Steve Nash is congratulated by Commissioner David Stern on draft night in 1996.  (NBAE Photos)

You have a ticket to see and hear the real scoop on NBA hopefuls from the perspective of Suns GMs, coaches and scouts.

I have witnessed some shrewd moves like the drafting of Michael Finley at #21 overall in the first round of the 1995 draft. The Suns fell in love with his fire and athletic skills during the Desert Classic showcase camp here in Phoenix. In 1999 the Suns headquarters were at Bank One Ballpark and we were all stunned when they snagged a wiry kid out of Vegas named Shawn Marion. That pick along with the year they chose Amare (also at #9) were examples of the “misdirection” our staff created leading up to the draft. Even those of us close to the team were choking through the smoke screen and led to believe they had eyes on another player. In 2002 the Suns brought Jared Jeffries in for a second workout and interview. All the while, they were craving and hoping for Amare to still be there at #9, and thanks to the Clippers choosing Chris Wilcox 8th, Stat was indeed available. We can also thank Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe for taking Nene and Nikoloz Tskitishvili ahead of Amare as well! [Read more...]

We’re in the midst of looking for a new coach, preparing for free agency and scouting for the draft, so obviously there’s a lot of work to be done. But we’re confident that when all is said and done, we’re going to come away with a better ballclub next season. Sorry I couldn’t get to everyone, but here’s a sampling of some of the questions that came my way this month…

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Signing Grant Hill as a free agent and trading for Shaq were just two of the experiences Steve Kerr had in his first year as Suns GM. (NBAE Photos)

You’ve obviously experienced a lot as a first-year GM… signing free-agents (Hill), trade demands (Marion), blockbuster trade (Shaq), playoff disappointment (Spurs), controversy (Coach D) and now a coaching search.  What’s the last year been like for you?
– Andrew D, Phoenix

Hi Andrew,
Yes, I’ll admit – I didn’t expect my first year to be anything like this. I knew we had a great situation and I figured we’d let it ride and see what happened. But in the NBA, things change quickly. Between making the Shaq deal and Mike moving onto New York, I’ve been much more active than I anticipated. But I’ve enjoyed the work and the process, and I’m excited about the opportunity to make the team better.

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Why don’t you coach the Suns? I really can’t think of a better choice out there. You were always a winner and a champion. You played for 3 of the best coaches ever. It would be a lot like the situation in San Antonio when Brian Hill left and Popovich took over. He has done a pretty fair job. I really believe you have what it takes to make the suns world champions.
– Gary B, Phoenix

Gary, Thanks for the compliment – I really appreciate it. But there are two reasons I wouldn’t coach this team. One, I don’t have the experience. I really believe coaching in the NBA is a job that requires training, and I haven’t coached at any level. Two, it’s an incredibly difficult job that would make balancing my family life and my career very difficult. In short, I’m not ready. Maybe down the road it’s something I’ll consider, but not now.

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008
11:00 pm
Josh Greene

Arghhhh…

Possibly the only thing more aggravating than being eliminated from the postseason again, is to be “detained” in the arena where the latest elimination took place. My exit from the AT&T Center in San Antonio was far easier said than done after Game 5, especially when facing locked doors, chained gates and (for some reason) angry security guards at every turn.

Between the outcome of the game and the dejection in the visitors’ locker room during the postgame media scrum, I couldn’t wait to get out of that building – and with good reason. [Read more...]

Although they’re playing the champs on their home-court, I’m going to deliver to you why, despite facing elimination, I think the Suns are going to pull out Game 5.

Diaw might end up being the key to Game 5.
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

1. Hot Hands: The Suns players are hot. In the first three games of the series, the usual suspects, Amaré Stoudemire, Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal all were able to contribute offensively, while some of the other players didn’t produce as much as expected. However, going into Game 5, Gordan Giricek is in rhythm, Boris Diaw is hot, Leandro Barbosa is still feeling good from Game 3 and Raja Bell is en fuego. Shooters thrive on confidence, and they all should have a decent amount heading into the AT&T Center.

