Would it really increase the Phoenix Suns chances of winning to swap KG for Amare?

Question

Here's my opinion. With Amare Stoudemire the Phoenix Suns are the third maybe second best team in the league. With KG, though they may be better defensively, nothing else changes. Phoenix will lose offense, aggressiveness, and perhaps more importantly, a future. Phoenix is perhaps the only team in the NBA who can say they're in a position to win now and 5 or 6 years from now. Think of it logically, Amare is 8 years younger than KG, is on the upside of his career, and still has tremendous potential. KG, on the other hand, is getting older and slower, though he is the model of consistency, it has to stop soon. Bottom line is, would you trade your future, to win now? Even if you can win now.

I hear this injury prone talk. Amare has been hurt once. Don't forget, he was the only player on Phoenix to play all 82 games. In Fact, you can argue that Steve Nash is injury prone with his bad back.

Answer 1

This scenario is similar to when the Lakers had a chance to get Jason Kidd but they refused to give up Andrew Bynum because they thought he was the future and the next Shaq. Of course, the difference between a J-Kidd and Bynum is a bigger gap than a Garnett and an Amare but the situation is similar. Kobe has like 5 good years left and pairing him up with J-Kidd along with Odom may give the Lakers a good opportunity to win championships now rather than later. If you've got a MVP caliber player like a Nash or Kobe and you get a chance to pair them up with another superstar player like a J-Kidd or Garnett, you should do it.

The reason Phoenix needs Garnett more than Amare is because he is a better defensive player and has a better chance of keeping Duncan in check which is what Phoenix needs to accomplish if they are to make it out of the Bestern conference. If you noticed with the Sun's history, they have been able to put together great teams after team (Kevin Johnson, Eddie Johnson, & Tom Chambers and then KJ, Jeff Hornacek, & Charles Barkley) so why not give Nash the best shot at winning a title now? If Nash and Garnett retired down the road, they still have enough rebounding pieces to build around. Garnett is a better passer than Amare and he has more range away from the basket. He fits into the Phoenix uptempo system a lot better. Another factor you have to consider is taking Garnett reduces the opportunity that a western conference foe may be able to acquire his service, therefore you do not disturb the balance of power in the west and keep the competition title hungry teams at bay.

Answer 2

I've been saying the same thing ever since I heard about this trade. Why trade for a player of almost equal production who is 8 years older? Garnett is a better passer, and a better defender (which Amare can still become) but Amare is the better scorer. He's more aggressive and explosive. He's a proven big time playoff performer, KG cannot make that claim. How many huge 40 point games has Stoudamire had already and he's only 24? More than KG and he's been in the league over a decade.

This trade makes absolutely no sense and it would ruin the Suns chemistry and send a great young player to a franchise with no direction (Atlanta). I'm thinking this whole thing was made up anyway, who in their right minds would look at this as a good trade?

Answer 3

Amare is also injury prone and his career maybe over before KG. The Suns have won without Amare and adding a superstar like KG is only going to strengthen their durability. The person that makes the team run is Nash. You can put a bunch of scrubs on the floor with Nash and they'll still win at least 50 games. Who ever heard of Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, Barbosa, and all the other players that excel because of Nash. I don't think they are trading away their future cause their future is Nash.

Answer 4

No. KG is an excellent player, but Amare is young and has yet to reach his prime. KG isn't old yet, but doesn't seem to fit with the suns identity. And Nash is one of the best point guards out there. I would definitely keep Stoudamire. He is explosive and his mid-range shot is improving all the time. KG is past his prime, and the Suns might not gain anything but leadership and defensive prowess for a couple of years. Even with KG, a national championship isn't guarenteed. Had Howard Stern not rewarded the Spurs for Horry pummeling Steve Nash and if Nash hadn't got split in the nose. I'm sure the Suns would've won. They deserved it more. I don't know about you, but I'm sick of people overrating the spurs and refs favoring them all of the time. THE SPURS SUCK! No one even watched them in the NBA Finals, because they are dirty, and even though they are dirty, are still boring. The most exciting moments are during dead balls when you hope a fight will start, when the other team has the ball, or during commercials. So when you're not busy hating the Spurs, you're bored out of your mind. Sorry, anyways... I didn't hear about the KG rumor, and I doubt it will happen, so I wouldn't worry about it. I've heard Golden State, Indiana, Philadelphia, New York, and even Orlando and Boston, but no Phoenix.

Answer 5

The thing is that with Amare being injured so often they really developed a whole different flow with out him. There are lots of scoring on the Suns... KG would improve the interior defense... they don't need Amare to score. The thing is that the whole "coming off the bench" thing basically handed the series to the Spurs. I am not so sure that the Suns would have won it all without those suspensions. Either way the Suns would be good... I would hang on to Amare... KG is old.

Answer 6

Nash is fading. Very few teams can win without a quality point guard. The Suns would be better off trading for Garnett. After Nash is gone who's the PG? Without a good PG Stoudamire does get the number of good looks he needs to continue his production levels. Therefore win now! Get Garnett. He'll be gone soon. Then rebuilding will be quicker and easier. And the Suns will win again in 5 or 6 years.

Answer 7

i didnt read everyone post, so i dont know if they mentioned this but, nash is getting up there in age. without nash, phx has no chance at a ring. and since nash wont be around much longer, the suns are in a win now mentality. KG right now is better than amare especially defensively. so there really is no future because nash wont be there so you might as well go for it all now. and you wont lose agressiveness or offense with KG. as i said, KG is better than amare right now.

Answer 8

It may for one or two seasons but then there is no way Kevin Garnett is going to make 30 points at age 35 and thats when the Suns will not be good after that trade but I think thats why Suns GM Steve Kerr declined that trade and Twolves (sweet)

Answer 9

no not really the only thing KG is better at is defense. And you dont know how KG and Nash are going to do together. Suns would be smart to stay away from that deal

Answer 10

Keep Amare and go after a free agent like Gerald Wallace or trade for someone.