Here's the long-awaited video to go along with the picture of Nash riding a tandem bicycle with Baron Davis. Our point guard sure does have a great sense of humor. Enjoy:
Via the great Basketbawful comes this gem, a sampling of Tim Duncan's since corrected wikipedia page:
It's funny, I always thought Tony Parker's matching head beard was evidence of a not so secret relationship with Duncan.
The Suns will apparently rescue Matt Barnes from Nellie's doghouse and he'll sign a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum today.
There isn't a whole lot to dislike about this deal, as Barnes is a guy who does a little bit of everything and will give the team more depth. You have to wonder a bit why he's so readily available on the cheap, but if he's able to play as well as he did during the Warriors' magical run from a couple of years ago, Kerr and Co. got themselves a steal.
The priority for the Suns is still a back-up point guard, especially after DJ's disastrous performance in the summer league. With Dragic's status still up in the air, we can only hope Sam Cassell and Damon Stoudamire are as far away from Phoenix as possible.
I've had a few run-ins with various Suns players in my life. I've detailed a couple previously, and seeing as we're smack dab in the middle of the offseason and I'm doing nothing but sulking over not being in Vegas for the summer league, I figured today would be good as any to revisit a couple more chance encounters with members of the Suns.
First, the great Tom Chambers. I was just a kid so the details are pretty fuzzy, but my dad was able to get us a meeting with Chambers before the game in the depths of the Madhouse on McDowell. Now that I think about it, it wasn't all that exciting.
I remember thinking Chambers was some sort of giant but not much else stands out from the meeting. So I guess what I'm saying is, this post SUCKS so far.
Onto Steve Nash and his sidekick Eddie House. I'm at the World Baseball Classic at Chase Field, and the US is playing Canada. I started the game off sitting at Friday's Front Row with a friend from work and our boss, but as the game went on and my boss had to catch a plane, I moved down a bit.
Actually, I moved down a lot. A family friend has the best seats in the house: on the corner of the home dugout closest to home, first row, on the aisle. As I sat down with my dad and his two friends they told me to me look. over. there.
I glanced to my left to find Steve Nash and Eddie House enjoying the game with what looked to be a number of Nash's Canadian friends. I say these gentlemen were Canadian not because they were proudly flashing socialized healthcare cards, guzzling maple syrup, and sporting nothing but denim, but because they were letting the American players have it and cheering wildly for the Canadian players.
They were also drinking beer. Lots and lots and lots of beer. Well, at least Eddie was. For being a pretty slight man, he can put down $9 beers with the best of them. I don't think he quite drank a perfect game but it was a quality start nonetheless.
As for Nash, the guy was there having fun and enjoying the game. He was definitely in his element, as he and his friends were having a grand ol' time. When he took off in the 7th inning or so (Canada was still in control at that point,) he was escorted out by security because I kid you not, people were acting like he was Jesus and hoping to touch the hem of his garment.
And really, that's about it. Here's a quick recap:
-Tom Chambers - tall
-Eddie House - likes beer
-Steve Nash - Jesus
Sounds about right.
To read about basketball and the Suns summer league, be sure to check back with Stan at Bright Side of the Sun, because again, he's in Vegas, and we're not.
As much as I would love to spend a few nights in my favorite Vegas dump and enjoy a few days of watching the Suns youngsters and an assortment of scrubs play in front of minuscule crowds, a trip to Vegas this year simply wasn't in the cards.
While I may not be there this year, Stan from Bright Side of the Sun sure is, so please be sure and check back with him for updates on the latest and greatest regarding Robin Lopez' hair, DJ's tenacious defense, and Alando Tucker's ever-burgeoning jumper.
More summer league thoughts and a trip down memory lane to come tomorrow.
Information overload from Paul Coro this bright and sunny morning. We learn the Suns plans for Nash's backup include such young, spry individuals as Sam Cassell and Damon Stoudamire. Other names mentioned include Jason Williams, perhaps Carlos Arroyo, and if a miracle occurs, poor, poor, Shaun Livingston.
My thoughts on this news are the same as Lue's decision yesterday to skip out on Phoenix for Milwaukee. Ho-hum.
The real meat of Coro's article today is the news regarding the Suns' second round draft pick, Slovenian point guard, Goran Dragic:
Two league sources said Dragic, the Suns' second-round pick last month, has negotiated a buyout with Spanish club Tau Ceramica to leave this summer.
The hang-up is Phoenix can cover only $500,000 of his buyout. He would need to make almost $2 million next season to pay his part of a buyout that is more than the $1.55 million buyout his contract had stated for 2009.
Phoenix spent $500,000 in a trade to get him. Due to a doubling tax hit, the Suns are seeking a deal to shed payroll and fit in Dragic, who is considered Nash's potential successor.
