No deal before the deadline
February 21st, 2008, 2:03 pm · Post a Comment · posted by jerrybrown
The Suns failed to make a trade before Thursday’s 1 p.m. (Arizona time) NBA trade deadline.
Efforts to acquire Los Angeles Clippers guard Quenton Ross did not pan out. Ross would have given the Suns the perimeter player they are seeking since the departure of Shawn Marion. The Clippers also had motivation to deal Ross, as they could have gotten under the luxury tax threshold. But the two teams could not come to an agreement.
Instead, the Suns will sign a free agent by Friday – the two-week deadline to add a 13th man to the roster after trading Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaquille O’Neal. Free agent candidates are Linton Johnson or Bobby Jones, but either would likely get only a 10-day contract.
The Suns would prefer keep an eye out for players who might get bought out of their contracts. Potential buyout candidates could be Brent Barry, who was dealt from San Antonio to Seattle in the Kurt Thomas trade; Gordan Giricek of Philadelphia; and Tyronn Lue, was traded to Sacramento in the Mike Bibby deal. Those players would only be owed a prorated portion of the $1.2 veterans minimum salary.
Any player added to the Suns roster by March 1 would be eligible for postseason play.
