Phoenix Suns Key Additions: Zarko Cabarkapa, Leandrinho Barbosa Key Subtractions: None Roster breakdown: Suns Depth Chart | Free Agent Watch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Skinny: The Suns were one of the pleasant surprises of 2002. This year, they appear poised to make some noise in the West. The team has young players at every position, but used the draft to bolster its small forward and point guard positions. If Cabarkapa's play in the summer league and Barbosa's play at the Olympic qualifying tournament are any indications, the Suns are fortifying their lock on the label of best up-and-coming team in the NBA. If they could move Tom Gugliotta now (his contract expires this summer) for a little more depth, their grade moves up to an "A". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grade: B- Oh yeah, the Suns haven't improved at all. That's what I read here several times. Zarko Cabarkapa is said to have a shot in ROY. See the stats Barbosa puts in the qualifying tournament. JJ is dominating the summer leagues. Big Jake is playing for the greece national team and will come in good shape this year. Amare has his eye and foot fixed. The same with Marbury's ankles.
You could also look at it as, their international players will be worn out, while Amare and Marbury take time to get comfortable after their surgeries. Personally, I think both Houston and Phoenix will win 47 games next season.
Whenever punkass Suns fans start talking smack, just remember three beautiful words... Elie for three!!
As long as we're basing our arguments on the opinions of ESPN.com analysts... Here's what Dr. Jack Ramsay has to say: This after nearly an entire season of kissing Amare's tuckus. Oh, and the Suns suck.
When? Hell nobody has talked about the Suns in months. They're not important and we really don't care about them...really. You know someone's needs attention when they have to brag about their player "dominating the summer league". This has to be some current cc.net member messing around because nobody can be this blantantly moronic.
It's funny that somebody would quote somebody else that thinks the Suns would make some noise in the West with the Lakers, Spurs, Mavs, Kings and Wolves. If that's not funny I don't know what is. Oh and btw, every international players was supposed to be GOOD until they come to America (except Yao, who got trashed before he got here). If you're gonna troll here @ least take some time and think about the moronic things you're trying to say here.
Typical Rockets forum yet you're here, uninvited. What's wrong? Spent too much time crying over the ridiculous Suns forum?
I'll give you this. There a pretty good up and coming team. But its not like your going to be hanging any CHAMPIONSHIP banners in the rafters at AWA anytime soon. To me, they will be just like Dallas is now. A good team that could go far, but is TOO soft on the inside to make it out of the west ALIVE! Who's gonna be your center to combat the likes of Shaq, Duncan, Kandi, Yao, etc........Outlaw? Big Jake Voshkal? That's a big Joke. Even Dallas now has better suited players at this position by adding Fortson (who sucks BTW) then you do. And as for Zarko, ever heard the saying "Dont believe the hype!" Who cares what anyone is SAYING about him and Barbosa. What matters the most is what they DO in the NBA. Everyone of those same critics were WRONG about Yao. They said he would suck in his first season, it would be a difficult transition from the CBA to the NBA. And what happened might I remind you.........he gave your boy Amare a good run for his money in the ROY voting. Yao became a phenom, in just his very first season. Just ask your boy "Donkey Brown Noser" Sir Charles about this very subject. I'm sure his response will be "No Comment", but former Rocket Kenny "the Jet" Smith and Ernie Johnson will have plenty to say and laugh about. Does that tell you something? Dont believe what these so-called NBA geniuses have to say. Leave it for the players to PROVE on the NBA floor. Bottom line is........the Suns are up and coming, just like the Rockets. But unlike the Rockets, the Suns going NO WHERE without a REAL Center! Get a real center, and then maybe your smack would have some sense to it. Cause it makes no sense talking smack if your team is going NO WHERE!
OK, time for the voice of wisdom -- me. First of all, I hate both the Suns and Rockets. I'm a Nuggets fan, I'm bitter. That said, Phoenix is one of hte most OVERRATED TEAMS EVERY DAMN YEAR. They are the Miami Dolphins of the NBA. Marbury will never be a GREAT PG because he doesn't pass, he's selfish. Hardaway's always hurt. The Matrix is a stud, I will give you that (Melo will be better though ), but Amare Stoudemire has to be the most overrated ROY ever. Simple comparison. Amare benefited from having Matrix, Hardaway and Marbury on his team. He was the fourth option for defenses. He got most of his points on put backs or dunks. No game outside of 10 feet. Then look at Yao. Yao CARRIED the Rockets. I know some of you think Francis is God and some think that Mobley is an all-star (don't get me started on that one), but Yao was the number one focus for defenses last year. And he put up better numbers than Stoudemire. Now that Amare's gotten his "props", it'll be interesting to see how well he does now that everyone expects it of him. Why lots of people are saying the Suns are a lock for the playoffs is beyond me. Marbury, Stoudemire and Hardaway all have the potential to be HUGE headaches for the team this year. KA-BOOMY!
