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July 17, 2012: Suns options shrinking

A week after the season ended, Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby stated the following, "First and foremost, we need to find another dynamic weapon on offense."

Give Babby and the Suns credit. They've tried to find that "dynamic weapon on offense."

First, they made a run at Eric Gordon only to see New Orleans match the offer sheet given to the restricted free agent.

Then, they turned their attention to OJ Mayo, bringing the unrestricted free agent in for a visit last week. He though tweeted late Monday he is signing with Dallas.

Now what do the Suns do?

Here are the options they are considering; and we list the players in alphabetical order:

• Shannon Brown, six-year veteran made $3.5 million last season with the Suns
averaged a career-high 11.0 points, shooting 42% and 36.2% from 3

• Randy Foye, six-year veteran made $4.25 million last season with the Clippers
averaged 11.0 points, shooting 39.8% and 38.6% from 3

• Courtney Lee, four-year veteran made $2.2 million last season with the Rockets
averaged 11.4 points, shooting 43.3% and 40.1% from 3

• Jodie Meeks, three-year veteran made $884,000 last season with the Sixers
averaged 8.4 points, shooting 40.9% and 36.5% from 3

• Michael Redd, 12-year veteran made $1.3 million last season with the Suns
averaged 8.2 points, shooting 40% and 31.8% from 3

If you ask me---and no one has but I'll offer my opinion anyway, I'd take a hard look at bringing back Brown. He may not be that "dynamic weapon on offense" but he showed the ability to put the ball in the basket with five 20-point efforts in the season's final 24 games (all as a starter) including twice in the final three games; plus he dropped a career-high 32 points on San Antonio March 27.

"I like it here," he said the day after the season ended. "I like everything about it. I like the team. I like the facilities. I like the city, the fans. I like everything about it. I don't mind being here again. But at the same time, I got to keep that balance in my mind that it's a business. My plans might not fit with other people's plans or whatever the case is so I just got to be prepared for anything."

21 Comments   |   Join the conversation »
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    sundevil7901 wrote...
    Whomever the Suns get
    they need to sign them to a one year deal and save their money for next year to pursue Harden. Maybe even put feelers out their this year to see if OKC would entertain a trade offer. The Suns have done a good job of compliling assets this off-season, enough to make a deal work.
  • Abuse
    mesa mad man wrote...
    PLEASE
    do not resign brown. Sign Foye to a 1 year deal and wait for Evans. Yes, of course I would love to see Harden come back to AZ, but it isnt going to happen. Much more likely to see Evans land here
  • Abuse
    dant wrote...
    Whats the goal?
    If the goal is to get back to the playoffs next season as Babby has said on several occasions, signing Brown is not enough to make that a reality. They need more talent at the starting 2G than Brown can deliver, IF they indeed want to make the playoffs next season.
  • Abuse
    dant wrote...
    Something else to consider
    Not having a legit starter at the 2G may also adversely affect others. I would hate to see the growth and confidence Dragic displayed while playing in Houston curtailed because he is not playing with enough talent at the opposite guard position.
  • Abuse
    kdaddy wrote...
    Sign Brown, Lee or Redd to a 1 year deal
    I agree to try to get by Brown on a 1yr contract for $4 Million+. He wants to be here. Plus he has been in Gentry's system for a year so it will offer some consistency. As a starter he was producing decently. If he blossoms great. If not, then you aren't locked into a longer term deal and can go after Harden, etc next year. Lee wouldn't be bad either but he'd probably want at least a 2yr deal. I love Redd. High character veteran but I'm concerned about his durability as a starter. Forget Foye. I don't know enough about Meeks.
  • Abuse
    esc R. wrote...
    Whats the Goal?
    to be mediocre dant! They want to just make the playoffs instead of rebuild. They will continue to be that as long as they continue to just miss out of the playoffs and pick yet again a low inmpact player of role players. One year deal max and suns need to find a way to rebuild with talent and land that potential star in the top 5 of the draft. Thats the only way you can rebuild now with the new CBA.
  • Abuse
    esc R. wrote...
    Gordon
    was never an option no matter what they did with his contract. The only way that works is if you are taking a player away from a lux tax team like the rockets did to the knicks. NO is no where close to that and we never had a chance. Suns have made good moves to keep the status quo, if thats what you like.
  • Abuse
    hugUhbear wrote...
    MMM is the 'answer man' .. today
    Really like your idea and if it happened we would ...kill teams, especially as we would grow together as a team. that lineup sounds very Sunslike yet with a yng offensive/with team defense, edgey, slightly euro blue collar mid city star power with a growth quotient in their youth, INTERESTING..
  • Abuse
    mesa mad man wrote...
    Brown
    Seriously - where is all the love coming from? Did I miss the times he made the players around him better? Was I not watching the game where he opted not to dribble the ball around and shoot an off balance shot? I dont deny he showed flashes of explosiveness. But at what cost to his teammates.
  • Abuse
    Tennisgrandpa wrote...
    Foye?
    That guy is an ultimate bricklayer when it comes to shooting, he's horrible......HORRIBLE! The players remaining will do nothing for the Suns, this is going to be an awful season and it looks like we'll have a top 3 pick in the lottery. I knew Sarver and his investment bankers weren't going to spend the money for any blue chip players, I freakin new it.
    Dale
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