JJ Disliked Amare?

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting giftedvisionz:</div><div class="quote_post">So you're saying that for instance Jermaine O'Neal has zero heart and zero spine, because of the fact that when he was back in Portland, he didn't perform when Rasheed Wallace was there? There's something called development, and in this case O'Neal was a late bloomer.

But wait hold on, didn't JJ still manage to average around 10 PPG and 28 MPG when Penny and Marbury were still around? How is that not performing? Even though his eFG% was lower back then, Nash (unlike Marbury and Penny) was able to give him a bunch of open looks, so naturally his eFG% was higher last season. On a team who had to share shots between Marbury, Penny, and Marion, he still performed well.

Give JJ a break. Some of you guys gotta go easier on the man, he probably knows what he's doing. Hey, maybe he finally realized that the trade for Kurt Thomas was horrible, lol.

I wonder how so many fans are able to read these player's minds. Maybe I should learn telepathy too... </div>

Kurt Thomas trade horrible?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting emannen:</div><div class="quote_post">Kurt Thomas trade horrible? </div>

Yeah, people that didn't watch the ga,es though Q was so great. I am happy to be rid of him.

 

Good luck with him if you think he's gonna help you're team. He's a solid player, but he doesn't fit the team:
1. He'll slow down the unit as a whole. The reason why the Suns flourished last year was because Amare and Shawn were dominant in the 5 and 4 slots. They're stats boosted considerably, but most importantly they caused so many match up problems with their opponents. So in reality, with this trade you're even further weakening you're swingman spots, and just adding an unneccasary player up front. Adding Thomas just gets rid of this advantage.
2. He's an overall inferior offensive player. He takes too many jumpshots, and has a lower eFG% than Q. He can't create his own shot, and most of them have to be assisted by somebody else. The team decreases in offensive options.
3. He's not much of a defensive player either. (His dRTG and dEFF are far from spectacular, and aren't far off from Q-Rich's. And he fouls a lot. If you don't like stats, watch some Knicks games. I happen to get MSG on cable, so I get to see a lot of them.)
4. He's at best just a decent rebounder. His stats were inflated thanks to Marbury, Crawford, and Tim. How many will he average when you have good rebounders in Stoudamire and Marion?
5. Kurt's turning 33, Q's turning 25. Would you rather pay more money over the next 4 years on a man who's bound to decline anytime soon, or a man who still has yet to reach his prime?
6. Kurt will just clog up the lane. This gives the opposing team less 3-point shooters to guard.The pick and roll was designed to get Amare inside the paint alone, and score or go for the outlet pass for a 3. What good does Kurt standing around the paint do if Amare doesn't get his space to work with? He's more liable this year to be double teamed because more players are aware of his capabilities, and he has less offensive options to work with.

You could've traded Q for some expiring contracts, or maybe even a legit center who can play defense. Instead all your money is going to be eaten up by Thomas. At least the team signed Raja Bell.

I'll stop for now, lol. I don't want to get too off topic...

 

You don't know how bad Q was then. Thomas is a good defender and rebounder even though he is shot. And the Suns save 16 mil. over 5 years.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting giftedvisionz:</div><div class="quote_post">Good luck with him if you think he's gonna help you're team. He's a solid player, but he doesn't fit the team:
1. He'll slow down the unit as a whole. The reason why the Suns flourished last year was because Amare and Shawn were dominant in the 5 and 4 slots. They're stats boosted considerably, but most importantly they caused so many match up problems with their opponents. So in reality, with this trade you're even further weakening you're swingman spots, and just adding an unneccasary player up front. Adding Thomas just gets rid of this advantage.
2. He's an overall inferior offensive player. He takes too many jumpshots, and has a lower eFG% than Q. He can't create his own shot, and most of them have to be assisted by somebody else. The team decreases in offensive options.
3. He's not much of a defensive player either. (His dRTG and dEFF are far from spectacular, and aren't far off from Q-Rich's. And he fouls a lot. If you don't like stats, watch some Knicks games. I happen to get MSG on cable, so I get to see a lot of them.)
4. He's at best just a decent rebounder. His stats were inflated thanks to Marbury, Crawford, and Tim. How many will he average when you have good rebounders in Stoudamire and Marion?
5. Kurt's turning 33, Q's turning 25. Would you rather pay more money over the next 4 years on a man who's bound to decline anytime soon, or a man who still has yet to reach his prime?
6. Kurt will just clog up the lane. This gives the opposing team less 3-point shooters to guard.The pick and roll was designed to get Amare inside the paint alone, and score or go for the outlet pass for a 3. What good does Kurt standing around the paint do if Amare doesn't get his space to work with? He's more liable this year to be double teamed because more players are aware of his capabilities, and he has less offensive options to work with.

