SKLB54

With Milos and Lampe now added to the team, I think I can safely say that the Suns have the most foriegn talent than any team. Yet, unfortunatly four of the potential stars play the same position, Lampe and Zarko, and Milos and Barbosa.

Now, just because Lampe and Zarko play the same position (F/C), this doesnt mean that they are relatively the same player as most of we know. For those that dont, Lampe plays like a huge SG from what I've heard from the summer leagues. He likes to play the perimeter, but he still can play the post. He must learn that he needs to improve as a post player. Zarko, on the other hand can play all over the court, but doesnt have the potential Lampe has.

Im thinking:

C: Lampe
PF: Amare
SF: Marion
SG: Johnson
PG: Milos

or im starting to like the Milos at the 2 and Barbosa at the 1 idea

RebelSun

This year -

PG - Barbosa
SG - JJ
SF - Marion
PF - Amare
C - Lampe?

I've heard they are going to use Lampe at C. I think they have pretty much given up on this season, so I think they might as well. I think Lampe could use some time in the post as well.

Next year, ideally, the Suns would like to see -

PG - Barbosa/ Vujanic
SG - Kobe
SF - Matrix
PF - Amare
C - Vlade?/Pavel?/Lampe?/ Robert Swift?

Center will be a big question mark next year.

__________________
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Bench: Shaun Livingston/Gerald Green/Marvin Williams/Al Jefferson/Sam Dalembert

Arclite

If we could sign Vlade and start him while we develop Podkolzine, that would be an ideal situation for our big men. Vlade still has a couple solid years in the tank. I also question Lampe's toughness/mentality to play center. He definitely strikes me as a Nowitzki-type player, both offensively and defensively. I only got to see him twice (summer league), but those were my impressions of Maciej.

I think for us to be the most successful team we can be, we do need to get Kobe, turn Barbosa into a distributing point guard, have a VERY solid draft this year, and get the high quality role-players coming off the bench as well, like a Rex Chapman his first year in Phoenix, or a Malik Rose type-enforcer, to go along with our offensive cogs off the bench like Zarko and Lampe..

RebelSun

I think that would probably be the ideal situation. I think if we can get either Vlade or Milos, we can get the other.

I agree w/ Lampe. He is perimeter-oriented. It looks like they'll have to shackle him to the paint to get him there a la Darko.

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Teezy's GM Draft:
Lineup: Chris Paul/Manu Ginobili/Loul Deng/Dirk Nowitzki/Pau Gasol
Bench: Shaun Livingston/Gerald Green/Marvin Williams/Al Jefferson/Sam Dalembert

MightyReds2020

To me the future is very, very unclear. Only Amare is considerably 'untouchable' from trades and that is compare to his teammates. Usually when a team has a bunch of young but raw players with huge potentials, only 2 or 3 of them would remain with team after 3 years. The others were either never panned out; bolted because of 'lack of playing time'; or got traded in a package for better talents.

One thing is for certain: If the Suns can't get any marquee FA next summer, or the summer after next, I wouldn't be suprised most or even all of the players get moved. Ideally, you have a core of 5, 6 players to develope but realistically, you can't endured 3, 4 super-bad seasons to let the kids developed. At some point, fans would get mad and managers would get pressed to make changes.

RebelSun

Barbosa, Amare, and Z should see the end of their rookie contracts in PHX. Those three shouldn't be going anywhere. However, I have a feeling that Marion may be the next casualty.

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Bench: Shaun Livingston/Gerald Green/Marvin Williams/Al Jefferson/Sam Dalembert

Arclite

I feel the same way. Shawn is such an amazing talent, but I don't know if they want his contract considering the direction the team is going right now. It doesn't help that the franchise is so high on Zarko, and he might have a future in the NBA at the three.. I wouldn't like to see Shawn traded, but if we shipped him, I can't say I'd be all that surprised..

If they do decide to trade him, all I have to say is we better get something damn good in exchange, because if we don't there are going to be a lot more angry Suns fans.

SKLB54

Okay, before the Suns fans get a little too idealistic, it should be known that Pavel is a top 3 choice, and both the Suns and the Knicks are too good of teams to fall into that category. I'm guessing the Suns will have somewhere around the 6th and 7th pick. That being said, the Suns have 2 weaknesses, SG and C. Fortunatly this draft brings 2 answers. Sergei Monya and Kosta Perovic. So from what I see, the ideal lineup will be the deepest in the league, something along the lines of:

C: Perovic/Lampe/Cabarkapa
PF: Amare/Cabarkapa/Lampe
SF: Marion/Lampe
SG: Monya/Vujanic
PG: Barbosa/Vujanic

This team has enough size and skill to be considered championship quality. Considering this doesnt include the marquee free agent that the Suns are able to sign this off-season, this is one hell of a team. Divac is a possibility, Stromile is a low budget possibility, Kukoc would be a good backup and influence... Hell we may have the money to sign em all... or go after Kobe.

