Saturday, April 01, 2006

Just A Thought

...before everyone erases this URL from their bookmarks forever (I'm fully blaming my irregularity on the Knicks horrificness), I figured I'd post something I postulated a few days ago.

It hit me, while watching the Suns get killed by the Nets WITH Amare Stoudemire—and then watching them blow up the scoreboard in Toronto without him (140 points), that maybe they should go against all the usual rules and mortgage the future for the present.

Consider. The Suns are such a great team (again) despite the absence of Stoudemire and the trades of Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson for one reason: Steve Nash. Well, and the system that Mike D'Antoni put around him, and the unearthly athleticism of Shawn Marion, and the apparently until-now-untapped skill of Boris Diaw. Nash seems well on his way to earning his second straight MVP, which—if he gets it—will be well deserved. But he's also 32 years old. And even in the best-case scenarios, it's unlikely that his and Stoudemire's primes will overlap for very long. (Given his microfracture surgery and recent aborted comeback, that's assuming that Stoudemire's prime hasn't already passed.)

Which is why I think the Suns should make a concerted effort this offseason to acquire Kevin Garnett, even if it requires trading Stoudemire. Assuming he comes back full strength, Stoudemire will be a beast for years to come. But it seems that putting Garnett alongside Nash and Marion would give the Suns their best shot at a championship. And isn't that what it's supposed to be about?

An I insane? Probably. John Hollinger probably wouldn't agree with me. But at least I'm posting, right?

1 comment:

mikidi said...

You're insane.

Is there a big guy that'd fit with the Suns system worse than KG? He didn't run the floor much even when he was young, and let's face it - he certainly isn't getting any younger. Oil and water.

Besides, Minnesota would not pull the trigger on that trade unless it included a lot more than Amare - he's a risky investment.

Also, I fully expect Steve Nash to operate at this same level for at least the next three years. He has never had a major injury. Court vision and passing skills don't disappear with age - just ask Stockton.

The Suns are in no hurry.