Suns trade Thomas, picks to Seattle

[lefty]

True

[spursreport]

As a Mav fan, I was extremely pleased. I think we lost our composure and poise against the Warriors, but there were also very compelling X's and O's reasons for that series loss, and that bigger and better backcourt was a huge part of it.

While the loss Richardson helps a little, he wasnt your big issue. It was Baron Davis. Harris/Terry or anyone on that team can't handle him and are even intimidated of him but I cant blame for that. Say they stand pat, they would still be a matchup nightmare for the Mavs in the backcourt. Slide the other Mav/Irk killer Jax to the 2, Harrington to the 3, and Wright to the 4 along side with Biendris. Now Golden State can punish you inside and still rape you from the perimeter. The only way they will really need a wing is if they lose both Barnes and Pietrus and even then they can use their trade exception to land one. That means Irk, who can't play D if his life depended on it, will be forced to play an offensive player continuing to display what a ty defender he is.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

He can't guard Duncan. They will get someone else.

He did the best job on Duncan that I've seen in a while.

Terrible move by the Suns. They just downgraded big time in terms of their matchup with us. They are going backwards with respect to the Spurs.

[Findog]

While the loss Richardson helps a little, he wasnt your big issue. It was Baron Davis. Harris/Terry or anyone on that team can't handle him and are even intimidated of him but I cant blame for that. Say they stand pat, they would still be a matchup nightmare for the Mavs in the backcourt. Slide the other Mav/Irk killer Jax to the 2, Harrington to the 3, and Wright to the 4 along side with Biendris. Now Golden State can punish you inside and still rape you from the perimeter. The only way they will really need a wing is if they lose both Barnes and Pietrus and even then they can use their trade exception to land one. That means Irk, who can't play D if his life depended on it, will be forced to play an offensive player continuing to display what a ty defender he is.

Replacing a player of Richardson's caliber with a rookie is going to hurt them in the short-term. Without Richardson, and with a healthy Dampier back, the dynamic changes immediately. They're going to probably only retain one of Barnes/Pietrius, they can't use the TE to land KG, and while Wright will probably go on to have a productive NBA career, expecting him to duplicate Richardson's production right away isn't likely. The Italian is unproven. If Nellie doesn't get his raise, and with less talent overall, he's going to go through the motions next year. The Warriors have gotten rid of some bad contracts but Richardson-Wright is not an even swap at the moment. Baron Davis was their best player in the playoffs, but they didn't take off until Richardson was healthy again. He carried that team into the playoffs.

A lot is riding on whether they're done dealing and if Nellie comes back. So far this off-season has been a big step back for them, and they can probably only salvage it with a KG trade. We'll see what happens next year, Nostradamus. For now anyway, the Warriors are less of a threat to the Mavs than they have been. That was a pure talent and salary dump. Period. They have the rest of the summer to make it back up, depending on what they do.

[spursreport]

Replacing a player of Richardson's caliber with a rookie is going to hurt them in the short-term. Without Richardson, and with a healthy Dampier back, the dynamic changes immediately. They're going to probably only retain one of Barnes/Pietrius, they can't use the TE to land KG, and while Wright will probably go on to have a productive NBA career, expecting him to duplicate Richardson's production right away isn't likely. The Italian is unproven. If Nellie doesn't get his raise, and with less talent overall, he's going to go through the motions next year. The Warriors have gotten rid of some bad contracts but Richardson-Wright is not an even swap at the moment. Baron Davis was their best player in the playoffs, but they didn't take off until Richardson was healthy again. He carried that team into the playoffs.

A lot is riding on whether they're done dealing and if Nellie comes back. So far this off-season has been a big step back for them, and they can probably only salvage it with a KG trade. We'll see what happens next year, Nostradamus. For now anyway, the Warriors are less of a threat to the Mavs than they have been. That was a pure talent and salary dump. Period. They have the rest of the summer to make it back up, depending on what they do.

And the Mavs are lesser of a threat to win it all than they have been due to their past playoff history and them continuing to lack a low post scorer/really do much of anything else to improve their team doesnt help to improve those chances. They have an 8-10 playoff record since beating the Spurs and a 2-8 record since going up 2-0 in the finals. I am sure you were saying the same thing all of last year calling people Nostradamus who said the Mavs would not recover from their finals hangover and look what happened.

BTW A healthy Dampier wouldnt have done to change the series and you know that. Was he going to solve your low post problems on offense? Was he going to stop Baron Davis? Was he going to make up for Irk's epic game 6 performance? Pure jumpshooting teams with zero inside presence DONT win les. You want to keep believing that they do, then prepared to be disapointed again.

[spurscenter]

[Spurs Brazil]

Sonics get Thomas, two first-round picks from Suns
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER

The Sonics didn't take long to make a significant deal with their trade exception, as the team's brass continued to build for the future by adding two more draft picks.

The club pulled two first-round picks and veteran center Kurt Thomas away from the Phoenix Suns for an $8 million trade exception and a conditional 2009 second-round pick on Friday.

Neither of the first-round picks -- in 2008 and 2010 -- are protected, meaning the Sonics will have five unprotected first-round picks over the next three years, a key to the team's rebuilding plan. Regardless of how the Suns finish in the NBA standings, the Sonics will receive the Phoenix picks.

