Amare: "Anthony And Parker Are Ready To Join Me"

[Irish]

I don't really get all the abuse Amare gets. Yes he was asking for too much money and definitely yes he has had an injury prone career. But some of this gets silly.

Oddly enoughAmer is generally credited with playing vastly better defense last season and the fact that the enormous Laker front line caused him problems has to be put in context. In the playoffs opponents routinely shoved Amare toward the basket so rebounds went over his head. Yes, he should be stronger but opponents could block him out and not worry about another big. If he was more active and chased loose balls he'd be better, but I'm not sure all the criticsm makes sense.

Should he been better? Absolutely. A guy who thinks he's max player is asking for criticism. But being made to look bad by the world champion makes it sound like he's crap. Ego centric? Yes. Slow mentally? Probably. But if you only focus on player limitations, a lot of great players do badly. But if you ignore his virtues, you missed why so many of us were disappointed he left.

Amare was a GREAT pick and roll player. A case could be made that he is best pick and roll finisher since Malone. He was a pretty good jump shooter and even just one on one with opposing bigs could score on virtually anyone. He has great uper body strength and could score even when fouled. Even when the play wasn't called for him to shoot, he contriuted by distracting opponents.

 

[Chaplin]

You're missing the point. It's not about whether Amare was a great player or not. It was about the ratio of his talent to the amount of money he wanted and the risks we would have to take to get him signed. We offered him a contract that actually was pretty fair for him, but he didn't take it. A bad MRI, very little defense (to say he improved this season says A LOT about how good he was BEFORE this past season), and an ego the size of Cleveland wasn't worth a 6-year super MAX contract. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sarver NOT giving in to Amare is probably the best thing he's ever done so far as owner of the Suns.

But don't misunderstand, nobody has said he wasn't a good player--or a great player, even. It has to do with what you pay for. I wouldn't go out and buy a Corvette for maximum value if it's upholstery is ripped up, has no paint job and the trunk doesn't latch.

 

[Mainstreet]

The thing that bothers me the most about losing Amare for nothing, I don't know if Sarver made the right moves after Kerr and Griffin were purged from the staff. I keep wondering how a competent GM would have handled the matter. I guess Suns fans will never know... if Sarver made the right moves regarding off season player personnel.

 

[carey]

Sarver NOT giving in to Amare is probably the best thing he's ever done so far as owner of the Suns.

Sadly, I agree.

 

[Covert Rain]

The thing that bothers me the most about losing Amare for nothing, I don't know if Sarver made the right moves after Kerr and Griffin were purged from the staff. I keep wondering how a competent GM would have handled the matter. I guess Suns fans will never know... if Sarver made the right moves regarding off season player personnel.

+1

 

[binkar]

Losing Amare for nothing was every bit as much Kerr's fault as Sarvers. If not more.

 

[Covert Rain]

Losing Amare for nothing was every bit as much Kerr's fault as Sarvers. If not more.

How do you figure? I think it's pretty well established now that Sarver has the final say on everything. If Sarver felt strongly that they could resign Amare at a discount in the off season, there is nothing Kerr could have said or done to prevent it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It wasn't all that long ago but some of this seems like revisionist history to me. Amare was virtually untradable until after the trade deadline passed. He was, at best, a slightly above average player the first half of the season and yet he was making demands for serious money. When you factor in the concern over his eyes and his knees we were pretty much reduced to keeping him or giving him away for virtually nothing. There's no way we would have received something in return that equalled what we gained by having him in uniform for the 2nd half of the season.

Once the season ended, it boiled down to who was willing to pay Amare the max for 5 years. You can't shove a sign and trade down a players throat and there's no reason to believe that Amare wanted to go to any of the few places that might have considered a sign and trade.

As mentioned, we may never know for sure but I think it's highly unlikely there was a deal of substance to be made here. The 5 year/max market for Stat was obviously limited so why expect there to be a 6 year/max market for him that included losing some of your own assets. If you find a team that was that desperate, you still have to talk Amare into wanting to go there. Don't get me wrong, if there was a deal available I could definitely see this front office missing out on it, I just don't think there was much out there.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Back when the poll was posted asking where we thought Amar'e would wind up, I said the Knicks.

For the overly simplistic reason that a player who doesn't prefer playing defense and rebounding will wind up with a Coach who doesn't like coaching defense and rebounding.

Regardless of how they each felt when they previously parted company.

That, and the draw of the Big Apple to a player whose major motivator is glory.

But, just as Randy Johnson couldn't handle the NYC Press and fans, neither will Amar'e eventually.

 

[Irish]

I was surpised that guys like Hill were unable to convince Amare that playing for a contender is a lot better than playing for a paycheck, but he's part of the generation that thinks the balue of a player is measured by his pay.

 

[Louis]

I was surpised that guys like Hill were unable to convince Amare that playing for a contender is a lot better than playing for a paycheck, but he's part of the generation that thinks the balue of a player is measured by his pay.

How many people that believe things like this exhibit the same attitude in their life?

Seriously, why is it a problem that somebody would choose money over all else when you have the ability to get $100 mllion?

Family should always come first and he is guaranteeing that generations to come in his will be taken care if he manages it properly. Heck, we just seen a story that a year 10 NBA vet is now homeless.

We should all be so lucky as to not only have our choice where to play but the power to set our salary. Good for Amare. It sucks for me as a Suns fan, but good for him.

And what advice can Hill give him? Don't do what I did and jump ship for money.

 

[leclerc]

His family would also do just fine with what he'd make in Phoenix.

 

[Louis]

His family would also do just fine with what he'd make in Phoenix.

But better with what he's going to make in NY. That's not money to scoff at for anybody.

As has been rightly pointed out here, his opportunity to earn the most is limited due to the health concerns of his eye and knees. Good for him on capitalizing.

 

[Mainstreet]

But better with what he's going to make in NY. That's not money to scoff at for anybody.

As has been rightly pointed out here, his opportunity to earn the most is limited due to the health concerns of his eye and knees. Good for him on capitalizing.

I agree. I can't fault Amare for taking the money and the guaranteed contract. This is major money to ask a young man to leave on the table, especially with health concerns. Thus far, Amare's departure has really been done professionally. I hope it doesn't change.

 

[leclerc]

I guess you're right guys. As I said, I wish him the best and I am grateful for his years with the Suns.

 

[Covert Rain]

I agree. I can't fault Amare for taking the money and the guaranteed contract. This is major money to ask a young man to leave on the table, especially with health concerns. Thus far, Amare's departure has really been done professionally. I hope it doesn't change.

+1. How you can fault guaranteed money?

 

[Errntknght]

+1. How you can fault guaranteed money?

its not hard at all. If I were in Amare's shoes, no way would I go for the big bucks in NY (or Phx) - I'd retire before my knees sustained any further damage.

 

[Sunburn]

its not hard at all. If I were in Amare's shoes, no way would I go for the big bucks in NY (or Phx) - I'd retire before my knees sustained any further damage.

This has got to be facetious.

 

[Errntknght]

Not in the least, itln. I'm old enough to have learned that life is not a whole lot of fun when you're physically restricted in what you can do. Happily, I'm not much restricted now and no way would I put my body at significant physical risk to double or quadruple my money. (I am retired and vastly less wealthy than Amare.)