Suns should consider David West

Hornets forward David West

New Orleans Hornets All-Star forward David West has informed the organization that he will opt out of the final year of his contract and test the free-agent market this summer according to ESPN.  Although the 30 year old suffered a torn ACL which required surgery in April, he is still projected to be one of the most highly coveted players available in what will be a less than stellar free-agent class this summer.  The two-time All-Star has said that it was his intention all along to opt out and test the free-agent waters in 2011.  Unfortunately for him, he didn't plan on that coming both during a major rehabilitation process on his knee, and amid the expectations of an impending league work stoppage on July 1st.  With all that being said, how do the Phoenix Suns factor into this.  With the loss of Amar'e Stoudemire last summer, the Suns could certainly use a power forward to play alongside center Marcin Gortat.  With West having played alongside Chris Paul for the majority of his career with the Hornets, he would almost certainly love the opportunity to be on the receiving end of many Steve Nash assists.  His toughness on the defensive end and rebounding abillity would also be a welcome asset in the desert.  The potential hold up that may cause the Suns to pass on West would be the injury factor.  After citing injury history as a main reason for not offering Amar'e a max deal last summer, the front office may be hesitant to turn around and offer a contract to a player who just recently had major knee surgery.  Factor in that West is 3 years older than Stoudemire and Lon Babby and Lance Blanks will have some decisions to make.  Blanks has stated that his goal is to change the identity of the Suns organization in moving away from strictly an offensive juggernaut and more toward a well-rounded defensive minded ball club.  The drafting of Markieff Morris over twin brother Marcus, who scouts deemed to be the better offensive player of the two, proved as much.  Now is as good a time as any for him to start making his mark on the franchise.   Blanks should give some serious consideration to adding a piece the caliber of David West this off-season, and show the fans in Phoenix that he indeed has the walk to back up his talk.

Amar'e Stoudemire reminds Suns fans what could've been

Amar'e posterizing Anthony Tolliver/Getty Images

While doing some promotional press and appearances in Manhattan this past Wednesday, former Sun Amar'e Stoudemire offered up his opinion on the Dallas Mavericks winning their first NBA championship.  He proceeded to stick a fork right in the heart of every Suns fan across the state of Arizona and remind us all just how good we had it during his career in the desert.  He also said he was happy to see former teammate Shawn Marion win a title, which may come as a surprise to many in Phoenix.  It was widely known that the two didn't always see eye to eye.  It was what he had to say about recent playoff failures that tug on fans heartstrings the most.  STAT pointed out that the three teams that the Suns often faced in the playoffs, Dallas, San Antonio, and the Los Angeles Lakers, had all won titles in recent years. 

"I figure all the teams that we battled with in Phoenix all went on to win a championship except for us," Stoudemire said. "I figure if we stayed together one more year, we might have had it. We played Dallas every year, the Spurs every year in the playoffs, the Lakers every year in the  playoffs. Each of those teams has won a championship."

While many fans were probably rolling their eyes at the mere thought, it's hard not to reflect back and think what might have been.  Especially after seeing the New York Knicks, led by Mike D'Antoni and Amar'e Stoudemire, take on the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2011 playoffs.  Meanwhile the Suns failed to make the postseason for the second time in the past three years.  With Dirk Nowitzki finally being able to get the monkey off his back and win his the championship that had previously eluded him for the first 13 seasons of his career, many consider Steve Nash to be the best player currently still playing that hasn't had atleast a shot at playing in the Finals.  Fans seem to be divided on the notion of whether or not Nash should be traded to a contender to finish out his hall-of-fame career or remain with the Suns until the very end.  Unfortunately, the window is barely even cracked open at this point, and with the current state of young talent in the NBA, from Oklahoma City to Miami, the chance of the Suns returning to even the conference finals appears bleak to say the least.  Marcin Gortat is a nice piece, and fills the void at center that the organization has been seeking for years but the Suns desperately need that "go to guy" as Alvin Gentry stated last week.  Without having Amar'e on the pick and roll with Nash, those wide open 3 pointers aren't so wide open anymore.  Opposing teams don't fear Gortat on the roll the way they feared Amar'e.  Opponents knew that at anytime they could be on the receiving end of a vicious Stoudemire dunk that would be re-played on SportsCenter for days.  It is going to be a very interesting off-season for the Phoenix Suns organization.  Most people's advice would probably be for fans to just get over it and stop living in the past.  It's easier said than done.  When a former franchise player opens old wounds, it goes to show that even he is reminiscing about the good ol' days.  The 7 seconds or less era is sorely missed around the Valley.  It's times like this when you can empathize with the jilted fans in Cleveland.  To have seen your team come so close to the top of the mountain for so many years, and then all of the sudden one year later have that vantage point change so drastically.  That can make for an awfully bitter pill to swallow, looking up from the bottom.  Unfortunately for Suns fans, that could very well be our point of view for years to come.

What Should Nash Do?

