Suns trade Diaw, Bell for JRich

[TeamSelig]

Wow... anyone see this trade?


Phoenix out:

- Boris Diaw
- Raja Bell
- Sean Singletary

In:

- Jason Richardson
- Jared Dudley
- 2nd Round Pick


They also pick up Dudley who could possibly turn into a serviceable bench player. He is young too... just his second season.

This leaves Phoenix a little thin as far as big men are concerned. Robin Lopez has shown flashes, but not really a guy you want to rely on a playoff team. I wonder if Phoenix might look to ship Barbosa out for depth at C/PF and PG.

Nash-Richardson-Hill-Amare-Shaq
Dragic-Barbosa-Barnes-Dudley-Lopez

Also makes you wonder if they will pick up the pace again, as JRich obviously fits in that mold.

[NorrisHopper30]

Great trade for Phoenix. Still scratching my head as to why the drafted Robin Lopez.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by NorrisHopper30

Great trade for Phoenix. Still scratching my head as to why the drafted Robin Lopez.

Can't teach size.

[NorrisHopper30]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Can't teach size.

In the press conference after the Phoenix GM said something along the lines that he'll develop into a solid NBA player sitting behind Shaq. I just don't understand how you can draft someone that hasn't developed a solid college game 15th overall - and then 15 minutes later say he will develop a NBA game.

[improbus]

I love this trade for Phoenix. J-Rich can bomb from the outside and Dudley does lots of little things. They've been desperate for a SG to replace Joe Johnson and hopefully Richardson can really fill that role.

[Jack Burton]

Contract Charlotte, what's the purpose of this trade for them. Diaw is a bum, the most uncoordinated player in the game. The guy practically trips over his own two. Bell is a nobody who plays decent defense. Just confusing as to why Charlotte would get rid of their best scorer? On the other hand, Phoenix should make a run now.

[improbus]

The part that makes the least sense is that Diaw still has 3 years at 9 million a year. He is already struggling with his weight on a good team, what is going to happen when he ends up on a pathetic Charlotte team?

[Revering4Blue]

Originally Posted by improbus

The part that makes the least sense is that Diaw still has 3 years at 9 million a year. He is already struggling with his weight on a good team, what is going to happen when he ends up on a pathetic Charlotte team?

My guess is that Diaw will be dealt to the Knicks in some deal involving Eddie Curry, which may involve a third team to facilitate a deal.

[Revering4Blue]

An excellent trade analysis.

http://www.basketballprospectus.com/...?articleid=471

[cincrazy]

Phoenix no longer has an identity. When they let D'antoni go, they slammed their window shut. What are they? A run and gun team? No. A half court team? Maybe they'd like to be, but they don't have the personnel to pull that off. They come into the year preaching defense, now they let go of their two best defensive players for a scorer. Granted, JRich is a good player, but they should have traded for him LAST year instead of trading for Shaq. Too many pieces that don't fit in the desert.

[Emin3mShady07]

I think Charlotte made a mistake by trading for Richardson in the first place. A move like that, giving up a young and talented player, should be used to take a team over the hill like the Celtics trading tons of pieces away for Garnett and Allen, not take a team from the bottom of the pile and making them into a below-average team. The Bobcats mortgaged their future with the Richardson trade for no good reason in my opinion, and now I think they lost this deal too, only getting an underperforming big man and a slightly above average SG.