Suns better choose us. Maybe the Portland talk ends up being misguided? And that they were only in it with us as part of a three way, something like Deng/Hinrich going to Portland, maybe Bayless to Phoenix and Lafrentz back to us, and Thomas, Simmons, Sefolosha, Gooden, maybe Noah to Phoenix. I think that scenario could play out. I just don't see Portland actually getting Amare if they don't give up one of their core 4 members. Give the Bulls Amare, you have another contender in the league, but Bulls have to slug it out with Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando still. Portland will probably become a contender with their team as is, Amare just adds another loaded contender in the Western Conference. I hope Phoenix isn't this short sighted.
I wouldn't consider Bayless a core player right now. KP spent so much time recruiting Rudy to come over here that I don't see him trading Rudy at all the first couple of years. He's also a great 6th man to have and I don't see him going anywhere
I agree with this. I also think that's why the Blazers should be looking more at a point guard (ahem... Kirk!) than a SF. They might be best off playering Roy and Rudy at the same time, especially a couple years down the road.
That puts a bigger guy on Roy and forces him out to the perimeter, where Rudy should already be. It's like the offensive side of BG on defense. They'll be fine against teams with mediocre small forwards, but wonder why they get bogged down against teams with good defensive SF's.
