D’Antoni’s departure ensures Suns 2-year rebuild (at least)
The Mike D’Antoni era officially gets underway this week in New York. The move raises many questions, on both sides of the deal.
First and foremost on the minds of many Suns fans, doesn’t this move prolong what will be a rebuilding process over the next two years?
The Suns, if they pick up a team option on D.J. Strawberry, and if Grant Hill exercises his player option, have 9 players under contract for the 2008-09 season, and about $70 million on the books. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for the Suns to roll the dice with D’Antoni ball for 08-09 and then blow things up if the championship eluded their grasp again?
The salaries for Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Nash (Nash has a team option for 09-10) and Raja Bell come off the books in two years. But changing coaches now means a considerable adjustment period for an aging team immediately, and with seemingly obvious roster moves following next year, another coach/team feeling out process.
More questions…is $24 million enough for anybody, let alone Mike D’Antoni, to take over the disaster that is the New York Knicks’ roster? The Knicks have 13 players on the books for next year at the astronomical figure of almost $91 million. Did I mention that the team won 23 games this season, finished 43 games behind Boston, and had, generally, one of the most embarrassing seasons in team sports history?
If Mike D’Antoni can turn the Knicks around he’ll be anointed King of New York. I think he’s a very good basketball coach, but can he get Marbury, Curry and Randolph to actually play? Hell, can he even get Marbury to show up? Like I said, he’s a good basketball coach, not a miracle worker. Something tells me both the Suns and D’Antoni will regret this move years from now.
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Posted by Vince Marotta
Vince has been part of the Phoenix Sports scene in a few different capacities. First as a fan, Vince has been yelling at his tv during Suns and ASU games since the late 1970's. Vince also saw the media side of things as a radio talk show host from 1996 to 2002, and then again in 2007.
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