Suns’ plans hinge on re-signing T. Thomas
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=68779
By Jerry Brown, Tribune July 1, 2006
As he walked out of US Airways Center to begin his summer vacation a day after the Suns’ playoff run ended, Tim Thomas said if Phoenix wanted to re-sign him, he would be crazy not to come back.
“With the chance we have to win an NBA title here, it would be almost (stupid) for me to go somewhere else and start over,” said Thomas, who officially became an unrestricted free agent at 9:01 p.m. (Arizona time) Friday. “I will tell my agent (Arn Tellem) to do the best he can to get me back here.”
The Suns have done the best they can as well. By trading/selling their two first-round draft picks and unloading Brian Grant on Boston, they saved about $9 million — and about $4 million of wiggle room under the tax threshold. They can offer as much as the $5 million mid-level exception to keep Thomas around, but the Suns are hoping for a “Phoenix discount,” — a multi-year deal at about $4 million a year, that will leave them money to go shopping for some backcourt help.
Sources confirmed the Suns made contact with Thomas as soon as the clock struck nine on Friday, and also spoke with representatives for Utah's Matt Harpring, Chicago's Eric Piatkowski, Memphis' Bobby Jackson and Detroit's Lindsey Hunter among others.
If Thomas signs on the dotted line, the ability to sign an established veteran guard like Jackson and Hunter would likely go beyond Phoenix’s reach since all it could then offer is the veteran minimum salary — which counts $700,000 toward the tax threshold.
Wing players such as Harpring, Piatkowski, Miami’s James Posey or Charlotte’s Jumaine Jones are also attractive, but could cost the Suns more than keeping James Jones, who makes $2.5 million next season and has been rumored to be on the trading block. Harpring — a hard-nosed player who came back from two microfracture surgeries on his knee to finish the season strong in Utah — is good friends with former Jazz teammate Raja Bell. But sources in Utah say a minimum deal would not interest him.
“We want to get something done with Tim, and that deal will have a lot to do with how we move forward," Suns coach and general manager Mike D’Antoni said. “Someone else can make an offer that could blow us out of the box. We know that. We hope it won't happen. But if it does, then we move in another direction with more money to spend.
"If we get Tim done, then we can see how the market plays out and who’d like the chance to win with this team.”
Guard Eddie House has opted out of his contract for next season ($932,000) and is exploring the market. If he doesn’t find the deal he’s looking for — a return to Miami tops the list of possibilities — coming back to the Suns is possible.
“I love the guys, the organization, playing back in Arizona . . . there are a lot worse places to be,” House said Friday. “But I have to see what’s out there, not only money-wise but with playing time.”
Anticipating House will move on, the Suns will look at former Xavier star Romain Sato, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who spent one year with San Antonio (2004-05) before playing in Italy, averaging 25.6 points last year.
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