You could've traded Q for some expiring contracts, or maybe even a legit center who can play defense. Instead all your money is going to be eaten up by Thomas. At least the team signed Raja Bell.

I'll stop for now, lol. I don't want to get too off topic...</div>

1. I really do not think the team will slow down as much as people say they will. Coach Mike D'Antoni has already said that last year Shawn Marion was stuck throwing the ball inbounds. Now he will be able to run the floor and create on the break. He is one of the most athletic and speedy players in the league. Yes the coach did say this and I do not think the drop-off will be that great. To say that we are going to suffer because these players will move back to their normal positions is absurd. Matrix will return to his 3 position and Amare will actually play the 5 (point center). Shawn Marion's stats were not inflated as some think. He is a consistent performer and while his rebounding increased his ppg. did not. Also Amare will be utilized in the same way, off of pick and rolls etc. You also forget the main reasons we did so poorly in the S.A. series. We could not rebound because Amare is not a great rebounder (he does not get position well). Matrix can board and he will do so as a SF and KT adds 10.4 rpg. The addition of KT will greatly solve our problems in the rebounding department.
2. You say KT is an "inferior offensive player," I beg to differ. First of all Q shot 38.9% last season and Kurt Thomas shot a little over 47%, Q has a better FG%?! It seems to me that KT has an excellent FG%. Also Thomas will benefit greatly from the fact that Amare will see a lot of double teams and he will be wide open to hit the 10-15 foot jumper (he has a very nice touch from this range). You also say "He can't create his own shot, and most of them have to be assisted by somebody else". Don't the Suns have someone that can create shots for teammates and get assists? To say the team decreases in offensive options is untrue. While I liked Q-Rich he was possibly the most inconsistent player I have ever seen (not to mention he is not great defensively). Some nights he will score 25, and the next night he'll score 10. Q also did not create any shots last year at all and when he was not found open for threes in the playoffs he struggled. He could not create his shot in the playoffs at all.
3. I have seen some Knicks games as well. To say that KT is not a good defender is ridiculous. He guards the other team?s best big man every night (he will do the same in Phoenix). Yes he does get into foul trouble on occasion.
4. Also tell me how guards inflate rebounding stats? Amare is not a good rebounder (I'd say he is decent) and Matrix is a good rebounder, but this is an area where we struggled last year. He will help solve this problem. When was over 10 rpg. not good?
5. Yes I would rather have Kurt Thomas. He gives us a better chance to win a championship. Last season we had trouble on defense and rebounding. We addressed those issues with the trade of Kurt Thomas. Richardson was a nice player (though overpaid, and overpaid long-term to boot) he was awful in the playoffs. Greg Anthony stated that specialist like Q are easily shut down in the playoffs. He is absolutely right, as soon as the open three was taken away so was Q's game. He could not create his shot, struggled defensively and was a liability on both ends of the court.
6. Also KT will not clog up the lane. Amare is playing the 5 and he will look to kick to KT when doubled. If you honestly think that the Suns coaching staff will in any way cause the pick and roll to be less effective you are crazy. They will put Thomas in a position where he will help Amare not hurt him.

How does this guy hurt us again?!

Also this may clear some things up. PLEASE READ.
Thomas Won?t Slow Suns Pace

 

That is a good post, but I can promise you that Kurt will be playing center. One of the reasons we got him was because Amare hated playing center.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ArizonaSportsFan22:</div><div class="quote_post">That is a good post, but I can promise you that Kurt will be playing center. One of the reasons we got him was because Amare hated playing center.</div>

For some reason it is not up on the site now but at the Phoenix Suns official website they interviewed Amare at the end of the season and he said he would not mind playing center. He called it point center because it would be a very versitile position. He also said he would do what was best for the team.

 

I may be wrong but I am 99% sure that Thomas will play center. I'd rather see Amare go back to his regular position and dominate and see Thomas in foul trouble instead of Amare, lol. Thomas is used to playing center so it won't be so bad.

 

^ In the East. It's tougher in the West.

 

Yes, but he is still starting at center. He should do fine. Better on D than Amare at least.

 

I'm not very sure, Thomas is kind of short, center wise. I'd like to use him as a sixth man and get a good starting center.

 

all fine and dandy... but WHERE are you going to find a decent center not named shaq? times are tought centers wise and we must improvise

 

da pimp... he's an INCH shorter than Amare and center is his regular position.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AA13:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree that it was in the heat of the moment but I don't think it's a good idea to show your leadership by telling one of your teammates to "Play some [expletive] defense." To me that's not embracing your teammates.</div>
I can only imagine how MJ talked to his team mates when they were losing....From what i've heard MJ was a real Ahole.

 

Phunky420, your right but to be a leader you must take control of the sitiuation that only shows amare's the leader of the team. I think jj is a little girlif thats why he's moving.