Suns Acquire McCarty from Celtics

[Solid D]

The recent rumors came true today...Waltah is now a Sun. The Suns just got better, again.
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http://www.nba.com/suns/news/mccarty_050208.html

http://www.nba.com/media/suns/mccarty_jumper_celtics.jpg

Posted: Feb. 8, 2005
The Phoenix Suns continued to bolster its bench by acquiring veteran forward Walter McCarty and an undisclosed amount of cash from the Boston Celtics today in exchange for the 2005 conditional second-round pick the Suns acquired last month from Golden State in a trade for forward Zarko Cabarkapa.

The versatile 6-10, 230-pound forward, who spent the last seven-and-a half seasons with Boston after playing his rookie season with the New York Knicks in 1996-97, owns career averages of 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 529 games (107 starts). He has a career three-point field goal percentage of .349 and has 421 three-point field goals and 1,208 three-point field goals attempted.

“In Walter McCarty we are adding another versatile and experienced veteran player that has developed a reputation as a great teammate,” said Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo. “Walter is long and active, and should provide a real spark off the bench.”

In 30 career postseason games (12 starts), McCarty has averaged 5.8 points and 3.3 rebounds on .478 shooting from the field. In the 2003 Playoffs, he averaged a career-best 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 35.2 minutes and made starts in eight of the Celtics’ 10 playoff games.

Last season McCarty posted averages of 7.9 points (second highest of his career), 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 77 games (23 starts). His best statistical season was in 1997-98, his first season in Boston, when he averaged career highs of 9.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 82 games.

In 44 games in 2004-05, McCarty was averaging 3.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.6 minutes. McCarty should join the team for Friday’s game vs. Seattle at America West Arena and will wear No. 0 with Phoenix. He was originally selected in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft (19th overall) by the Knicks after winning a national championship at Kentucky.

McCarty, who turned 31 on Feb. 1 and is in his ninth NBA season, is the third NBA veteran over the age of 30 the Suns have acquired since the start of the season. Phoenix, who began the season as the NBA’s youngest team with an average age of 24.3 years, signed 11-year NBA veteran forward Bo Outlaw, 34, on Nov. 8 and traded for 34-year-old swingman Jim Jackson, a 12-year NBA veteran, on Jan. 21.

Phoenix (38-11) will play its seventh road game in the last eight contests tonight when the team faces the Sacramento Kings (32-15) at 8 p.m. at ARCO Arena

[texbumTHElife]

owns career averages of 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 529 games

:wow

[Duncan21]

they are still not as good as spurs

[Dre_7]

No, they have a great record. They just ruined their chemistry!!! You cant bring a guy in the middle of the season if you are doing good, cuz you'll ruin team chemistry!!! The suns are in big trouble now. lol

:)

[SPARKY]

He's a nice fit for their style of play, yet still does not solve their basic problem which is the lack of defense, especially interior D. Also helps them with the depth issue a little.

[Guru of Nothing]

Anytime you can add the league leader in Tommy-points, you do it.

[texbumTHElife]

He's a nice fit for their style of play, yet still does not solve their basic problem which is the lack of defense, especially interior D. Also helps them with the depth issue a little.

Even more of a glaring problem than their soft D, was/is their lack of a bench. That is the problem they are trying to solve right now. If they can get the right bench players they wont need to play much defense.

With that said they still dont have the right bench players :spin

[SPARKY]

So does a Tommy Heinsohn with lips firmly planted on McCarty's ass count as a throw-in to the deal? How's that work under the cap?

[SPARKY]

Well you still need to be able to play quality interior defense come playoff time, regardless of depth.

[Solid D]

Waltah is a pretty decent defender. He actually fits the "Long Three" description the Spurs were looking for prior to signing Linton Johnson III. I just think they have added three guys who can help them. Otherwise, their guys are gonna' burn out with all the minutes they've been playing.

[T Park]

Jim Jackson, Waltah, and, whos the third?

[The_Game]

With barbosa now back the Suns have more options off the bench. Jim Jackson was a great addition. Mccarty will help them get marion some more rest and play some minutes...mccarty can play defense and at least give them some decent time

good move

also Steven Hunter is actually doing a good job at the center position.

[T Park]

IMO its a good trade.

Not enought o get by the SPurs.

Walter McCarty is along the ilks of a Brad Lohaus offensive player in that he can shoot the three, and not much else.

athletic, good defender, nothing to do a jig about. Just helps there anemic bench.

Tommy Heinson is devastaded Im sure.

[Medvedenko]

Good deal....ruining chemistry....yeah the Pistons sure ruined the chemistry picking up Rasheed at the deadline....whatever....

[jcrod]

Waltah is a pretty decent defender. He actually fits the "Long Three" description the Spurs were looking for prior to signing Linton Johnson III. I just think they have added three guys who can help them. Otherwise, their guys are gonna' burn out with all the minutes they've been playing.


Totally agree, good move by them. Their bench looks better than before. Have to hand it to them, they're not standing pat besides their record. They know their weakness and are trying to address before the playoffs.

[Ghost Writer]

I have to hand it to the Suns.