This is one website that you can't get away with being a freaking TROLL. Post one more article like this and you can expect an admin to ban you. Now if you want to come on here and try to be unbiased then people will accept you. Clutchcity.net is THE best basketball fan website on the planet. Now behave little boy.
You are full of crap The Suns have much more young talent than the Rockets. If you don't believe it just check their rosters. Amare 20 Steph 26 one day older than Francis Matrix 25 won't turn 26 until May JJ 22 won't turn 23 until June Zarko 22 won't turn 23 until May Barbosa 21 Jacobsen 22 Big Jake 24 Jake 26 Francis is only a day younger than Marbury Mobley turns 28 on Monday -> 3 years older than the Matrix Ming turns 23 in 2 weeks -> 2 years older than Stoudemire Griffin 21 Taylor 27 Nachbar 23 All the rest of their team is at least 29 years old and not really talented. Marbury will suffer because of having his ankles fixed this offseason? Please. He played the whole last season on bad ankles so now that he feels better than ever he is going to be worse especially considering the fact that he had almost the same surgery last season as well. Besides that Marbury was already owning Rucker Park once again this offseason. Amare will also suffer from toe surgery? lol that will throw him back it is worse than playing on 2 injured toes. Zarko declined the invitation to join the serbian-montenegro national team and will instead practice with the team in Phoenix already. Barbosa will be worn out? He didn't get much playing time on the brazilian team due to not practicing with the team long enough because he attended a NBA camp before the qualifiers. He averaged like 13ppg in like 16mpg. He is worn out now, to the point that he can't backup Marbury? And sure Marbury, Stoudemire and Hardaway will be headaches... Amare has such a history of that... Marbury and Hardaway are spending some of the offseason together. You clearly aren't following the Suns in any way because they have awesome team chemistry. Maybe the Suns are seen as a lock for the playoffs because they have an excellent record against +.500 teams and gave the Spurs their toughest fight for the championship even with Marbury injured in the last games. Marbury will never be a great PG? Are you ****ing clueless he is a great PG already. He is every year among the top 5 in assists. He doesn't pass? Freaking moron why do you even bother to respond when you obviously don't know ****? He is averaing more than 8 apg for his WHOLE CAREER! Also Amare managed to put up better numbers later in the season when teams adjusted to him focused on him whenever he got the ball in the post and playing on 2 injured toes and an almost blind left eye. You are just jealous because you picked Tskitisvilli and Hilario and passed up on one of the clear cut top 2 players of this draft, TWICE. Phoenix is overrated every damn year? Are you watching the NBA? Phoenix doesn't even get a lot of media coverage. 2nd of all before last season magazines like TSN rated them 28th (!!!) in the league. Phoenix missed the playoffs only once in the last 14 or 15 years, way to overrate a team when they made the playoffs the season before, improved and have 2 allstars and an up and coming superstar PF. And how about this bottom line ... The Rockets going nowhere without a real PF or SF for that matter, or a SG with real size. Zarko is 7' 240lbs he will become the center in the future when he adds muscle. Big Jake is 7'3 basically missed the whole last season with his back problems but is healthy now. Does Dallas even have a center other than Bradley? Funny how Phoenix will be as soft as Dallas in the future when they are already much tougher and a good defensive team. Maybe you should check out what Duncan did against Phoenix in the first round. Didn't seem like he was exploiting a soft team. Maybe you don't want to believe the Zarko hype because of the euro bust Tsikitsvilli and Nachbar. But none of them did any good in the summer leagues in their rookie season and nothing special in the next. Zarko was showing brilliance in summer league and got rave reviews from EVERYONE that saw him play and has been compared to a mix between Peja and Pau. On top of that he was already on the serbian-montenegro team a year ago that beat the USA team and won the World Championship. What's even funnier is that one of those hypocrite Denver fans that wanted Gilbert Arenas all season long is bashing Marbury for not passing the ball. Since your team signed Andre Miller you probably think he is better than Marbury too. Marbury is at the very least the 2nd best PG in the league right now. Gary Payton, Tony Parker, Bobby Jackson said on national TV that Marbury is the best PG. I think they know a little bit more about PGs than a deluded nuggets fan.
