Suns’ Telfair: A trade is ‘definitely not my first option’
Feb 4, 2013, 10:59 PM | Updated: 11:48 pm
Initially, it was one game.
Now, it’s two straight games and three of the last four games overall.
That’s a trend; and it’s not an upward one for Sebastian Telfair.
“Out of my control,” he said of his recent run of not playing.
Telfair received his first DNP-Coach’s Decision of the season a week ago Sunday at Dallas. He was back on the court the next game, playing 11 minutes in the Suns’ home win against the Lakers, which marked the return of Steve Nash.
However, in the following two games, Telfair was again relegated to bench duty.
“The only thing I can do is continue to practice every day; continue to be ready to play every night,” he said. “Control what I can control.”
The Suns have lost each of the three games Telfair has not played. But at this point in the season, when you’re a team with as many wins (16) as games (16) below .500, change is inevitable.
“When you’re not winning, you got to search for things to help you,” interim head coach Lindsey Hunter said. “We’ll keep searching until we find guys that are going to help us win. That’s the bottom line. If we were 20-games over .500, then maybe (Kendall Marshall) never plays. But the fact is, we’re not and we’ve got to find guys that can help us get better.”
Telfair is one of the team’s better on-ball defenders and this season is shooting a career-best 38.7 percent from three-point range. He’s understandably disappointed about not playing. He’s not, however, about to complain.
“Keep working. Continue to be professional. Stay ready,” he said. “You never what happens when your number will be called. Stay positive. Don’t let nothing get into my head. Don’t nobody confuse me. I’ve got a good thing going here with myself mentally as far as how I approach basketball and my career, on and off the court.”
Telfair, a nine-year veteran and in the final year of his contract, could be attractive to another team should the Suns be willing to move him ahead of the February 21 trade deadline.
“It’s out of my control,” he said. “It’s not for me to worry about. I love being here. I love being around the guys that’s here and the staff. That’s definitely not my first option at all. No matter what’s the situation here being traded from the Phoenix Suns is definitely not my first or second option right now.”