Arclite

With this trade I truly think we will get a top 5 pick. The center situation needs to be addressed, Pavel is our best shot. But even if we draft him, he might (probably won't) be ready to start, especially considering we're becoming such an up and down team.. I don't think Stro has the bulk to play C against a guy like Shaq.. but neither does little Jake I guess.. I wouldn't be afraid for us to go after Stro and run him and Amare in the frontcourt if we couldn't get Kobe..

Amareca

Stay away from Podkolzine and more euros. We have enough, at least for now.

Especially Pavel who is an absolute scrub. He is a scrub in europe nothing else.
Even if he would turn out to be decent. The Suns could never make use of a slow 7'5 something stiff.

Perovic? Lampe was clearly superior to him in the junior tournament and won MVP honors in the summer.


I am counting on the Knicks and Suns pick, we might get the Cavs pick as well but don't count on it.

I want

Howard/Okafor as the big guy options

or

Smith/Deng as the perimeter options

I want Iguodala no matter what.

RebelSun

I am not very high on Perovic. I don't like skinny Cs that are over 7'0. He needs to put on some weight; he should be at least 255-260lbs. I do like Lampe, though, and am interested to see him play for the Suns this year and hopefully find his niche w/ PHX.

__________________
Teezy's GM Draft:
Lineup: Chris Paul/Manu Ginobili/Loul Deng/Dirk Nowitzki/Pau Gasol
Bench: Shaun Livingston/Gerald Green/Marvin Williams/Al Jefferson/Sam Dalembert

PhatDaddy3100

Honestly i Like Amare at C over Lampe, even though it really doenst matter. But honestly, any night whenw ed ont play LA or HOuston, Amare can play C. So if we can go get a guy like Okafor, we gotta. Okafor and Amare would give us a great frontcourt and shot blocking ability. And i think JJ is our future at the 2. Now with Marbury gone, he has shown he can score, he just needs the ball. This guy has a lot of offensive talent and plays good d. Marion probably will be traded cuz even though he is leading hte team in points and rebounds, he just isnt playing that good right now. His shots are falling and neither are his threes. I like Marion, but he just may not be worth the contract we gave him.

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"Doomed to crumble, unless we grow" Tool

"Cant seem to recognize
That stare behind those eyes
Who is this man I see?
Whos looking back at me?
Cant focus through the grey
And I am fading into nothing
The reflection must get clearer" Flaw

Matrix

Surely not...

SKLB54

to find out more about Lampe, look through the Knicks forums way back to find out info on his summer league play.

Supposedly he played like a huge SG, prefering to play on the perimeter, but was learning a post game. So far, that doesnt sound good for a west coast center, but Lampe's ability to learn and talent combined could make Lampe a very talented C/F.

Lampe, at age 18, is 245 lbs, not bad considering he's beginning to adapt to the post game (meaning he'll add weight.) I know you were talking about Kosta, but I felt that should be noted anyway.

About Kosta, hes very raw but he's one of those projects that could pay off big time... 7 foot 4 big time. Supposedly he can already make an impact on the defensive side, but his offensive game is under work. Again, these guys are young, and you can see it. If Kosta looked like he does now, but was 260 lbs, he'd be overweight, but as he ages and adapts to the American game, he'll add muscle and weight.

Another note, the player the suns are pretty high on now, Zarko, is 225 lbs. So dont let him be an exception to critiziscm.


I hope your not talking about his summer league play, although he did play well, IMO he got lucky making that team. There were more credible centers available.


Yao and Shaq are not the only big 7 footers, in fact any team with a center 7+ feet, 250+ lbs proposes a mismatch for Phoenix, a mismatch that could be corrected during the draft.

The Suns have the best European scouts in the league, I'll leave it up to them to decide whether or not they need another european player.

He's really developing into a good scorer and passer, but the fact remains that Phoenix needs a shooter with range, and Sergei Monya can hit 3's and also drive it. Also another good thing about Monya is that he's ready to play immediatly, he's no prospect, just a good player.

Drafting Deng and Smith as perimeter players... but Marion plays the 3... so Im guessing you plan on trading Marion. Not that Im saying its a bad idea, as of right now i dont agree with it, but i see the logic behind it.



Oh and no mention of Kukoc, I definatly think Kukoc will be a sun next year and provide the guidance Milos, Zarko, Lampe, Kosta, and Sergei need. Also, when Toni is on, he's good for 20+ points.

Amareca

Lampe is 7'0 270lbs and still expected to grow.