What Might Have Been...Suns 2008 NBA Champs

You'd be looking at the Western Conference Champs if they had KG. Here's why. Garnett is better than Amare, but the domino that was the Marion for Shaq deal never would have come about had KG been on the team's roster. Marion, despite being unhappy, wouldn't have been moved for a big man and that team would have been much more athletic than the one that showed up in the playoffs. That being said, Amare is a pretty damn good building block.

Sometimes teams are just happy being playoff contenders. You can't really argue that too much. In a few years, KG and Nash will be in serious decline. Keeping Amare in the fold insures they'll be competitive for a long time.

Suns NBA champs oh how i wish

I second that.

Think about just the starting line-up if the Amare for KG trade had gone through, straight-up...

Steve Nash / Grant Hill / Shawn Marion / Boris Diaw / Kevin Garnett
with Raja Bell, Leandro Barbosa as backups and maybe still have Kurt Thomas

they would have been a force...and possibly WCF right now!

are you putting GH at the 2. I don't like that at all. That line-up doesn't really scare me at all

why not? Offenses run better with Hill in. In detroit, in orlando, and in phoenix...cause he knows how to play basketball. Diaw can show up in mad ways some nights and marion and garnett are two defensive powerhouses!

That's okay, it wouldn't scare any other western conference team either...until they blow your ass open for 100 + points a game!

That lineup can't shoot very well. Nash is terrific, but Marion is the only other realistic three point threat. The Suns were at their best when they spread the floor with shooters and ran the pick and roll with Nash and Amare. They never should have made the Marion for Shaq trade.

I know what KG brings to the team, but in the first Celtics-Suns game Amare demolished KG with stuff I didn't think possible- on both ends. The Suns won easy.

I'm just sayin...

2 bad amare is better than KG

I wonder what would have happened in last years Spurs/Suns series if Robert Horry hadn't checked Nash into the stands and Amare got suspended. They had the Spurs on their heels and had a great chance to win the championship last year. I don't understand why the Suns weren't one of the contenders to win it this year without pulling a trade for KG. I think Amare is more suited for that team than KG. Amare likes to dunk on people, KG likes 18 foot fadeaways jumpers.

Exactly, the Suns *should* have won it last year - why panic and trade Marion away? Sure, he was unhappy in the summer, but by most accounts he was a good citizen all year.

Hmmm. Howcould Amare be better than KG. He is one of the best at his position ever. Also, KG can play defense while Amare blows at it, in comparison. The Shaq deal would have never happened if KG came over, no room to spend on him. They would still be out of the playoffs. Sorry, Shaq was your shot and he put together a lot of good games for your team, but the rest of them didn't show up to play. He held up his side of the bargain and the rest of the team (especially nash) didn't help win it.

can't agree, except for the fact that Shaq DID handle his end of the bargain

is anyone think about when suns got the NBA title this season ?what about Shaq ,maybe he is another hero we talked again .but ..................

You think KG would be a better fit for the Suns than Amare? Actually, Amare is a better player than KG, regardless of what team they play for.

well i dont think amare is a better player...he doesnt draw as many double teams cuz his low post game isnt as good plus KG is tougher and just as good a jumpshooter.....but amare is younger....but how u figure the suns would win the ship this year anyway? KG wouldnt have beat the spurs im sorry...he cant play defense for the whole team and nash cant stop parker and no other guard can stop manu....teh suns woulda lost in the first round if u replace KG with amare

Amare's rookie year he played the best defense on Tim Duncan I'd ever seen. Not as good in later years. If you don't teach defense, is a player going to pick it up naturally? I believe the coach needs to teach it and although D'Antoni is an offensive genius his team probably would not have won the championship. They don't have consistent outside shooters nor good defense. Why couldn't Kerr have encouraged Marion to stay by including him in the offense? Apparently D'Antoni was against the Shaq trade with good reason. He belongs in Chicago.. He's always been like a 'Bull in a china shop'.

Do you think the Suns are scratching there heads now about the Shaq trade?

They have to be. I understand why they did it, but they went from being 1st in the conference to sixth and losing in the first round. They should have just played Skinner more and maybe traded Banks for another PG.

Brian Skinner deserved more minutes no matter what. Every time Mike would trust him and let him get a few minutes, he did well for us. I think he has potential to be a pretty good bench player for us, I just hope our new coach gives him some well deserved minutes.

well they had to do somethin....that same team that couldnt go to the championship for 3 years...what would change their fortune? they finally got someone to guard duncan but it was too late because parker errupted and they had no answer for him or manu as raja and nash just couldnt D up

they could have done a million other things, cheaper things, younger things. Kurt Thomas did an excellent job on Duncan. The Suns are in a much more complicated mess than can be explained in any reply on YB.

It's because Nash plays defense life a 5th grader!

Suns wouldnt have beat the Spurs even with Shaq and Garnett. The Spurs own them period.

Of course they wouldnt' have....They still have Nash. Take him out and they win!

I think somebody is still upset about last season. What was the excuse for this season?