Suns notebook: Suns want to move up in draft
Jerry Brown, Tribune
While many fans will focus on a long shot bid to bring Kevin Garnett to Phoenix, the Suns are also working feverishly behind the scenes to obtain something they thought they would have all along — a lottery selection in the June 28 NBA draft.

Thanks to those unlucky ping-pong balls, Atlanta was able to protect its No. 3 overall selection from the Suns, who would have to wait until 2008 to get the pick that would finally cap the 2005 trade of Joe Johnson to the Hawks.

But the Suns have enough draft assets — the 24th and 29th pick this year, and Atlanta’s now unprotected pick along with their own next year — that they might be able to get themselves back among the top 10 picks, where there seems to be less of a consensus on players beyond superstars Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

“We’re pretty intent on trying to move up,” Suns senior vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said. “We feel like we’re close to moving up significantly, higher up than the teens. We want to get as high as we realistically can get. We have a lot of assets relative to picks, things people would be interested in.”

How serious is the chance? The Suns will bring in Florida’s Joakim Noah for one of two workouts tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, and he could be joined by other lottery-level players if Phoenix feels it is close to swinging a deal. Noah was a player the Suns scouted carefully during the college season when they expected to have a lottery pick.

“When you’ve watched the draft and the players relative to that pick and then you realize you have no shot at that group (after the lottery). It’s a bit of a shock,” Griffin said. “There is a feeling that after Durant and Oden, there is a fairly large pool of picks where there isn’t a lot of difference, or where beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

The Suns appear willing to move their pick from Atlanta for a shot at this year’s draft class for two reasons: Next year’s draft class won’t be nearly as good and the Hawks — who have the third and 12th overall picks this year to go with an improving nucleus led by Johnson — could contend for an Eastern Conference playoff spot next year.

ONE MORE TIME
Four other players who figure to go later in the first round have been invited back for a second look on Tuesday — Oregon guard Aaron Brooks, Finnish guard Petteri Koponen, USC guard Gabe Pruitt and Colorado State 7-footer Jason Smith.

The Suns worked out four international players on Friday, but the focus was on 21-year-old Italian sharpshooter Marco Bellinelli. A natural scorer with great range, he had 25 points in 28 minutes in Italy’s loss to Team USA in last year’s world championships.

“He has a definable NBA skill; he will get on the floor to shoot the ball,” Griffin said. “He’s also got a great feel for the game, a very good passer, and has been asked to be a defensive stopper with his (Climamio Bologna team in Italy). If he has an open 3-pointer, he’s going to knock down the shot.”

suns are working out noah and according to suns posters, brewer. and going by what griffin said about their chances of moving up, there must be some serious trades talks going down.

i'll stick to my darkhorse prediction that i made about 2-3 weeks ago, marion to charlotte for #8. and i'll also introduce my even wackier crackhorse prediction, barbosa + #23 + #29 to charlotte for #8.

Suns are in a strange place. Good enough to win 50-60 games a year but not good enough to win finals. Marion will slow down soon enough. I think they are being smart looking at other options. They should look in to a Marion for Al Jefferson deal.

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

Nash, Garnett, and Stoudamire is a championship team

I'd like to agree with you, but I still get a feeling that a collection of Duncan, Parker, Ginobili, Pops, Poise, and championships will take the cake again.

the suns have worked out brewer, green, noah (twice), and a mystery guy.

according to some posters, the mystery guy is horford.

I don't think the Suns should break up their team just yet. The Spurs are a dynasty, but they haven't proved that they are locks to win it back to back or 3 peat like LA or the Bulls. So there is certainly room in there to squeeze one out. PHX is right there, I think it's mostly mental with them, the Spurs have their number. I think they will eventually make it to the finals.

The Suns are a well oiled team, built to run a certain way. The moment you start tinkering with the key components in that equation you run the risk of killing the chemistry.

Posted by djsunyc:

the suns have worked out brewer, green, noah (twice), and a mystery guy.

according to some posters, the mystery guy is horford.