Others have said Leandro Barbosa has remained in trade talk.
Tyronne Lue would apparently rather play behind Mo Williams and the rest of the point guard gang in Milwaukee than Steve Nash, and has accepted an offer to suit up for the Bucks.
Ho-hum. Yawn. Meh.
Something tells me DJ or LB or (by the grace of God,) Goran, will ably fill the role if Kerr and Co. can't come up with Plan Z.
While LB is clearly not the answer as full-time relief for Nash, the Suns have won 50+ games every year he's been in that role, so there's surely no reason to lose any sleep over this evening's news.
While I realize this isn't Suns news, I felt the need to weigh in on the Brandon Jennings/UofA/NBA/Europe saga. This is not only because I'm an Arizona State alum and take immense pleasure in seeing Lute Olson squirm, but also due to the folly of my first thought on hearing Jennings will skip college and play in Europe.
He's just like Curt Flood! The kid is a trail blazer!
While it's true he's making a decision based on a faulty policy much like Flood did in Major League Baseball in 1969, his decision is almost entirely based on necessity. He may have some noble reasons and if so, kudos to him, but you see, Brandon Jennings couldn't pass a test.
His decision to play in Europe was made for him because of his failure to reach a certain score on a test.
Let's save the Curt Flood comparisons.
I'm not exactly sure when this originally aired so forgive me if you've watched it already and I'm late to the party, but I rather enjoyed Bill Simmons and Suns Summer League baller Rod Benson hanging out and messing around.
And if you're thinking to yourself, "jeez, this friggin' guy looooves posting videos, he must have nothing to say," you're right. However, Benson does tell us he feels he has a good chance this summer so leave me the hell alone.
No word on whether or not Nash is a fan of the seminal garage band as well.
Also, unless this new Mummy movie has another fight scene involving half-naked smokeshows (I'd link to a YouTube video here, but people are idiots and they don't simply upload the scene...they put it to a Drowning Pool song,) I want nothing to do with it.
via Mr. Edwards at Fanhouse
You'll have to forgive me for being a day or so late (and a dollar short...story of our lives, I know,) but Paul Coro has the Suns Summer League roster for us.
NAMES THAT RING A BELL
-Rod Benson - former Cal Golden Bear and blogger extraordinaire with solid D-League numbers. Also the head of his Boom Tho Movement.
-Justin Cage - he's a former Xavier Musketeer and the guy who Greg Oden knocked into the basket support two years ago in Ohio State's thrilling and bile-producing victory over X. As the son of a Xavier alumni, I'll be rooting for Cage to play well.
-Taquan Dean - hot stuff at Louisville who not long after deciding to stay for his senior season, suffered an ankle injury and saw his draft stock plummet like the Duke's fortunes at the end of Trading Places.
-Jared Jordon - former NCAA assist leader and cult hero.
-Robin Lopez, DJ Strawberry, Alando Tucker - my fearless prediction is all three guys will make the team. I know, I know, it's crazy to say.
WHO?
-Jiri Hubalek - he attended Iowa State and can bomb threes. Also, his name is Jiri. I'm going out on a limb here and saying he's not African-American.
-Ekene Ibekwe - see above but flip everything around.
-Ivan McFarlin - The Russian Irish? Keep him away from the liquor cabinet (by the way, if you're counting, that's three stereotypes in a row.)
-Marcus Vinicius - I've got nothing. Coro thinks he could be the last guy on the bench. From what I hear, it's pretty good work if you can get it.
-Judson Wallace - I'd go by Judd but that's just me.
Unfortunately, my plans for attending the Summer League went kaput, but be sure and check out Bright Side of the Sun next week, as Stan will be taking in every game and posting throughout (at least I think that's his plan.)
Via TrueHoop comes word that Suns 2nd round draft pick Goran Dragic is a rather hot property in European basketball. So much so that his switch from one club to another led to a court case, the resolution of which is still up in the air.
How this will end up for Dragic and the Suns plans for him remains to be seen. In fact, it could be that way for a while:
There are a lot of open questions. TAU wants Dragič to take the spot on their first team, as they want him to backup Pablo Prigioni. Zoran Planinić left for CSKA Moscow, so he could actually see some minutes there. The Phoenix Suns and their GM Steve Kerr want to bring Dragič overseas and Slovenian top club Olimpija Ljubljana is also interested in making him their own player, and not just a loaner. We will have to wait and see how this saga ends…
I'm hardly the brightest bulb in the box, but the chances of seeing Dragic in a Suns uniform anytime soon sure seem to be slim and none. Hopefully the Suns and Dragic's agent can reverse things and work something out with the club teams involved and bring Dragic to Phoenix sooner rather than later.