Sonics general manager Sam Presti worked feverishly July 11 to work a sign-and-trade deal with Orlando for Rashard Lewis, who would get a sixth year and an additional $23 million with that deal, and received a $9.3 million trade exception.

That allowed the Sonics to entertain offers for that exception, which allowed them to net a player without matching salaries from teams looking to reduce payroll. The Suns are about $10 million over the luxury and needed to shave Thomas' $8.1 million salary off the books.

Thomas, who turns 35 on Oct. 4, was a key piece to the Suns' playoff runs in a limited role. He averaged 4.6 points and 5.7 rebounds in 67 games last season and remains one of the league's top post defenders.

"Kurt will be great with our young guys," Presti said. "He is a leader in the locker room and a good defender. He is a guy we really wanted."

It was Steve Kerr's first major transaction as Phoenix's general manager and he knows Presti from their days in San Antonio. Presti was intent on receiving draft picks for the trade exception instead of aging players with poor or unwanted contracts.

Thomas now gives the Sonics more depth at center and another mentor for Robert Swift, who is coming off surgery on his torn right anterior cruciate ligament and expected to log significant minutes this season.

"We see Kurt as a mentor to the big guys and a good mix," Presti said. "Even if we didn't have the trade exception, Kurt is really one of the guys we wanted. And this allows us to help build with the draft picks. That was the key to getting this thing done."

Thomas was the 10th overall pick in the 1995 draft and has played with Miami, Dallas, the New York Knicks and Phoenix. His best season was in 2000-01 when he averaged 13.9 points and 9.1 rebounds for the Knicks.

He has been troubled by injuries over the past few seasons, missing six weeks last season with a hyperextended left elbow and 27 games in 2005-06 with a right foot stress fracture.

The moment Thomas exercised his player option for next season, the Suns placed him on the trade block in an attempt to avoid paying the league's luxury tax. Any team with a payroll over $67.865 million will have to pay $1 for every dollar they are over that figure and the Suns stockpiled more than $78 million in salaries before the trade.

"I wasn't really surprised," Thomas told The Arizona Republic. "My name has been out there this summer. I definitely knew something could happen. I'm not upset. I knew this was part of the business. My thing is to be prepared for any situation and make the best of my opportunity."

COLLISON GETS INVITE: While Luke Ridnour did not choose to appear at the USA Basketball minicamp this weekend in Las Vegas, Sonics forward Nick Collison received an invitation to join the team for workouts beginning Aug. 13 in Las Vegas.

The team will play in the FIBA Championships beginning Aug. 22 in an attempt to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games. The USA team is short of post players with Greg Oden (tonsillectomy), Carlos Boozer (family reasons) and Brad Miller (sore foot) missing the minicamp, giving an opportunity to the 6-foot-9 Collison.

PRESEASON SCHEDULE: The club released its preseason schedule Friday and it includes games in Vancouver, B.C., against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 26; in Bakersfield, Calif., against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 18; and in Portland against Oden on Oct. 24.

The Sonics, entering their 41st and perhaps final season in Seattle, will host the Houston Rockets on Oct. 20 and Golden State Warriors on Oct. 23.

Full schedule, D9

SONICS GET SUMMER WIN: Free agent Olu Famutimi scored 13 points and Jeff Green added 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Sonics' 85-79 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Rocky Mountain Revue.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basket...10_sonx21.html

[Bruno]

The 2010 first round pick is unprotected ?

Suns could be a lottery team in 2010 : Nash will be 36 years old, Marion will be an unrestricted free agent in 2009 and Stoudamire's knees could be done.

[Findog]

I am sure you were saying the same thing all of last year calling people Nostradamus who said the Mavs would not recover from their finals hangover and look what happened.

I don't make predictions 10 months in advance. I don't know what's going to happen next year and neither do you. What I do know is that it's foolish to write off a team forever when Terry and Dampier are the oldest members of our core at 31 and 30.

BTW A healthy Dampier wouldnt have done to change the series and you know that.

A healthy Dampier would've helped Dallas, by allowing us to play our normal rotation and by providing interior defense, and you know it. I didn't say it would've decisively changed the series,but it would've given Dallas a better chance to win. Our perimeter defense isn't very good, and without Dampier back to protect the rim on dribble penetration, we were ed. One of the ways you beat smallball is winning the rebounding advantage, we didn't have one with him out. If you can't understand these basic basketball concepts, then I can't help you.

[Notorious H.O.P.]

Who is out there in terms of free agents that the Suns can get with that trade exception? And regarding currently signed players, they could always trade it now or at mid-season for a player that they feel can push them over the top.

Hopefully it was a penny pinching move and they don't use the exception to strengthen themselves.

[Darkwaters]

Who is out there in terms of free agents that the Suns can get with that trade exception? And regarding currently signed players, they could always trade it now or at mid-season for a player that they feel can push them over the top.

Hopefully it was a penny pinching move and they don't use the exception to strengthen themselves.

It would probably have to be a big. After trading away Thomas I'm not sure who they expect to step up. I mean, they already have zero bench to begin with.