djohn2oo8
01-23-2010, 02:49 PM
PHOENIX -- As the trade deadline begins to approach, it's no secret that Amar'e Stoudemire's name will be high on the list of players who are rumored to be dealt. He's in the final year of his contract and is seeking a max extension, which is something that the Suns have been unwilling to give him. If the two sides can't come to an agreement, it wouldn't be a surprise for Phoenix to attempt to get something for him in a trade, rather than letting him walk for nothing.
We know the situation, and we know the rumors are going to fly. But one in particular, floated by ESPN's Chad Ford (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=TradeWatch-100121), drew an angry response from Suns head coach Alvin Gentry before his team faced the Bulls on Friday night.
Ford had Stoudemire as one of ten players whose "trade buzz is getting louder," and gave the following as his reason why:
"... the feedback I've received in the last week has caused me to recalibrate the chances of Stoudemire getting traded. The Suns are in a slump (losers of 15 of their last 26), and the word out of Phoenix is that there has been some tension in the locker room involving Stoudemire."Now, the Suns pride themselves on having a great group of guys, and chemistry as good as or better than any other team in the league, which might explain Gentry's passionate response when asked to address this alleged "locker room tension."
"It's the biggest crock of s*** I've ever heard," Gentry said.
Twice.
"Because there's nothing going on in our locker room," Gentry continued. "Not one thing. Our locker room has been great, and that pisses me off, to be honest with you. Because there's not one thing going on in our locker room. There really isn't.
"For somebody to make a statement that there's tension in our locker room, when it comes from a guy who's living in Hawaii? I could understand if he'd been at our practices or been in our locker room, but he hasn't. So that's very disappointing for someone to say that when they have not a clue about what's going on in our locker room."
Gentry went on to say that Stoudemire has been great in handling it all, and that the team as a unit is as focused as ever.
"[Amar'e]'s been absolutely wonderful in that department," Gentry said. "He hasn't talked about trades or contracts or anything like that, he's been terrific. As far as he's concerned, he wants to have a great year. He wants us to win games, and he wants us to be able to get into the playoffs.
"That's what every guy in that locker room talked about. And I don't think they've ever lost focus on that."
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/01/22/gentry-angered-by-espn-report-of-locker-room-tension-involving/
We know the situation, and we know the rumors are going to fly. But one in particular, floated by ESPN's Chad Ford (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=ford_chad&page=TradeWatch-100121), drew an angry response from Suns head coach Alvin Gentry before his team faced the Bulls on Friday night.
Ford had Stoudemire as one of ten players whose "trade buzz is getting louder," and gave the following as his reason why:
"... the feedback I've received in the last week has caused me to recalibrate the chances of Stoudemire getting traded. The Suns are in a slump (losers of 15 of their last 26), and the word out of Phoenix is that there has been some tension in the locker room involving Stoudemire."Now, the Suns pride themselves on having a great group of guys, and chemistry as good as or better than any other team in the league, which might explain Gentry's passionate response when asked to address this alleged "locker room tension."
"It's the biggest crock of s*** I've ever heard," Gentry said.
Twice.
"Because there's nothing going on in our locker room," Gentry continued. "Not one thing. Our locker room has been great, and that pisses me off, to be honest with you. Because there's not one thing going on in our locker room. There really isn't.
"For somebody to make a statement that there's tension in our locker room, when it comes from a guy who's living in Hawaii? I could understand if he'd been at our practices or been in our locker room, but he hasn't. So that's very disappointing for someone to say that when they have not a clue about what's going on in our locker room."
Gentry went on to say that Stoudemire has been great in handling it all, and that the team as a unit is as focused as ever.
"[Amar'e]'s been absolutely wonderful in that department," Gentry said. "He hasn't talked about trades or contracts or anything like that, he's been terrific. As far as he's concerned, he wants to have a great year. He wants us to win games, and he wants us to be able to get into the playoffs.
"That's what every guy in that locker room talked about. And I don't think they've ever lost focus on that."
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/01/22/gentry-angered-by-espn-report-of-locker-room-tension-involving/