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 Thursday, March 23
Spotlight: Without Kidd, "hopes are dashed"
 
By Dr. Jack Ramsay
Special to ESPN.com

 
Anfernee
With Kidd out, Penny is really going to have to raise his game.
A group of investors headed by Dick Bloch brought an NBA franchise to Phoenix in 1968. The team's general manager was 28-year-old Jerry Colangelo, who had left the Chicago Bulls' young organization after two years, having gained experience as a scout, director of merchandising and executive assistant to the Bulls' president, Dick Klein.

Colangelo hired Johnny Kerr, another Bulls transfer, to coach the first Suns team, but took over as coach himself two seasons later and led the team into its first playoff experience. He also replaced Butch van Breda Kolff in 1973 for a season.

In 1987, Colangelo led a group of investors in the purchase of the franchise for a reported $44.5 million. His group joined with the city of Phoenix to build the existing America West Arena in 1992. He appointed his son, Bryan, to the position of general manager in 1989, but remains the team's CEO and has a strong influence on all personnel decisions.

Trades, Free Agents and Draft Picks

  • 1995: Drafted Michael Finley (Wisconsin), 15th pick; Mario Bennett (Arizona St.), 27th pick; Chris Carr (Southern Illinois), 56th pick. Signed free agents Danny Manning, Winston Garland, Wayman Tisdale, Dan Schayes and Trevor Ruffin. Traded Cedric Ceballos to the Lakers for future first-round pick (Finley); lost free agent Oliver Miller to Detroit.

    THROUGH THE YEARS
    Year Record Playoffs
    1994-95 59-23 6-4
    1995-96 41-41 1-3
    1996-97 40-42 2-3
    1997-98 56-26 1-3
    1998-99 27-23 0-3
    Totals 223-155 3-5

  • 1996: Drafted Steve Nash (Santa Clara), 15th pick; Russ Millard (Iowa), 39th pick; Ben Davis (Arizona), 43rd pick. Signed free agents Tony Smith, John Coker and David Wood. Traded Dan Majerle, Antonio Lang and a first-round pick to Cleveland for John Williams.

  • 1997: Drafted Stephon Jackson (Oak Hill H.S.), 42nd pick. Signed free agents Rex Chapman and Evric Gray. Traded Charles Barkley and a second-round pick to Houston for Chucky Brown, Mark Bryant, Sam Cassell and Robert Horry; traded Elliot Perry to Milwaukee for Marty Conlon and a first-round pick; traded Brown to Milwaukee for Darrin Hancock and a second-round pick; traded Finley, Cassell and A.C. Green to Dallas for Jason Kidd, Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer; traded Horry and Joe Kleine to the Lakers for Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson.

  • 1998: No draft pick. Signed free agents Tom Chambers, William Cunningham, Clifford Robinson, George McCloud, Brooks Thompson and Mike Brown. Traded Wesley Person, Dumas, two first-round and two second-round picks to Cleveland and Denver for Antonio McDyess; traded Chambers to Philadelphia for Marko Milic; traded Ceballos to Dallas for Dennis Scott; traded Nash to Dallas for a first-round pick and draft rights to Pat Garrity; traded a future draft pick to the Lakers for draft rights to Toby Bailey.

  • 1999: Drafted Shawn Marion (UNLV), 9th pick. Signed free agents Tom Gugliotta, Shawn Respert, Chris Morris, Corey Blount and Rodney Rogers. Traded Mark Bryant, Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells and a first-round pick to Chicago for Luc Longley; traded Manning, Garrity and two future first-round picks to Orlando for Anfernee Hardaway. Lost free agent McDyess to Denver.

    The Present
    The Suns, now under coach Scott Skiles, are 11 games over .500, stand third in the Pacific Division, and hold the fourth playoff slot in the Western Conference. It was an up tempo team that forced turnovers (over 17 per game), ran the break well under the leadership of Jason Kidd (league-leading 10 assists per), and could score in clusters (just under 100 ppg). They played a unique game in which the guards (Kidd and Hardaway) were their best post-up players, and the big guys (Robinson, Gugliotta and Rogers) were their best perimeter scorers. But they were at their best when they ran. Kidd rebounded at the defensive end, advanced the ball on a quick dribble, then created the scoring plays.

    But now -- with Wednesday's injury to Kidd (a broken ankle) against Sacramento that takes him out for the season -- those hopes are dashed! What a crushing blow for a team that has been smitten with injuries all season! Of course, Gugliotta's also done for the year and Longley is out for the immediate future. Skiles might have patched a force together without Googs and Big Luc -- but without the services of the dynamic, creative Kidd, the Suns have all but set.

    I was very impressed with the Suns as I watched them fly up and down the court against Miami in early-March. I came away feeling that this was a team with upset potential in the playoffs ... something that has been lacking with the franchise since the '93 season when the Suns went to the NBA Finals before losing in six games to Michael's Bulls. After being ousted in the first round for the last four seasons, I thought this might be the year. It's a bleak, cold day in Phoenix today -- even though the weather report says "sunny and warm."

    Skiles faces the task of working out new roles for his players, patching new pieces into the lineup and rebuilding team confidence. It's a big job for the rookie coach, but Skiles is an upbeat, resourceful sort who will look the challenge right in the eye and get the best results possible.

    He will have to give Hardaway more ball-handling and play-making responsibilities. Penny is capable of both, but it may impact negatively on his own scoring. Skiles will also have to get consistent production out of Kidd's backup, Randy Livingston, who shows signs of fulfilling the hope many had for him when he first came in the league with Houston.

    Hopefully, he'll get Longley back at 100 percent before too long and get Luc to step up his game; and get a bit more from Marion, Rogers and Robinson -- who are already playing very well. Former All-Star point guard Kevin Johnson was brought out of retirement on Thursday to help out, but he skipped all of last season and it's unclear what he can bring.

    But, unfortunately for Phoenix, there's just no replacing Jason Kidd -- the best point guard in the league.

    The Future
    The future for the Suns hinges on the recovery of their two starters, Kidd and Gugliotta, and the ability of the Colangelos -- Jerry and son Bryan -- to get some high quality players to fill the breach. It won't happen this season for the two players -- and perhaps not even next for Googs -- but don't underestimate what the Suns management team can come up with.

    The Suns have an excellent scouting group led by Dick Percudani, which includes veteran NBA observer Al Bianchi and the two Colangelos. That group has done a marvelous job over the years coming up with sleeper draft picks that have had consistent success in the NBA. Marion is another example of their good work.

    Then, there's also the geographical factor that works in the team's favor. Players like to live in the Phoenix area, and many stay there after their playing days are over. That helps the Suns in signing free agent players.

    There's also a positive in the creative ways -- within cap regulations -- that Jerry Colangelo has found to offer lucrative contracts to players whom he regards as significant to team success. He has also been a man of his word, in whom players develop a deep sense of trust. Bryan possesses the same qualities.

    And I like Skiles. He's a no-nonsense type, who knows the game and works at his craft. He'll only get better as a coach.

    But the present and the future, which looked so promising for Phoenix just a day ago, is suddenly not as bright.

    The Suns are back to square one.

  •  



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