With Outlaw, McCarty and Jim Jackson, they have 3 of the best 6th men/sometimes starters of the past few years.

[SPARKY]

Indeed. The Spurs should've traded Barry for one of them so they could have made a midseason trade just because, you know, it's cool to do so.

[FromWayDowntown]

I have to hand it to the Suns.

With Outlaw, McCarty and Jim Jackson, they have 3 of the best 6th men/sometimes starters of the past few years.

Yeah, and in Barry, Ginobili, and Horry, the Spurs have nobody that can match that description.

I do think this is an interesting deal for the Suns. They obviously think they can go for it right now and are trying to resolve their big depth problem. In a sense, just finding a few guys who can play 10 minutes a night will be a boon to their team. If you can take Amare, Marion, Johnson, Richardson, and Nash from 42+ minutes per game down to about 35-38 minutes per game, the wear and tear will have less of an effect and they'll be less susceptible to 4th Quarter collapses. McCarty doesn't do much for me as a player, on his own, but he gives them a few extra minutes to rest their starters (as does Jackson). We'll see if it works out, but the strategy seems sound.

[Solid D]

I have to hand it to the Suns.

With Outlaw, McCarty and Jim Jackson, they have 3 of the best 6th men/sometimes starters of the past few years.


Indeed. The Spurs should've traded Barry for one of them so they could have made a midseason trade just because, you know, it's cool to do so.

Oh, Oh...this could get intereting. :hat

[SPARKY]

As if the 1st million times weren't interesting enough.

[tlongII]

What are the Celtics thinking by making this trade??? They got a 2nd round pick for him? I don't get it.

[FromWayDowntown]

What are the Celtics thinking by making this trade??? They got a 2nd round pick for him? I don't get it.

There must be something in the nectar that the Chowds are drinking these days, as they revel in title after title. That, or Ainge has just decided to help the Colangelo family out.

I still am not sold on this being a great deal for either team, but if you're Boston and you're rebuilding, getting Golden State's second rounder in exchange for an underperforming bench player is probably not a bad idea.

[Rick Von Braun]

What are the Celtics thinking by making this trade??? They got a 2nd round pick for him? I don't get it.
I concur. I don't get it either. May be he was complaining too much for lack of playing time?

:shootme

[SpursChampsIII]

No, they have a great record. They just ruined their chemistry!!! You cant bring a guy in the middle of the season if you are doing good, cuz you'll ruin team chemistry!!! The suns are in big trouble now. lol

:)

Ruin team chemistry just like Detroit did when they brought in Rashweed. However, I hope you're right.

[T Park]

Comparing Rashweed's trade to Waltah is annoying.


Ghost, are you totally lost.


The Spurs are the top team, they dont need to do anything dumbass.

[exstatic]

This is a better pickup than Ol' creaky wheel Jackson. McCarty can shoot, and allows them to go a little bigger than they can now without sacrificing their style by playing some scrub-ass like Jake Voskhul.

[T Park]

Agreed Ex is a good trade.

But they still havent adressed the problem in there match up witht he SPurs.

5 consistent good defenders.

[Jimcs50]

Malone> McCarty

[IcemanCometh]

walter didn't fit the brain type

[ducks]

suns seem worried spurs will get mailman

[Brodels]

Anytime you can add the league leader in Tommy-points, you do it.

Tommy knew it was coming, and it seems like he's been wanting to groom Mark Blount to take his place on the Tommy Point ladder. Blount hasn't had a great season, though, so Tommy may continue to be lost.

He has enough to do trying to convice everyone that Tony Allen, Al Jefferson, and some of the other young players are surefire future stars.

[2centsworth]

Mcarty is a "D" player. He makes Ron Mercer look like Manu

[Dre_7]

Ruin team chemistry just like Detroit did when they brought in Rashweed. However, I hope you're right.

I was being sarcastic, cuz of everyone thats against signing Malone cuz it would "ruin the chemistry."

[ChumpDumper]

Well, we'll see if they play him. Bo Outlaw is averaging like 6mpg. If they don't feel you fit, you don't play.

[CHAMPS AGAIN]

No, they have a great record. They just ruined their chemistry!!! You cant bring a guy in the middle of the season if you are doing good, cuz you'll ruin team chemistry!!! The suns are in big trouble now. lol

:)

SPURS are the only team in the NBA that can not bring another player(MALONE) before trade deadline because it will ruined team chemistry according to some so called spurs fans,but are the first one to bitch after every lost that we need another player or we are not going to win the championship or get out of the first round.So call SPURS fans you know who you are,we won the game,they lost the game.Do not forget REAL SPURS FANS STICK TOGETHER WE WON,WE LOST GET WITH THE PROGRAM.

SPURS 2005 CHAMPS

[xcoriate]

Its a good trade, what did they lose a second rounder, big deal nice trade by the suns.

[Ghost Writer]

You guys are f'n corny.

I complimented the Suns on addressing their weakness through two "Win Now" trades (that really didn't involve them giving up anything of real value) and you people start up with the crying.

This has nothing to do with the Spurs. The Spurs are fine.

The Suns made some good moves.

Don't hate.