Now that Mike D is going to the Knicks, I’m wondering if perhaps we should just start from scratch. The current team was built to beat the Spurs, and to do so primarily with offense. Unfortunately, the team STILL couldn’t beat the Spurs, and the Spurs (right now, anyway) aren’t looking like the team of the future in any case.

So I’m wondering…out loud; I don’t have any answers…whether fans believe that the Suns with a new coach and some minor personnel changes can be a contender in the next two years…or whether it’s time to start over, to start building a much younger team, stockpiling draft picks, and so on.

NOTE: I know that some will say, “Well, there’s no way we’re getting rid of Shaq or Nash…the former because of his contract, the latter because he’s beloved, and because he’s the straw that stirs the drink on this team.”

Okay, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start rebuilding anyway. Start assembling the core of the team that you want three years from now, when both Nash and Shaq will almost certainly be gone.

[Note by Phoenix Stan, 05/15/08 8:01 AM PDT ]

Over the last few days of coaching conundrums, this is the question I keep coming back to so I am “stealing” Beatcal’s post to have some more conversation on the topic.

We’ve heard Sarver and Kerr both claim that the Sun’s window is still open and that the plan is to win now. One would assume that means Nash, Amare, Shaq, Diaw, Bell, LB and Hill are all coming back.

I am still on the fence. I can definitely see the appeal of moving our movable pieces while they are most movable. That means Nash who’s trade value depreciates each year; LB who’s production / salary is fantastic; and maybe Diaw who despite his higher salary and inconsistency is a very talented player. Bell would also be a movable piece. Amare is untouchable and Shaq is unmovable.

I just don’t see what you can get back that’s going to move the team from what will likely be a 50 win, 3 to 6 seed team next year to a top number 1 contender - unless you can pry LeBron out of Cleveland’s cold dead hands.

One move I don’t like is the idea of Barbosa and the Suns’ 15th pick for a 3 - 7 pick. If you look at LB’s current production value, there’s NO WAY a rookie beyond the top 2 or 3 is going to come in and match what he brings sooner then two or three years.

I still think that LB’s value alone is enough to get back a legit backup PG or a backup Center which are our two biggest needs. A move like that is big but not a “blow it up” trade.