If you've been following the playoffs in the NHL and NBA you undoubtedly have seen Steve Nash popping up all across the map.  The two-time MVP has been spotted in Vancouver and Boston taking in the playoff hockey action of his beloved hometown Vancouver Canucks.  It just so happens that his brother in-law, Manny Malhotra plays for the Canucks as well.  He's also been seen in Miami, supporting old pal Dirk Nowitzki and his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, in their quest for that elusive championship.  After seeing his best buddy finally hoist the trophy after 13 years in the league, it makes you wonder just what exactly is going through Nash's thoughts these days.  He has always been viewed as a loyal employee who would never stir the pot and publicly ask to be traded,  Personally though, it has to really tear him apart, knowing how close he has come on several occasions, only to see his team blown up each and every time and never even given the opportunity to try and make it back.  Granted many people thought the cinderella Suns of 2010 were playing way above their heads to begin with, but had that Ron Artest putback in Game 5 missed, who knows what happens in overtime and Game 6 thereafter.  The summer of 2010 didn't stop with the players as the entire front office was overhauled.  After a while, you start to question just what the priorities of an organization are.  Three times the Phoenix Suns have made the conference finals since Nash returned in 2004.  And each time, the team has been torn apart the following summer with little chance to build on the previous season's accomplishments.  Nash will turn 38 this coming season, so the window of opportunity is barely even cracked open at this point.  You can't help but feel sympathy for a player who just saw his best friend finally conquer the mountain, and hope that he will be given atleast one more opportunity.  Selfishly, I would love to see Steve Nash end his career in purple and orange playing for the Suns.  But I wouldn't blame him one bit if he walked into Robert Sarver's office and asked to be traded to a contender.  For everything he has done for the Suns organization, the least they could do is give him one final shot at that elusive title.  Lord knows the Phoenix Suns won't be back in the Finals anytime soon.

Nightmare on Jefferson St.

Throughout the course of the 2011 NBA Finals, I found myself pulling for the Miami Heat.  Like any other basketball fan, I found myself drawn to the compelling story of LeBron James, The Decision, the Heatles, and everything surrounding their traveling soap opera.  Couple that with the fact that I am extremely loyal to the Phoenix Suns, and the thought of the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Mark Cuban winning an NBA championship does more than just rub me the wrong way.  Couple that with the fact that Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion both played key roles in the Mavs title run, and you can understand my anguish.  It wasn't until the last two minutes of the fourth quarter in Game 6 that I realized my disdain for the Mavericks had temporarily subsided.  I actually found myself to be a bit more jealous than anything.  Jealous of the fact that the Mavericks were hoisting the gold trophy before my beloved Suns.  Jealous of the fact that Casper the Matrix Marion finally decided to show up for a playoff series, albeit with the wrong team.  But most of all, jealous of the fact that the fans of the Mavericks have an owner that actually cares.  Mark Cuban has made it clear from the first day he purchased the team from Donald Carter that his goal was to bring a title to the fans of Dallas.  Cuban isn't a fledgling banker trying to run his basketball team like a Wells Fargo.  Just be relevant enough to put fans in the seats.  Just making the playoffs and barely being above 500 isn't acceptable.  His focus is on winning, at any cost.  He too could have let his best player walk in free agency last summer and saved his money for a rainy day.  He could have chosen to hide behind past injuries.  However, he decided that Dirk was worth the money, and Nowitzki repayed him with the Larry O'Brien trophy less than a year later.  Fans of the Phoenix Suns can only dream of what it would be like to have an owner that cared more about winning than the bottom line.  An owner that cares more about the product out on the court, than just cutting a profit.  An owner that isn't satisfied with just making the playoffs for the couple extra million in revenue that those coveted playoff home games generate, but actually having a legitimate shot to compete for the title.  From Joe Johnson to Steve Kerr, Amar'e Stoudemire to Dave Griffin, prized employees are continually shown the door, only to flourish someplace else.  Bill Simmons' portrayal of the Seven Seconds or Less era and when that brand of basketball officially died in Phoenix will open up old wounds but if you can handle the painful recollection, it's worth the read.  Surprisingly, the end wasn't when you may have thought.  The Big Cactus makes for a large scapegoat but there is plenty of blame to go around.  Meanwhile the organization will be quick to remind you of their overall winning percentage, of which the Suns are 4th best in league history.  You will also be reminded of the 3 trips to the conference finals since 2004, when a local banker purchased the organization for $401 million from Jerry Colangelo.  Unfortunately in professional sports, jewelry and banners do all of the talking.  And last time I checked, the only hardware residing in US Airways Center belong to the Phoenix Mercury and the Arizona Rattlers.  All the while leaving nothing but a disgruntled fanbase left to constantly ponder what might have been.  The sad truth for Suns fans is that this is no dream.  The nightmare that is Robert Sarver will be tormenting Suns loyalists for years to come.  How is that for a rude awakening?