SUNs trade Qrich to KNICKS Kthomas

**TDMVPDPOY** · 06-23-2005

I dont think this trade will effect us if we are goin to meet them again in the playoffs next season.

**Kori Ellis** · 06-23-2005

Quentin Richardson will be dealt to the Knicks in exchange for Kurt Thomas and a future conditional number one draft choice. This deal is pending league approval and should be announced following Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

The deal was confirmed to me by a source close to the trade negotiations.

There was little doubt that one of the Suns’ five starters from the 2004-2005 season would not be back for the 2005-2006 season and Richardson is the player who that Bryan Colangelo and the Suns have decided to move. The move will clear room for the Suns to re-sign restricted free agent Joe Johnson.

Thomas is signed through the 2009 season, while Richardson, whose game overlaps with Johnson, is signed through the 2009 season as well and the Suns have a team option for the 2009-2010 season.

Richardson averaged 15 points and 6 rebounds per game in his first season in Phoneix. He made 226 3-pointers with the high-powered Suns, compared to 120 in his final season in Los Angeles.

Thomas, a 10-year veteran, gives the Suns a player who averaged 11.5 and 10.4 rebounds per game last season with the Knicks. He will allow Shawn Marion to slide back to the small forward position and Amare Stoudemire will have an easier time at center by playing beside a veteran power forward.

http://www.realgm.com/src_fromtheraf...r_kurt_thomas/

**atlfan25** · 06-23-2005

i think it is a good move by the suns

**AI-square** · 06-23-2005

Definitely sounds good for the Suns. How they would have loved to have had Kurt Thomas in the team against San Antonio in the Western Conference Finals.

I like the Suns' chances for next season.

**Aggie Hoopsfan** · 06-23-2005

Damn. Suns get rid of their perimeter choker and get a banger in the post, plus it allows Amare to slide back to PF.

Phoenix just got tougher.

On another note, what is Isiah thinking? He now has 10 PFs and 16 perimeter swingmen

Think he'd take Beno for Marbury?

**Spurminator** · 06-23-2005

Excellent move.

By the Suns, anyway.

**mavsfan1000** · 06-23-2005

Isiah is trying to give Suns a chance to beat San Antonio

**BillsCarnage** · 06-23-2005

I'm still waiting for confirmation from another source. Evidently KT was traded to Utah last week according to realGM. That was from a poster on another board...

I'm 50-50 on this. Financially it's a wash, but KT is signed for one year less than Q was, so it doesn't help with resigning JoJo or a bench.
However, i think it helps the team with another physical body in the paint to rebound, and KT has a decent midrange shot. The Suns have plenty of shooter so losing Q won't hurt that much.

Now if they could get Bynum in the draft they will have made some good additions.

**Crafty One** · 06-23-2005

Mow Shawn can go back to SF.
C:Amare/Hunter
PF: Kurt/godknowswho
SF:Matrix/jj
SG:JJ/jack
PG:Nash/barbosa

**BillsCarnage** · 06-23-2005

Amare will play less center with KT. The starters will look something like this:

C- KT/Hunter
PF- Amare
SF- Marion
SG- JoJo
PG - Nash

Still a long way to go before next season though.

**Crafty One** · 06-23-2005

`
True , they still need a bench.

**mavsfan1000** · 06-23-2005

This takes away the mismatches Phoenix gave teams somewhat but they can still go small by putting Jim Jackson in for Kurt Thomas

**BillsCarnage** · 06-23-2005

They have Jax and Hunter/KT(whoever doesn't start) off the bench. McCarty who is practice fodder. They will only go 9 deep most likely, so they only need to get 2 or 3 more active players. The draft my fill one spot, but now they can focus attention to a backup PG.

Hunter is going to be a free agent, so he's not guaranteed.
This is a good first step though.

**ChumpDumper** · 06-23-2005

I just read that the new CBA allows teams over the tax threshold to void one contract -- so it looks like Allan Houston will be a free agent and Q will be in the rotation with Crawford and Ariza.

Crawford, Q and Marbury? Jesus -- Malik and the others will never get a touch.

**TDMVPDPOY** · 06-23-2005

I.T did this so kurt wont beat the out of marbles.
good trade in my opinion, for the suns though they get a big who can score and is very underrated in the east.

**NallhOnesTy** · 06-23-2005

wow isiah needs to be fired

**Spurminator** · 06-23-2005

Malik and the others will never get a touch.

He may lead the league in offensive rebounds though...

**Crafty One** · 06-23-2005

True, refresh my mind how much crap did he bring to that team???

**Horry For 3!** · 06-23-2005

If this is true and gets done. Another dumb move by the Knicks which they are known to do. Trade for a big contract player who isn't that good and doesn't do in the playoffs.