Here were some trade proposals I posted regarding Marion

Shawn Marion trades I would do if I were the Suns in no particular order some of these deals may require a swap of picks in this yr's draft.

- Marion, Banks 4 Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick, Mighty Mouse
- Marion, Banks, future first 4 Luol Deng, P.J. Brown(S&T 1 yr $6mil), Duhon, Griffin
- Marion, Banks 4 Gerald Wallace(S&T first yr starting salary $9mil), Brevin Knight(ask Bobcats to pick his option up) and Jake Voskuhl
- Marion, Thomas, future first 4 Mickel Pietrus(S&T first yr starting salary $7mil), Foyle, and Biedrins
- Marion, Banks 4 Speedy Claxton, Tyron Lue, Josh Smith or Marvin Williams, Lorenzen Wright
- Marion, 4 Camby, Najera, J.R. Smith

Here's what the Suns are closing in on

Per PhxSuns.net:

Did anyone here listen to Gambo and Ash today? Apparently this was the scenario (posted from another board).

the other rumors involves Marion and our 29th pick for the 4th pick and Mike Miller and Stomile Swift. We would still own our 24th pick and Atlanta's pick for 08.... Then the Suns could trade the 24th, Atlanta's pick 08 and James Jones for the 8th pick. could we possiblebly have 2 top 10 draft picks????? I heard that the Suns front office are jumping for joy becouse of the though of getting #4 and #8...Corey Brewer and Jokim Noah?????

I don't know if these will go down but I was in the ball park. Man Phx getting #4 and #8 would be sickening.

Posted by TheGame:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by djsunyc:

the suns have worked out brewer, green, noah (twice), and a mystery guy.

according to some posters, the mystery guy is horford.

Here were some trade proposals I posted regarding Marion

Shawn Marion trades I would do if I were the Suns in no particular order some of these deals may require a swap of picks in this yr's draft.

- Marion, Banks 4 Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick, Mighty Mouse
- Marion, Banks, future first 4 Luol Deng, P.J. Brown(S&T 1 yr $6mil), Duhon, Griffin
- Marion, Banks 4 Gerald Wallace(S&T first yr starting salary $9mil), Brevin Knight(ask Bobcats to pick his option up) and Jake Voskuhl
- Marion, Thomas, future first 4 Mickel Pietrus(S&T first yr starting salary $7mil), Foyle, and Biedrins
- Marion, Banks 4 Speedy Claxton, Tyron Lue, Josh Smith or Marvin Williams, Lorenzen Wright
- Marion, 4 Camby, Najera, J.R. Smith

Here's what the Suns are closing in on

Per PhxSuns.net:

Did anyone here listen to Gambo and Ash today? Apparently this was the scenario (posted from another board).

the other rumors involves Marion and our 29th pick for the 4th pick and Mike Miller and Stomile Swift. We would still own our 24th pick and Atlanta's pick for 08.... Then the Suns could trade the 24th, Atlanta's pick 08 and James Jones for the 8th pick. could we possiblebly have 2 top 10 draft picks????? I heard that the Suns front office are jumping for joy becouse of the though of getting #4 and #8...Corey Brewer and Jokim Noah?????

I don't know if these will go down but I was in the ball park. Man Phx getting #4 and #8 would be sickening.

Yeah, adding Mike Miller, Corey Brewer (who I think is a young Pippen), and Noah would help their cap problems and pretty much set them up for the next 5 years with Barbosa, Bell, Brewer, Noah, and Amare, and Mike Miller even if Steve Nash starts to fall apart due to age. However, I doubt they can get the 8th pick for the 24th and Atlanta's #1 in 2008. The 2008 pick is likely to be in the teens in what will likely be a weaker draft. Why give up the 8th pick this year for that?

[Edited by - thegame on 06-26-2007 02:52 AM]

You never know. One thing Phx has managed to do the past 5yrs and that's pull off killer trades.