The Phoenix Suns Thread

[Quylac]

Re:

I do agree that this Suns' offseason has left a lot to be desired...

Hedo? Warrick? Frye at full MLE?...

[CKR13]

Phoenix Suns president and chief executive Rick Welts has announced his resignation. Welts cited personal reasons on his decision.

Story on TriValley Central

[CKR13]

Interesting article about Phoenix Suns power forward Hakim Warrick, who is currently the star of his Philadelphia Ballers Crew.

Read all about it on AZ Central

[CKR13]

The city of Phoenix will still earn the rental payments due from the Phoenix Suns franchise even if the lockout consumes 41 Home Games of the Suns for the 2011-2012 Season.

Suns still pay even if they don't play

PHOENIX - The city of Phoenix will still get rental income from the Phoenix Suns, even if the team's home games are cancelled because of the NBA lockout.

The city and the team are in the middle of a 40-year agreement in which the city owns U-S Airways Center. The team leases it from the city and operates the building.

Phoenix Financial Director Jeff Dewitt explains how it works, "They are responsible for collecting the revenues and paying all of the expenses to operate the arena," he says. "That's not just for the Phoenix Suns and 41 NBA games. That's for the WNBA, Arizona Rattlers Arena Football, a Lady Gaga concert, or whatever."

As part of the agreement, Dewitt says the city gets two payments from the team. "Every year they pay a fixed fee to us that currently is about 850-thousand-dollars," Dewitt says. "They pay that whether there are any games or not. It's part of the agreement, a fixed fee that's due to us annually. The second fee we get is ten percent revenue from every event in the arena." That includes not only Suns games, but concerts and other sporting events.

Those net proceeds usually bring in about 750-thousand-dollars-a year to Phoenix. Dewitt says it's too early to tell how much of that would be lost because NBA games are cancelled. "I meet with the Suns as part of the operating agreement two or three times a year," Dewitt says. "We met not that long ago and had a brief discussion about that. (How much net proceeds would be lost.) No one knows, because no one knows whether games will be cancelled because of the lockout. We hope not."

Dewitt says any losses wouldn't be a "large amount" to Phoenix, but admits that they would come at a time when the city is hurting financially and "could use the money."

-KTAR

[CKR13]

The Phoenix Suns will hire Brad Casper as the new Team President after Rick Welts resigned from the position.

Read all about it at the Arizona Republic

[CKR13]

Phoenix Suns players have lost the partial amount of salary due to the lockout within a span of 170 days. The same goes for every player in other NBA teams.

What the Phoenix Suns’ players lose in salary to the lockout

George Cohen has a chance to be the NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2011-12 season.

The federal mediator is giving everyone a shot at having a season after holding the sides hostage for a 16-hour meeting that ran from Tuesday morning to early Wednesday in New York. They are meeting again Wednesday, when the NBA Board of Governors is also planning to assemble regarding a revised revenue sharing plan that aims to address the owners’ assertion that 22 of 30 NBA teams lost money last season.

Meanwhile, the NBA players are losing money. It was not until NBA Commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the season that the players felt a financial hit. Perhaps, the players’ losses and the teams’ losses of potential gates have motivated the two sides beyond what the public relations hit’s unquantifiable monetary damage could.

Assuming there is nothing negotiated to repay lost salary and barring a quick resolution that includes reconstruction of an 82-game schedule, the players will not receive at least two weeks of pay. More losses could come if Stern follows through with his mention of canceling games through Christmas if there is no progress.

Here is what the Suns players would lose in salary so far. It is based on a 170-day salary period:

Steve Nash: $962,929.

Marcin Gortat: $559,229.

Josh Childress: $494,117.

Channing Frye: $461,176.

Mickael Pietrus: $436,470.

Hakim Warrick: $354,118.

Jared Dudley: $350,000.

Aaron Brooks: $247,058 (Brooks’ figure is based on the qualifying offer the Suns made him. He is a restricted free agent and stands to wind up with a different salary figure based on what he gets for an offer sheet from another team. The Suns can match any offer to retain him).

Robin Lopez: $238,824.

Zabian Dowdell: $64,966 (Does not have a guaranteed contract).

Gani Lawal: $64,966 (Does not have a guaranteed contract).

Garret Siler: $64,966 (Does not have a guaranteed contract).

Grant Hill is not included because he is an unrestricted free agent.

Vince Carter is not included, although he is technically still a Sun, because it would be insane to pay him the $18 million salary on the last year of his contract when it is not fully guaranteed. The Suns negotiated an extension on the deadline to waive him and pay him the $4 million that he is guaranteed. The full salary now would become guaranteed on the new start of free agency, whenever that may be. Until then, the Suns created a window to explore trade options once league business resumes.

-Tucson Citizen

[CKR13]

Steve Nash: Owners and Players Being ‘Selfish’ in Lockout

[hanakuza]

suns in limbo

Seems like the Suns are in limbo. Carter gone, is Grant going to stay? playoffs seem to be far away(not like there's gonna be a season now)

[CKR13]

Interesting read from Hoopsworld where they tackle on how much mileage more can the over 36 years old NBA players still has.

The list includes point guard Steve Nash and unrestricted free agent Grant Hill.

Over-36 Club: How Much Is Left?

It does raise the questions for both the players' future with the franchise. First is Nash who is on the last year of his contract with the Suns. Will the Suns trade him if there is a season to get a jump on the rebuilding phase? What if there is no season and Nash is a free agent? Suitors are guaranteed.

Then there's Hill who might play elsewhere, preferably a contender.

[hanakuza]

The way things are looking(no season this year) Grant will likely be off the bench only. Still might be a good defender on the call

[CKR13]

According to SB-Nation, center Marcin Gortat is close to signing with the Turkish team, Besiktas Milangaz.

If Gortat signs, he will play alongside New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams.

[CKR13]

Former Phoenix Suns star and Sacramento City Mayor Kevin Johnson was recently nominated for the Class of 2012 for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

[CKR13]

Steve Nash vs. Jason Kidd Charity Exhibition Game

A star studded game featuring:

Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, Stephen Curry, David Lee, DeMar Derozan, Corey Maggette, Trevor Ariza, Ricky Rubio, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley & likely Amar’e Stoudemire and Kevin Durant.

[CKR13]

The Phoenix Suns will play the Denver Nuggets in two pre-season games. Schedule is to be announced soon.

[hanakuza]

Has Carter been renewed or is he being waived off?