<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Suns traded center Kurt Thomas this morning in a move that relieves some salary-cap pressure. Thomas goes to the Seattle SuperSonics, along with the Suns' own 2008 and 2010 first-round draft picks in exchange for a future conditional 2nd round pick and a trade exception, worth about $8 million. </div> http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns...traded-CR.html They're continuing the money saving/ getting rid of draft picks. So far they've given up Luol Deng, Nate Robinson, Rajan Rondo, Rudy Fernandez and two more in the future + James Jones and KT. I'm hearing they will then sign PJ Brown to the minimum as their Duncan and the like post defender guy.
Why they would include two first round picks in this deal is beyond me. The Sonics made out like bandits with this deal.
<div class="quote_poster">Iron Shiek Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why they would include two first round picks in this deal is beyond me. The Sonics made out like bandits with this deal.</div> I'm also surprised this was the best deal Phoenix could land for KT plus two draft picks. KT is still a servicable player and only has one year left on his current deal. He'll be a valuable trade piece for Seattle during the deadline.
I'm guessing the two picks were thrown in because two first round picks = guaranteed roster spot = guaranteed contract. Personally, I could care less about the deal. Thomas is too injury prone and played limited minutes anyway. Was he the guy to guard Duncan? Yeah but its not like he was really that effective seeing as how he still averaged something like 25 points a game in the playoffs against Phx. Duncan will just have an easier time averaging 25 points a game I suppose pending on who they sign. Suns are a team that have proven themselves to have the ability to build a contender without the need of the draft. These picks are probably going to be in the 20s where the Suns suck at drafting anyway. Members of the Suns success: Marion: Draft, but he was a number nine pick so it's hard to miss on those. Amare: see above. Barbosa: traded for the number 30 pick. Diaw: traded for JJ Nash: signed as free agent Joe Johnson: got him in a deal for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers. Suns still have the Hawks pick next year which if the Hawks suck again then that pick will help the Suns more than the picks in this deal will. In the end this trade won't effect the Suns much.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">So far they've given up Luol Deng, Nate Robinson, Rajan Rondo, Rudy Fernandez and two more in the future + James Jones and KT</div> Don't forget Sergio Rodriguez. Joe Johnson could also be mentioned, although Sarver sneaks out of that one because Joe asked to leave Phoenix. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">These picks are probably going to be in the 20s where the Suns suck at drafting anyway.</div> Majerle, Nash, Finley, Wes Person, & Ceballos are just a few of the Suns better non-top 10 picks. They'd probably have more if not for trading away draft picks (McDyess and Penny cost us quite a few draft picks in the 90s, now-a-days Sarver's just giving them away for a few million). Don't forget the 9th picks that we used to get Marion & Amare were both traded FOR (Marion's 9th pick was the Mavs that we got in the Nash trade & Amare's 9th pick was from Orlando, which was originally our's that we gave up for Penny) so imagine what kind of team we'd have if we started keeping picks and trading for them instead of trading them away for cash that us fans will never see. Instead of signing Banks the Suns could've had Rondo & Rodriguez for far less money. Maybe Sarver and Kerr will realize draft picks don't cost nearly as much as free agents and typically perform better. In the summer of '04 the Suns gave away the 7th pick which was Luol Dang, I recently read an article that said the Suns wanted to get Andre Iguodala in that draft but assumed he'd not have been there at 7, turns out he was (he was drafted 9th) so instead of keeping the pick and getting Iguodala, they signed Quentin Richardson, whom was traded for Kurt Thomas, whom was traded for nothing -- Igudoala or nothing, hmm... tough choice! This could be Marion's last year with us, if he opts out and leaves his $17 come off the books and the Suns will have some more room and will hopefully start keeping their drafted players, unfortunately 2 of our picks are gone now, though as sunsfan1357 mentioned they still have that Hawks pick which could be high, in a draft with some very good PGs. This is still an awful trade!
Question: Is that Hawks pick conditional, top three protected, like this years was? The article has an interesting take from Kerr. It seems that PJ Brown is a long shot at signing and probably won't be able to keep up with the running game that Kerr has recommitted the team to. Kerr does say, however, that he is comfortable with Sean Marks in that center position and that he will definetly get some playing time. So as it stands the suns may look to grab a cheap FA during the season, but it looks like small ball for now. Let's just hope Amare can control the foul's.
<div class="quote_poster">*Scotch Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Question: Is that Hawks pick conditional, top three protected, like this years was?</div> UNCONDITIONAL If they get the #1 pick, it's Phoenix's! I believe the Suns are standing on the tax threshold, thus any new signings will push them over. So I'm not expecting any FA signings, even for the minimum... this also isn't good news for guys playing on the summer team, including DJ Strawberry. Sarver isn't going to spend 1 cent above the luxury tax, because the benefit for being under is that you get 1/30th of the money other teams spend because they're over. Like this year, Sarver got $2 million because last season the Suns were under... so it's not spending a dollar for every dollar over that he's worried about, it's the bonus that he wants. Though the bonus this year is probably going to be less than $1 million as New York is spending WAYYY less this year.
<div class="quote_poster">scorbutic Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Majerle, Nash, Finley, Wes Person, & Ceballos are just a few of the Suns better non-top 10 picks. They'd probably have more if not for trading away draft picks (McDyess and Penny cost us quite a few draft picks in the 90s, now-a-days Sarver's just giving them away for a few million). Don't forget the 9th picks that we used to get Marion & Amare were both traded FOR (Marion's 9th pick was the Mavs that we got in the Nash trade & Amare's 9th pick was from Orlando, which was originally our's that we gave up for Penny) so imagine what kind of team we'd have if we started keeping picks and trading for them instead of trading them away for cash that us fans will never see. Instead of signing Banks the Suns could've had Rondo & Rodriguez for far less money. Maybe Sarver and Kerr will realize draft picks don't cost nearly as much as free agents and typically perform better. In the summer of '04 the Suns gave away the 7th pick which was Luol Dang, I recently read an article that said the Suns wanted to get Andre Iguodala in that draft but assumed he'd not have been there at 7, turns out he was (he was drafted 9th) so instead of keeping the pick and getting Iguodala, they signed Quentin Richardson, whom was traded for Kurt Thomas, whom was traded for nothing -- Igudoala or nothing, hmm... tough choice!</div> Ignore Marion and Amare's picks because those are the lottery and I didn't question the Suns ability to choose in the lottery. You mention Cedric, but he didn't become a factor with Phoenix until he actually left. Same goes for Nash, but he ended up coming back. Person only played three seasons in Phx. The Suns are a lot better at signing free agents and making trades. With the first round picks they have had they've gotten: Zarko, Big Jake, Casey, Alton Ford. Sure they could have gotten Deng or Rondo if they kept their picks but who is to say that they actually play and flourish in Phoenix? Barbosa was gotten to be the point guard to back up Nash, so what good would it have done to get Rajon? The starters play too many minutes at inter-changeable parts to say if the rookies would have done much on this team because those players need minutes to show what they can do and Phoenix isn't exactly known for providing those minutes. Is it a bad trade? Probably. I'm not mad though because the Suns have shown they can stay on top without the need for taking draft picks in the high 20s.