**JMarkJohns** · 06-23-2005

As a Suns fan, I love it for the obvious on-court potential, but let's not forget that Thomas' contract is two years shorter and 15 million less than Richardson's. This helps assure that Johnson and Amare can have their extensions and that Nash and Marion will remain Suns throughout their contracts.

A few other things of note...

McCarty had to decline his player option in order to be traded to Phoenix, so he's a FA and NOT returning to the Suns.

Hunter has a player option and is likely to exercise it. He has stated he wants to stay in Phoenix, but with the Suns trading Richardson (his DePaul bud), it will be interesting to see if this is still the case.

Voskuhl has a player option and is reportedly going to exercise it, citing a lack of playing time as the main factor.

Outlaw and Shirley are not returning.

All in all, this puts the Suns CAP around 41 million and 7/8 under the expected CAP.

They have #21 pick in the draft as well.

They need to resign Johnson, but because they own his rights, they can postpone that until they fill other needs like backup PG/SG and C with the CAP, then resign Johnson.

Overall I'd like the Suns to go after Marko Jaric for the guard and resign Hunter with their CAP and add either a skilled big (Diogu, May) via the draft or prep-center Andrew Bynum for the future.

The Suns do this and...

PG - NASH, Jaric...Johnson
SG - JOHNSON, Jaric...Barbosa
SF - MARION, Jackson...Johnson
PF - AMARE, Thomas...Marion
C - THOMAS, Hunter... (Bynum)

Give's them a solid 8-man rotation plus Barbosa and the pick.

NOTE: The Suns also are reportedly receiving a future 1ST-Rounder.

**jalbre6** · 06-23-2005

Ike Diogu would be a great pick for the Suns, and not just because he played college ball in Tempe. He shoots like 85-90% from the line, gets a lot of boards, and can hit from up to 18-20 feet out. I watched him play against Washington and he was out defending on the perimeter against one of the U-Dub stud guards, and did a prety good job.

Only problem is that he's too slow to play SF for any long stretches, and too short to back up at C. Sort of a one trick pony, but as loaded as Phoenix is, he'd be good as the second or third guy off the bench.

**JMarkJohns** · 06-23-2005

Originally Posted by ginobili_is_god

i am shocked by this trade. why did the suns through all their money at Q then ship him off? also, the suns were so good last year because of steve nash but also because Amare was a center and was the most athletic one in the league. suns just also lost a great 3pt shooter. If Houston's contract is terminated, then New york got an awesome deal

The Suns signed Richardson as an insurance player in case Johnson was a fluke. He's proved he isn't and proven himself the more valuable of the two, so Johnson is the keeper and Richardson the odd man out.

It's true about Amare as a center, but he isn't a box-out rebounder yet and Thomas is. This helps take pressure off Amare on defense and the boards, thus makes him a better player. The opponant will still have to worry about Amare running the court. No guard can contain him, so...

Lastly, I certainly wouldn't say the Richardson is a great shooter. He's a good spot-up shooter, but can't shoot off the dribble and has trouble setting himself up for shots.

He's very streaky and like Van Exel, will shoot ya into games as well as out of them. Barbosa was actually a better 3-point shooter percentage wise this past year, so there's potential there.

It's a good trade for New York because Houston is gone and they needed a gunner. They have Rose, Taylor and Sweetney for the PF spot and will likely draft either Fran Vasquez or Channing Frye at #8 in the draft, so they have some bodies.

I think it works for both teams, but I won't overstate Richardson's value. He was a nice player, but didn't do one thing but shoot and "find" rebounds. Thomas fills the need, Richardson a want.

Which has more value, the redundant 26-year old SG who's contract is longer and more expensive or the needed 32-year old PF who's contract is shorter and less expensive and a future 1st-rounder?

As a Suns fan, I can tell ya which I like more.

**ChumpDumper** · 06-23-2005

Originally Posted by JMarkJohns

All in all, this puts the Suns CAP around 41 million and 7/8 under the expected CAP.

They have #21 pick in the draft as well.

They need to resign Johnson, but because they own his rights, they can postpone that until they fill other needs like backup PG/SG and C with the CAP, then resign Johnson.

Yeah, I thought that was the way the cap worked too when I started following this stuff, but it ain't so.

Johnson counts against the cap 300% of his 04-05 salary until he's re-signed, so the Suns are over the cap and will have to use exceptions to sign free agents.

**JMarkJohns** · 06-24-2005

either way, they'll still have the MLE to sign a player or two. It lessons the amount by a million or so, but not too bad.

Supposedly the rumor now is Richardson, future 1st for Thomas. I don't like it near as much, but would still do it, but I would prefer to go straight up. No picks needed.

**ChumpDumper** · 06-24-2005

No picks needed.

Zeke needs it to justify another crappy trade.

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