What if.....The Phoenix Suns version.

[Adrian]

Didn’t know where else to put this.

"They waited until the end, and Joe walked" - Jim Jackson thinks Phoenix Suns could've kept Joe Johnson in 2005

The Phoenix Suns had a chance to retain a crucial member of their team but chose to play hardball.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I think it's pretty common knowledge that they let him go over $5m.

 

[Cardsmasochist]

Nash warned Sarver that he would regret not keeping Joe Johnson. We could have been something. We could have been a contender. So close but yet so far

 

[GatorAZ]

I think it's pretty common knowledge that they let him go over $5m.

I think the “$5m apart” was the summer before he left for Atlanta then he had that stellar shooting season in Nash’s first year.

 

[TJ]

Sarver killed the SSOL era.

 

[Bobster]

"Suns should have kept Shawn Marion"

"Suns could have kept Dennis Johnson"

"Suns could have kept Paul Silas"

At a certain point you have to move on.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

"Suns should have kept Shawn Marion"

"Suns could have kept Dennis Johnson"

"Suns could have kept Paul Silas"

At a certain point you have to move on.

It would be much easier to move on if the franchise ever won a championship..

 

[SunsTzu]

I think the “$5m apart” was the summer before he left for Atlanta then he had that stellar shooting season in Nash’s first year.

Yeah it was the extension talks before he became a FA. He wanted 6 year 50mil and Suns weren't willing to go over 6 year 45 mil.

Of course JJ was a restricted free agent when he left, so it's not really much of a news flash that the Suns could have kept him. I think the biggest issue wasn't the money but Sarver taking all the posturing personally.

 

[GatorAZ]

Yeah it was the extension talks before he became a FA. He wanted 6 year 50mil and Suns weren't willing to go over 6 year 45 mil.

Of course JJ was a restricted free agent when he left, so it's not really much of a news flash that the Suns could have kept him. I think the biggest issue wasn't the money but Sarver taking all the posturing personally.

.
There was a lot going on that summer. They signed Nash + Q-Rich for what were considered big contracts at that time. Joe also wanting to be The Guy on his own team factored into it.

The most overlooked aspect of JJ is that he had the ability to play some PG when Nash was out. They could never solve that problem when Nash was at his peak here.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think the “$5m apart” was the summer before he left for Atlanta then he had that stellar shooting season in Nash’s first year.

5m apart. Sounds similar to something Cuban would say. I always thought that JJ leaving Phoenix helped other teams in the west back in that era. Aside from Nash and Amare, JJ was the guy that was a problem. I think by the time Marion left Phoenix he was sort of overlooked for his defensive capability, but the suns were also past their window to win a title, I think.

 

[Mainstreet]

5m apart. Sounds similar to something Cuban would say. I always thought that JJ leaving Phoenix helped other teams in the west back in that era. Aside from Nash and Amare, JJ was the guy that was a problem. I think by the time Marion left Phoenix he was sort of overlooked for his defensive capability, but the suns were also past their window to win a title, I think.

Also reminds me of Mark Cuban not willing to match the Suns free agent offer for Steve Nash.

 

[Bobster]

It would be much easier to move on if the franchise ever won a championship..

I've been watching them for 50 years now and I manage to.

You'll be OK.

 

[Raindog]

Sarver's massive ego was the primary issue. The whole negotiation ended up being a pissing match between Johnson and Sarver, and you know Sarver, as arrogant as he always was, wasn't going to back down on that.

Plus, I believe after the immediate success (thanks to JC) the team had after he bought it, only made Sarver's egomania more resolute. He actually believed it was due to his own brilliance.

 

[Lorenzo]

Also reminds me of Mark Cuban not willing to match the Suns free agent offer for Steve Nash.

that was exactly the intent of my veiled comment. sometimes you don't know what you've got til it's gone. I loved that Dirk threw a jab at Cuban in his HOF speech regarding both Steve Nash and Jason Kidd.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I've been watching them for 50 years now and I manage to.

You'll be OK.

Good on you, but not everyone sees things the same way as you.

 

[JCSunsfan]

.

Can we talk about Denver stealing Antonio McDyess and the Rick Robey trade while we are already having this kind of discussion?

 

[Adrian]

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/charles-barkleys-honest-response-after-the-suns-let-go-of-dan-majerle

 

[Hoop Head]

Colangelo was always chasing after a franchise Center. The Suns were definitely plagued in the middle. When Mark West was the best C of the 90's for the Suns, it's bad. No disrespect to Mark but he was a liability on offense and his defense was 4 hard fouls to go with 2 phantom fouls he'd somehow get tagged with.


Hot Rod was a bust. If anyone was going to be dealt, Ceballos would have made the most sense. We had forward depth.

 

[GatorAZ]

Majerle was abysmal in both Houston series. If he were just average the Suns at least one and maybe two titles those years. Not crazy in hindsight they wanted to move on despite being a fan favorite.

 

[Mainstreet]

Majerle was abysmal in both Houston series. If he were just average the Suns at least one and maybe two titles those years. Not crazy in hindsight they wanted to move on despite being a fan favorite.

Majerle was a multidimensional player when he first came to the Suns but fell in love with the 3-point shot, which didn't help him or the team.

 

[Adrian]

I see more and more articles coming out. Like keeping Joe, Keeping Majerle, etc. So I decided to make a thread about it. Enjoy.

 

[Adrian]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: What if the Suns won the coin toss?

Next on PHNX Rank Week, what if the Phoenix Suns had won that fateful coin toss for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar heading into the 1969 NBA Draft?

gophnx.com

 

[Adrian]

In fact I merged them. All three.

 

[Adrian]

Tom Chambers recalled getting traded for the first Slovenian who ever played in the NBA: "I got traded because he jumped over a car"

The Suns traded a 38-year-old Chambers to the Sixers for rookie Marko Milic.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[GatorAZ]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: What if the Suns won the coin toss?

Next on PHNX Rank Week, what if the Phoenix Suns had won that fateful coin toss for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar heading into the 1969 NBA Draft?

gophnx.com

Dynasty because the West was weak in the 70’s.