David Thorpe chat on ESPN about Amare

[sunsfn]

Here are a couple of questions to David Thorpe on his chat.
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Rob (Tempe): Is Phoenix more likely to trade Marion, Amare or a combo of other players this summer.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:45 PM ET ) Depends a little on what happens in May and June. I'd lean to Amare though-just a hard guy to coach.

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Vinnie (NYC): I keep hearing Amare is difficult... what is so difficult about him?? He runs the pick and roll with Nash brilliantly and he can rebound. What else does D'antoni want from him??

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:47 PM ET ) Just trust me.


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micah (boston): that jack mccallum book about the suns seemed to suggest that amare was lazy.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:50 PM ET ) Indeed.
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Mike (az): David, I have read 07 seconds two times. Amares laziness is well portrayed but you have to have noticed the turn around that occured around week 2 of the regular season. That went away and he startred dominating again. Worked HARD on his foul shot and help defense.

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:54 PM ET ) I'm more concerned about his off court attitude. But like I said-let's see how things develop.
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[dreamcastrocks]

 

[Mulli]

Hard guy to coach?

 

[elindholm]

Whether Stoudemire is difficult to coach, we can't say, but he's obviously not lazy. That notion is absurd.

 

[The Commish]

I'm a firm believer in the "Where there's smoke, there's fire" theory, but I still have a tough time picturing the Suns trading him. He's still a kid and has some maturing to do. Not to mention that his talent is not easily replaceable. Guys like Amare don't grow on trees and a smart organization like the Suns has to know that. Obviously there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we don't know about so I won't pretend to know all, but for the love of God don't trade Black Jesus.

 

[tobiazz]

SportsNation David Thorpe: (12:47 PM ET ) Just trust me.

Translation: I'm speculating -or- I heard a rumor a year ago.

Perhaps Amare is a bit of a headcase and difficult to coach, but I bet you could say the same about Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. There is no way you can trade Amare and replace what he brings to the team on offense. Up to the point where his knees start hurting him again, he is going to be very good. I expect him to improve his low post offensive and defensive game this off season.

 

[Mulli]

Difficult to coach as in Rasheed Wallace, Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, Allen Iverson, etc. I doubt it.



The above names were chosen using a method consisting of me guessing at who is difficult to coach off the top of my head.

 

[boisesuns]

If we trade Amare and keep Marion, that would be terrible. The only way it ends up being a good thing if Amare ends up wearing down sooner, and Marion follows through on his jumpshot. Now, which one is more likley to happen?

 

[Gaddabout]

People who spend time with the Suns ever day say basically the same thing as Thorpe. By people, I mean the Suns press corps. I don't think this locker room is nearly as unified as last year's.

 

[Mulli]

If Amare is traded, I might have to write a sharp letter threatening to stop following the team.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

If Amare is traded, I might have to write a sharp letter threatening to stop following the team.

As a lifelong Suns fans, I'd have to agree.

I could understand trading him right after his injury, but not now.

 

[Mulli]

Upon further review, if Amare goes, so do I.

 

[abomb]

Upon further review, if Amare goes, so do I.

Man, you ARE a true Suns fan!

 

[Skumbag]

if it involved taking on KG then i'm down...

 

[F-Dog]

Oh well, if Amare is difficult, the Suns should probably get rid of him and go back to what they were doing last year.

Not that they could compete for a title with last year's team (obviously) but you don't want to cause any trouble for the coaching staff.

 

[Bufalay]

he's difficult to coach? get a better coach.

 

[slinslin]

If we keep the overrated choker Marion who keeps crying about respect over the franchise big man we waited for for decades, well... I might just stop watching until D'Antoni is gone and his small ball.

Shaq, Kobe, Tmac, Iverson all supposedly hard to coach.. doesn't mean you trade any of them and keep a borderline allstar instead.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Well the locker isn't unified, so what?

Some of the best teams I have ever been apart of in general life, work and play all had conflict. Some of the worst were full of my best friends.

Furthermore, I question anyone who says: "Oh just trust me!"

 

[Treesquid PhD]

he's difficult to coach? get a better coach.

No! you must trade him for very little, please trade him, he is terrible and really lazy, he isn't that good either, and he has tatoos you really should trade him and keep Banks, really give him a shot.

Someone find out Thorpe's favorite NBA team, all these guys have childhood teams they root for under the table.

 

[Bufalay]

i'd trade nash before i trade amare.

 

[Gaddabout]

Well the locker isn't unified, so what?

If they win, you're right, it doesn't matter. If they don't win ... I guess we'll learn something about Mike D'Antoni the GM this summer.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

All this talk is starting to worry me. Bickley said something very astute (I know, right?) in his column the other day that there is a prevailing sentiment that the Suns FO thinks they can win a ring with out him and that he is too singular a focus away from the rest of the team.

I don't really give a crap. I would implode the team of everyone else before i trade Amare. He and Matt Leinart are the two best things to happen to Arizona sports in decades. Once Nash is done - D'antonis system goes up in flames and we better have the big fella to lean on once that happens or its lottery time.

I love D'Antoni but he can't let his ego get in the way on this one. As remearkable as the run was last year it was alot of smoke and mirrors too. The playoffs broke just right. If anyone in that front office thinks they can win it all without Amare they are crazy.

I believe that he can be difficult. But he is an Alpha dog and he works hard so I could really care less. Plus it seems to me he has taken to the Nash love fest far better than the 10x inferior Shawn who doesnt believe he gets his due.

If guys like Bell, Nash and Marion are having trouble with STAT I say trade all of them and build around Barbosa. There is NO WAY you trade Amare.

That has Kareem Abdul Jabbar coin flip haunting written all over it.....

 

[green machine]

All this talk is starting to worry me. Bickley said something very astute (I know, right?) in his column the other day that there is a prevailing sentiment that the Suns FO thinks they can win a ring with out him and that he is too singular a focus away from the rest of the team.

I don't really give a crap. I would implode the team of everyone else before i trade Amare. He and Matt Leinart are the two best things to happen to Arizona sports in decades. Once Nash is done - D'antonis system goes up in flames and we better have the big fella to lean on once that happens or its lottery time.

I love D'Antoni but he can't let his ego get in the way on this one. As remearkable as the run was last year it was alot of smoke and mirrors too. The playoffs broke just right. If anyone in that front office thinks they can win it all without Amare they are crazy.

I believe that he can be difficult. But he is an Alpha dog and he works hard so I could really care less. Plus it seems to me he has taken to the Nash love fest far better than the 10x inferior Shawn who doesnt believe he gets his due.

If guys like Bell, Nas and Marion are having trouble with STAT I say trade all of them and build around Barbosa. There is NO WAY you trade Amare.

That has Kareem Abdul Jabbar coin flip haunting written all over it.....

I totally agree with what you said. Amare has the potential to be a superstar and more then that he has the attitude to become one. That means he steps up his play when needed and he can take over a game. Nash has that trait, so does Barbosa. It is a trait that is needed to make a title run.

 

[Covert Rain]

All this speculation by these sports writers who don't know jack about the team cracks me up. How many times did these same guys report Marion on the trading block just for the organization to come out and say it wasn't true.

There is ZERO basis for any reporter at this point to be reporting that Amare will even be considered for a trade. No matter what happens after the season. Kurt or Marion will go long before Amare.

 

[The Commish]

Sarver is pro-Amare, D'Antoni is pro-Marion. Who will win out? Sarver.