Has The Sun Set in Phoenix?

The Phoenix Suns, this year once again in the playoffs, met defeat to their playoff rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. They simply were no match to the defending champions. This defeat was a shock to many fans, reporters, and probably the Suns themselves.

Going into the playoffs, the Suns were looking for a title, and for that reason, Steve Kerr made a huge trade that would affect every aspect of the Phoenix Suns we knew. That trade from the beginning was said to be unsuccessful.

I have read many articles about this and honestly, I just don’t get it. The Phoenix Suns, year after year, met defeat in the playoffs reaching as far as the conference finals only to be eliminated by the Mavs in the 2006 season.

Then two years straight, the Spurs did the honors and sent them home. That is unsuccessful; the fact that the Suns traded Marion for a stronger presence down low I believe is a fair trade.

It was a trade that was looked to be unusual due to the fact that many thought Marion was too big of a factor for the Suns, while Shaq was rotting in Miami. This trade I believe is a success by all means.  Yet, its effects will be shown in the season to come.

With such a strong duo of Amare Stoudemire one of the greatest big men in the league, and Shaq on of the biggest centers in the league who has proved that he still got some game in him.

This trade gave Phoenix many good performances that left everyone saying “I never knew he could still do that.”

When people said that Shaq was old and slow, he proved them wrong by hitting the floor for loose balls and even diving into the third row of the crowd when he had too. During the playoffs, Shaq averaged 15.2 ppg, 2.6 bpg, one spg, and 9.2 rpg.

Those numbers aren’t the best.  Yet, they do prove that Shaq still can play and that this time has a future as bright as the Phoenix Sun itself.

A point guard of the caliber of Steve Nash and a two times MVP also just adds to how impressive those two big men can be down low.  I do believe that that duo with an improvement of defense from Amare could be absolutely lethal.

No other big men in the league could match them especially with a passer like Steve Nash. Next season, I believe that we would see a Suns’ team that is driven, focused, and full of chemistry.

We will see Nash play at a high level and go man to man with Chris Paul or Derron Williams. We will witness Barbosa take up some more of Nash’s minutes and get more accustomed to playing the PG role when needed.

We will also see Grant Hill be ready to defend anyone the team needs him to, while Bell will also bring his great shooting to the court day in day out.

You may think that I sound to assured of myself, but I believe with such great potential and talent and a whole training camp to go the Sun in Phoenix will be brighter than ever.

So not to worry Sun fans, with just a few minor changes, the Suns are still contenders no matter how tough the competition is.