It's official...

[JMarkJohns]

D'Antoni to start small lineup again tonight vs. Mavs.

PF - Dirk (7-0, 245) vs. Marion (6-7, 215)
C - Dampier (6-11, 270) vs. Amare (6-10, 240)

So each player is giving up a couple of inches and 30 pounds, Great! :rolleyes:

That's just what Phoenix needs is a third loss in a row...

With Marion being worn out and both in foul trouble by the fourth, if the Suns, Q specifically, can't make open shots, they will lose.

I know there are a few either fans or followers on this site, so thought I'd post.

D'Antoni actually has the balls to the Suns are "better defensively" with their itty-bitty ball lineup than a more conventional one. I cn already see the season's end it goes something like this :flush ...that it, unless they dump D'Antoni or Small-ball or both!

[Mustache Man]

JMark, I think the problem is that the Suns don't have the personnel to field a conventional lineup. Jake is not a starting center in this league. What the Suns need to do is trade Marion for a real big man, if they can find a team willing to do it. I love the guard rotation with Nash, Joe, Q, and Barbosa, and Q or Joe could always play the 3 if/when Marion is traded, with Casey getting some more minutes at the 2/3.

I agree that small ball doesn't work in the long run, but I think D'Antoni is doing the best he can with the current personnel.

[JMarkJohns]

That's the percieved notion and D'Antoni adheres to it.

Unfortunately, it's just not the case.

Steven Hunter has played very well in the limited minutes he's recieved.

Hunter is currently averaging 15mpg, 7ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.4bpg with only 1.8 fouls per game.

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3525

He has done much better than I expected and should be starting. If he was given 25-30 minutes he could reasonably average 10ppg, 7rpg and 4bpg...that's all the Suns need.

His per-48 minute averages are 21, 11 and 7...give the keed a chance.

[Mustache Man]

That's the percieved notion and D'Antoni adheres to it.

Unfortunately, it's just not the case.

Steven Hunter has played very well in the limited minutes he's recieved.

Hunter is currently averaging 15mpg, 7ppg, 3.5rpg, 2.4bpg with only 1.8 fouls per game.

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3525

He has done much better than I expected and should be starting. If he was given 25-30 minutes he could reasonably average 10ppg, 7rpg and 4bpg...that's all the Suns need.

His per-48 minute averages are 21, 11 and 7...give the keed a chance.

I liked Hunter when he came out of DePaul a few years ago...do you think there's a reason that he's never gotten any significant minutes wherever he's played (Orlando and Phoenix)?

[JMarkJohns]

He doesn't get offense. He can dunk and has a decent baby-hook, but that's it.

In Orlando, they wanted him to be their Savior and develope into a Garnett type of uber-freak 7-footer...never happened. Somethings just never come.

But he has very good instincts and has great timing for rebounds and blocks...essentually all that Phoenix needs. He doesn't have to score except on put-backs and dunks. That's all he needs to do on offense.

If D'Antoni screws this up, then he's either clueless or too stubborn to be a good coach. Hunter gives Phoenix something it has never had...a dominant shot-blocker.

He doesn't even slowdown the offense as he may very well be the most athletic 7-footer I've ever seen. He's like a goddamn gazelle out there. He just flies...

[Mustache Man]

He doesn't get offense. He can dunk and has a decent baby-hook, but that's it.

In Orlando, they wanted him to be their Savior and develope into a Garnett type of uber-freak 7-footer...never happened. Somethings just never come.

But he has very good instincts and has great timing for rebounds and blocks...essentually all that Phoenix needs. He doesn't have to score except on put-backs and dunks. That's all he needs to do on offense.

If D'Antoni screws this up, then he's either clueless or too stubborn to be a good coach. Hunter gives Phoenix something it has never had...a dominant shot-blocker.

He doesn't even slowdown the offense as he may very well be the most athletic 7-footer I've ever seen. He's like a goddamn gazelle out there. He just flies...

Thanks for the opinions on Hunter...I do have the NBA League Pass, but haven't had a chance to watch too many Suns games this year to this point.

Like I said before, I liked him at DePaul, but I do not follow the NBA enough (usually just the Suns, and the Warriors if they're playing particularly awful). I do think that Phoenix needs to trade one of its guard/forwards (Q, JJ, Marion)...Joe is up for an extension this summer, and you can't commit that much money to 3 similar players. I would think that Marion would have the most trade value, and might even bring some sort of athletic big. Lampe/Jake/Hunter is a subpar group to pair with Amare. And does that Vroman kid ever play?

[JMarkJohns]

I never would have signed Q. I know they did it as insurance for JJ, but you're exactly right...A Title contending team cannot have approx. 38 million wrapped up in guards (Nash -10, Marion - 11, JJ - wants 10, Q - 7)...

They still have Amare and even Lampe and Hunter to resign in the next two years as well.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Suns match any offer for JJ and then maybe trade Q or Marion (though Id hate to see Shawn leave) after the fact.

I agree about the Hunter/Voskuhl/Lampe group being sub-par for now....But Hunter is under 24 and Lampe just turned 20, so their future (both pro and with Suns) has yet to be determined. I Like Jake, moslty when he's sitting on the bench, but he's 6 fouls, 5 boards and 15 minutes of pure beating for the opposition. But asking him to be a starter isn't fair. He a hustle-bum and should be played as such.

And Vroman...we'll he made an impact on the roster (Zarko, 1st rounder from 2003 on IL), but does rarely play. He started vs. Philly, but little else since.

[Embrodak]

JMark, I think the problem is that the Suns don't have the personnel to field a conventional lineup. Jake is not a starting center in this league. What the Suns need to do is trade Marion for a real big man, if they can find a team willing to do it. I love the guard rotation with Nash, Joe, Q, and Barbosa, and Q or Joe could always play the 3 if/when Marion is traded, with Casey getting some more minutes at the 2/3.

I agree that small ball doesn't work in the long run, but I think D'Antoni is doing the best he can with the current personnel.


I can't help but disagree with this... Marion and Amare are arguably both top 20 players in the league for 7-8 years to come and there is no way that the suns would be able to get equal value for marion wehn they are trading for a 5. There are about 4 quality 5's in the nba right now. And the suns have no shot at any of them.

[JMarkJohns]

Actually...there was talk of Magloire being available. Nene is a possibility and who knows what is going on with the Haitian Sensation...Samuel Dalembert.

If the Suns could keep Marion but trade either JJ or Q (dec 15 anyone...) or both for one of these (1st. Magloire, 2nd. Dalembert, 3rd. Nene), then they would be much improved...

Thing is, I truly feel that if given consistant minutes of around 25per, Hunter could be enough for right now. He, like Chandler, is an unbelievable freak of nature athletically. He has put up very good numbers for minutes played this season.

If they ever ditch their fickle love (itty-bitty ball), the Suns could develope into a darn good contender with the way Amare is playing right now.