The Phoenix Suns still have one huge weakness they need to address before they can be considered legitimate championship contenders.
And no, it's not defense.
The Suns suffer from having too many cold streaks offensively in which they can't get anything going. After watching a disgusting game in which the Miami Heat decimated the Suns, it was clear that when Nash goes off the court, Phoenix is utterly bamboozled as to what they should do.
Even when he is there, the Suns have looked a bit shaky. Shaq is the No. 1 option for the Suns, but he can only dominate in stretches. Amare Stoudemire isn't showing the same passion that he did last year, and his offensive production has dropped considerably. Leandro Barbosa was the only guy who could get his own shot off.
Enter Kevin Martin.
Martin is the efficient scorer Phoenix needs to be successful. He scores a lot but doesn't shoot much; he is a very disciplined player. His range could also free up Nash's drives and Shaq's post play.
Every good team has a player they can throw the ball to and have him score by either making a shot, creating one for an open man, or having him get to the foul line. When the Lakers need points, they turn to Kobe. With the Cavs, it's LeBron. And as we just saw, Miami has Dwyane Wade. Phoenix needs a player who is capable of scoring baskets whenever needed, and Kevin Martin is the perfect guy for it.
It'd be a tough deal to arrange, since the Kings really like Martin and do not want to see him go. However, the Suns need to do whatever it takes to get the guy, or they will never win an NBA championship. They can afford to lose pretty much any player on their roster, because Suns fans everywhere are looking for Phoenix to get rings.
Even if Martin didn't work out, the Suns would be able to retool their roster in the summer of 2010, when Shaq, Amare, Nash, and Raja Bell all will see their contracts expire. Phoenix will have a ton of cap room and will be able to sign one of the coveted superstars of that free agency class.
If the Suns truly want to win, they need to make some sort of change.
6 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Andrew Ungvari 7 months ago
Martin just signed a 5-year extension. Considering that Sacramento hasn't really been the preferred destination amongst the NBA's elite, chances are the only way the Suns could get Martin is if Martin either asked to be traded or if the Suns offered Amare to get him--unlikely.
He's clearly the future of the Kings. So you're probably better off setting your sights on someone more attainable, like Jason Richardson, Rip Hamilton, Allen Iverson or Ben Gordon.
Look for Amare to start making even more noise as the season goes along. He's clearly unhappy or else he wouldn't have blabbered to Stephen A. Smith about his unhappiness and lack of respect. If the team isn't winning then it's only going to get worse.
I wouldn't be surprised if Amare wasn't a Sun before next season begins. We saw it with Shaw Marion and we'll probably see it again. The problem is that Amare suffers from "Joe Johnson Syndrome". He wants to be "The Man" on a team so don't look for him to shack up with LeBron in 2010. I could see him going to Detroit where he'd be the team's best player with Sheed and A.I. gone.
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Mark Brown 7 months ago
I agree with you in that it is unlikely Phoenix will be able to attain Martin, but they might get really, really lucky and get a good deal for him. But you're right, it's probably not going to happen. Richardson, Hamilton, Iverson and Gordon are all possiblities, and they should be pursued. It'd be hilarious if Iverson got traded again.
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Matt Petersen 7 months ago
Stoudemire isn't showing the same aggression because they're not looking at him as the #1 option like they should. This force-feeding Shaq to make him feel involved is ridiculous and detrimental to the rest of the team. Martin would be nice, but at what price?
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Mark Brown 7 months ago
Yeah, Stoudemire needs to be more featured offensively. They are going to Shaq too often, Terry Porter needs to find a better balance. As things are, the season hinders on Amare, and how he will perform both offensively and defensively. Trading some of their role players (Diaw, Barbosa) would be ideal, but I doubt it. Phoenix needs to satisfy Stoudemire or risk losing him soon.
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Steven Resnick 7 months ago
I don't think the Suns could get Kevin Martin because he's their franchise player and just signed that nice contract extension before the start of the season. He is by far one of the most underrated players in the league, but since the Kings haven't done well recently he's not talked about that often. '
The Suns definitely need to do something, but I don't think they'll be able to get Martin. They are better off getting a backup point guard who can be a spot starter for them in case Nash can't go or needs more rest then usual.
I honestly think that the Suns aren't going to be able to resign Amare and that he's going back to Mike D'Antoni in New York once he becomes a free agent. I think he should be traded and the Suns should get as much in return for him as possible.
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Mark Brown 7 months ago
They probably couldn't, but I'd like to see them try. A backup point would be great, but I can't see who they could get. I agree with you in that Stoudemire won't resign with Phoenix and will probably leave. I don't think the Suns could get enough for him, though. They would need a big man, because they'd be to thin upfront otherwise. Unless the Magic offer Dwight Howard or the Raptors offer Chris Bosh, I don't think they should trade him.
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