keep saying it doesen't work anymore...that argument is dead and if they reach the Finals they will win it all because that means they would get past the Mavs and they would be better than any East team. All they need to do is stay 90% healthy and the only injuries happen in the regular season or to only 1 bench player in the playoffs. I hope they don't screw up this team in the off-season.
I'm going to say WCF, and possibly Finals depending on Amare. I'm not going to say championship though. Also, I see you put Speedy as a free agent possibility but I doubt he goes anywhere after reading Hornets are going to lock him up fast as they should.
Rok, you really think there will be an East team stronger than the Mavericks? I doubt that, but got to wait until after the offseason to see I guess...
The Suns had a really good run without Amare and had some problems along the way. If they stay healthy and pick up some help in the offseason we will go finals atleast. Maybe even win it all. :happy0144:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ace_o_spades @ Jun 7 2006, 05:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I am calling it right here, the Suns will win the NBA title next year. Keep this post, I'm not changing my word, the Suns are that closeOn a team with NO inside presence at all, the take the WCF to the 6th game and have a LEAD for most of it until blowing it. Imagine if they won, then in game 7 anything goes. The Suns could be in the Finals rite now and I don't see the Heat with their old ass reserves keeping up with themIf Amare is anywhere close to the Amare we all know and love, then it's over. They need him back, TT back and Kurt Thomas back and they got a title. Book it</div>I agree man. Completely agree.
If you guys can add a couple more serviceable bodies through the draft/FA then I think your set but I hope to god Amare Stoudemire has a injury-free season. It makes me sick whenever he gets hurt.
I think with this current roster, plus 2 rookies in this draft, with a healthy Amare = serious 2007 championship contenders. Watch out.
I think they're a legitimate contender, but the Spurs and Mavs will make it tough for them to get to the Finals. What worries me is their cap situation - it's going to be difficult for them to keep everyone.
I don't think the Spurs are going to be as threatning next season as they have been in past years. They've lost Nazr, and Duncan just looks old. The Mavs I'd still be worried about.Amare back with last year's core is all the Suns need to get a championship. You can say what you want about Nash not getting any younger, but last season he didn't slow his game at all until midway through the Clipper series, and that was due to a grueling schedule that they had in back to back 7 game series. Next year Boris/Barbosa will fill in nicely when Nash is out, granted they can't find a decent backup through Free Agency.I'm more excited to see Amare run the 2 man game with Boris and get that little alley oop screen play he ran with Marion, because Amare stuffs the ball much better than Marion. That'll let Marion get back to being the slasher he is.Not only that, but I loved the first half of last year Suns with Kurt when they went on the 11 game win streak. People forget how Kurts mid range jumper will open up the inside for Amare, when last year there wasn't an inside finisher to benefit from Kurt's game.I'm saying Finals definitely, 60-40 chances for a title.
