"I had been told by the team that if they were going to go after some big free agents then it might happen. And it did happen."

What he didn't know was when it was going to happen.

"I found out on Twitter," he said of the Suns' decision Sunday to designate him as their amnesty player, as allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

"I left my phone in the car. I went back and saw that (Suns president of basketball operations) Lon Babby had called me and then my agent had called me."

Childress called them both back but by then he had already received several "good luck" messages via his Twitter account. "You know it's obviously not the best way to hear but at the same time that's social media these days." The Suns waived Childress two years into a five-year, $33.5 million contract after aquiring him in a sign-and- trade deal with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Suns were to due to pay Childress $6.5 million next season and $21 million over the three years remaining on the contract. That money is still owed to Childress but now no longer counts against the Suns' salary cap.

Last season, Childress had almost as many DNP-Coach's Decisions (32) as he did games played (34).

His two years in Phoenix hardly resembled that of a lottery pick who was a double-digit scorer in each of his first four seasons in the league plus two seasons overseas in Greece.

"They were tough," he said of his days with the Suns. "They were tough---mentally, I think, more than anything. It was the first time in my career I really experienced not playing a ton. It wore on me but at the same time I feel like I'm a stronger person because of it. I think that me going to Phoenix happened for a reason and me now leaving Phoenix is happening for a reason."

Despite his limited minutes and reduced role, Childress was always the consummate professional and well regarded in the locker room.

"No, I'm not upset at all," he said when reached in Lakewood, California where he's holding the first annual Josh Childress Basketball Academy. "Like I said, things happened for a reason. I'm going to use the last two years as something that I'll have learned from and grow from.

"It's part of the business and now I'm just looking forward to my next opportunity, wherever that may be."