2. STAT Attack: The team’s leading scorer, Amaré Stoudemire, only scored seven points in Game 4 and the Suns still blew the Spurs out. That is an ominous sign for San Antonio because STAT rarely has two poor shooting games in a row. With everyone coming into the game on fire and STAT due to erupt, the Suns could score 120 points. [Read more...]

The Suns are feeling a tad desperate.
Barry Gossage/NBAE/Getty Images

Not only was this the first time this season that the Suns have lost three straight times, but they are in the position of being eliminated by the world champion Spurs. Adding insult to injury, no team in the history of the NBA has recovered from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

So while San Antonio is the first team in the 2008 NBA Playoffs to take a 3-0 advantage, where does this leave Phoenix? Let’s face it: in dire straits.

While most have written off the Suns, there is still one game left to play. Although all of the momentum in our solar system is behind San Antonio, the truth remains that there is still a shred of hope.

The concept of hope is interesting in and of itself. One of my favorite movies of all-time, Shawshank Redemption, addresses its value. [Read more...]

In the case of the Suns tonight, I think it was mostly all mental. As former Yankee great Yogi Berra once said, “90 percent of the game is half-mental.”

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STAT and Co. lost their focus in the third period.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Ok, but you get my drift. When you are in the playoffs, teams cannot lose focus for a second. They can’t rest on their laurels against any team, let alone against the defending champions… and maybe the most mentally tough team in the league.

Now a lot of fans don’t like to hear that. They want to hear that their squad was merely outrebounded or that they didn’t get enough bench production. You know, something that has a nice, pretty bow wrapped around it.

But tonight, that wasn’t the case. The Suns’ mission was to start the game off hot, which they did. Then at halftime, they relaxed. And then they came out and played the third period, but never stopped relaxing.

The Spurs, on the other hand, came out on a crusade to recapture the lead. If I had to guess, Coach Popovich probably told them that he wanted them to head into the fourth with the lead, and the team rallied behind that one thought. [Read more...]

STAT and Co. were just one play away.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

As I was pondering how I was going to wrap up the game, I bitterly watched ESPN’s studio show with my face in a glossed-over stupor. As I revisited Duncan’s secret 3-point talents, Michael Finley’s gritty 3-ball and Manu Ginobili’s lefty drive, I began to consider how much damage I could do with a baseball bat to my television. But then, before I could find a pitch to hit, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith started yapping on the screen.

It was with such irony that I found myself, unusually indignant, listening to perhaps the angriest commentator in professional sports. Why he is so mad, I will never know. He can talk about whatever he wants, he has no stake in the teams he talks about and he makes nearly a million dollars a year; sounds like a rough gig. [Read more...]

Just cut me Mick.
Garrett Ellwood/NBAE/Getty Images

But isn’t that the way it’s being spun? The media is pumping up the first-round duel as a sure-to-be slugfest between a popular team and another that is perceived as getting away with murder last season. Ok, maybe just assault.

While every Suns fans thinks of the Spurs as the team that first bloodied and then hip-checked Steve Nash into the scorer’s table, they also get away with a lot because they are pressuring opponents from the tip-off. [Read more...]

The Suns need to maintain a poised aggression throughout the playoff series with the Spurs. (NBAE Photos)

Anyone can beat anyone. There will be no upsets, because I’m not sure who should be favored in any of these series. Under normal circumstances, winning 55 games would have gotten us a top 3 seed and a favorable matchup in the first round. This year – it’s the world champion Spurs right out of the gates.

I guess the way to look at this series is this: we knew we’d have to get through San Antonio at some point, so we might as well try to do it right away. We’re playing well, we’re healthy, and the memory of our recent win in San Antonio is fresh in our minds. We know we have to win at least one game in San Antonio to win the series, so our 2-0 record there in the regular season is a confidence booster.

Of course, the playoffs are not the regular season – particularly when you’re playing against the champs. The Spurs are well coached, extremely tough defensively and balanced offensively. They have seen everything there is to see in the world of NBA basketball. And most of all, they have a ton of pride. This is a team that will fight til the last second. [Read more...]