Nash & Okur (East Valley Tribune)

[XERXES]

Nash, Okur may look at Suns

By Mike Tulumello, Tribune

Count guard Steve Nash and big man Mehmet Okur among the free agents who are expected to consider the Suns as a possible destination this summer.
"He'd consider them," said Nash's agent, Bill Duffy.

Nash was drafted by the Suns in 1996, but was traded after the club developed a logjam in the backcourt when it acquired Jason Kidd.

The Suns sent Nash to Dallas, where he became an All-Star, for the draft pick that became Shawn Marion.

"I think it still would be a good fit," Duffy said.

Yet, the Suns could be a fall-back position for Nash, who may re-sign with the Mavericks.

Nash's father, John (the player's parents live in the Valley), said in March that while he would love for his son to play for the Suns, it's more likely he will return to the Mavericks if Dallas officials make him a strong offer.

Duffy said this likely is an accurate read of the situation.

"But it's got to be reciprocal. They've got to want him back." This season, Nash averaged 14.5 points on 47 percent shooting (including 41 percent on 3-pointers) plus 8.8 assists in 33.5 minutes per game.

In the Mavericks' playoff series loss to the Sacramento Kings, he averaged 13.6 points, with his shooting percentages falling to 39 overall and 38 on 3-pointers in 39 minutes per game.

A source close to the Pistons' Okur who asked not to be identified confirmed the player's interest in the Suns.

Okur did not want to speak publicly because the Pistons are still involved in a playoff series against New Jersey. Okur is averaging 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per playoff game.

Okur, 25, is a 6-foot-11, 250-pound forward/center from Turkey.

He averaged 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in the regular season in 22 minutes per game. But with the arrival in Detroit of Rasheed Wallace, his playing time went down.

Last season, he averaged 6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 19 minutes per game.

It may be difficult for the Pistons to re-sign both Wallace and Okur.

[dalmations202]

I don't think Nash is going anywhere......Okur maybe though.

[grndmstr_c]

Nash will not be going to the Suns. They can't offer him enough, and the only pieces they have that Dallas would be interested in on a sign and trade are pieces they wouldn't give up.

[dirno2000]

With McDyess coming off their books, the Suns will have the cap room to make Nash a very competitive offer without doing a sign and trade. Last time I checked Real GM their projected cap charge for next season was around 35MM.

Barbosa looked promising so I doubt they'd make long term comittment to Nash.

[Hitman]

The Suns also have Milos Vujanic who is said to be coming over next year....and he happens to be the best point guard in Europe.

[XERXES]

Originally posted by: Hitman
The Suns also have Milos Vujanic who is said to be coming over next year....and he happens to be the best point guard in Europe.

Such things were said about Antoine Rigedeau.

[grndmstr_c]

Okay, let's assume the Suns do have a lot of interest in Nash. Straight up, like I said, nothing comes close to working for both sides, but what about something like this?

Dallas trades: Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison
Dallas receives: Leandrinho Barbosa, Shawn Marion, Jahidi White

I'm not entirely convinced either team would do it, but it's the nearest thing I could find to a talent match that worked capwise and made sense positionally for both teams. Dallas would get frontcourt help, a prospect at PG who has some especially nice potential on defense and can hit the three, and they'd be trading up a bit at SF (I don't think there's really that much of a gap between AJ and Marion, but Marion's about as close as you can get to being my ideal forward compliment with Dirk - him and AK). Furthermore, they're only taking on one extra contract, and an expiring one at that, meaning they'd still have plenty of flexibility in dealing Walker. Defensively, the Mavs might actually have a good perimeter defense, playing a rotation of Quis, Fin, Barbosa, JHo, and Marion at the 1-3 spots.

Phoenix would get their all-star at point, take only a minor hit at SF (who incidentally has a shorter contract), and as I understand it White isn't in their plans.

[SeriousSummer]

Nash
Johnson
Jamison
Amare
Okur

Not a bad team.

Daniels/Barbosa
Finley
Marion
Dirk
Bradley/White (whatever Walker might fetch

Needs an experienced point & a Center

[grndmstr_c]

Needs an experienced point & a Center

I'd want to go after Avery as the third veteran point - he'd be a great mentor to the two kids. And I'd take White at C over anybody we had manning the position this year other than Bradley - though like you I'd still like to get at least one more center, whether with the LLE, whatever's left of the MLE after signing Quis, or using Walker.

[Poindexter Einstein]

Suns dont and wont have cap room to offer Nash enough money to entice him away from Dallas. By the time you factor in a high draft pick, the Suns could at the most free up apprx $9M a year (to do so, they would have to renounce their exceptions). The Mavs would undoubtedly pay him more than that to return.

[ddh33]

If anything, this article made it sound even more likely that Nash will be a Maverick again next season.

[XERXES]

Originally posted by: ddh33
If anything, this article made it sound even more likely that Nash will be a Maverick again next season.

That's what I got out of it, too.

Now if we could also get Okur...

[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: XERXES

That's what I got out of it, too.

Now if we could also get Okur...

For this Dallas Mavericks team, with Nellie coaching, I would much rather have Rasheed Wallace than Okur. Just because Wallace has better D, is more athletic, and can shoot the 3 fairly efficiently. The perfect Nellie Center.


<edit> edit to qualify Rasheed Wallace instead of just Wallace, although Ben could fit in Nellie's doghouse nicely as well.

[XERXES]

Originally posted by: dalmations202

For this Dallas Mavericks team, with Nellie coaching, I would much rather have Rasheed Wallace than Okur. Just because Wallace has better D, is more athletic, and can shoot the 3 fairly efficiently. The perfect Nellie Center.


<edit> edit to qualify Rasheed Wallace instead of just Wallace, although Ben could fit in Nellie's doghouse nicely as well.

I concur. However, I think signing Okur will be more feasible than signing Sheed. That being said, I don't think signing Okur will be all that easy...

[dalmations202]

Originally posted by: XERXES

I concur. However, I think signing Okur will be more feasible than signing Sheed. That being said, I don't think signing Okur will be all that easy...

My only question is: Would Nellie play Okur if Dallas did get him?

[grndmstr_c]

My only question is: Would Nellie play Okur if Dallas did get him?

Are you kidding? The guy's got three point range. Of course Nellie would play him.