Well it has to happen. We have to move on and just pray everything goes as good as possible with Amare and take a look at our team. 3 things we will better understand this year...
1) I'm not sure D'Antoni is right, in that they will continue to score 110, but Steve Nash's ability to repeat as MVP just went up exponentially. After winning last year he would have had to put up 25 pts and 15 assists and the Suns would have to win 72 games to win it again. Now if the Suns win 50 plus with Amare missing 80% of the season, Nash will finish top three in the balloting. Depending on how good of years some combination of Bell, KT, Jones, Jackson, and Barbosa have, he could actually win it again. Imagine if KT re-finds his TCU stroke and puts in 20 and 10 with the aide of Nash and the pick and roll. Pie in the sky for sure, but we WILL see if Steve deserved the award last season.
2) D'Antonis coaching prowess will be available to the naked eye. I have always though Carlisle was a great coach but after last year, I could not have more respect for his ability. You see he is one of the handful of coachs that is good for ten games a year. D'Antoni was many peoples pick for coach of the year last year. He IS the
Phil Jackson of Italy ( off the top of my head i think i read he had 8 titles playing and coaching with Benneton Treviso (sp?)so its possible, but not definite, that he translates over here as well. His adjustments will be put much more to the test and we can see if his confidence in his team and style is valid. An point of interest for myself over the course of the season.
3) Paging Shawn Marion. Paging Shawn Marion. I have never held the interest that Marion is the type of player that can carry an offense. In fact I have been more than willing to trade him over JJ the last two years than anybody. But he seems to think that he is the second coming of Dr. J. Well if hes right, thats awesome and we might be better than originally thought. But if as i suspect I am right, at least his pouting and cries for more exposure can be infact indisputedly be proved incorrect. As D'antoni says, he will now have plays called for him and if he goes higher than his numbers from last year, the respect will soon follow. SO this is his chance. In my mind if his play is dissapointing till the end of the season, give him to the highest bidder. His cojono's will be tested...
Incidently, not to twist the knife into anyone anymore, but Joe Johnson sure would look nice on this team. I would be ALOT more confident in Joe taking twenty shots a game and possibly developing at a high level than anyone else we currentluy have. I really believe with the great play of marion and nash helping him, he could be a number one guy. Surely more chance of that here, than what he is trying for in Atlanta with all those scrubs. Anyone think there is a part of Joe looking back and saying, "damn, i should have taken the one year tender" or "i should have stayed in Phoenix". I doubt it, but the Suns are more of a draw and on national TV four times as much as the Hawks. He could have really had an opportunity to show all his ability as a number one guy. I don't know if he would have gotten more money, as I am not versed in the CBA, but his value could have gone through the roof playing for us.
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