Suns News: Offseason

[Mori Chu]

I don’t really have a problem with Jones denying trade talks when nothing is official/certain. But he needs to make a call as soon as things look certain. I’d like the players to find out from him or their agents, not Twitter. I understand it’s a tough situation though as info leaks out so easily and quickly nowadays.

Yeah, I don't mind him denying trades that haven't yet happened. My point was, 1, don't tell guys they're "off limits" or other such language. Nobody is ever completely off limits. Just don't say things like that. And, 2, once the trade is happening, immediately drop everything and call all affected players and tell them and thank them for their service. Don't let them find out on Twitter or TV or whatever.

[Split T]

I don’t really have a problem with Jones denying trade talks when nothing is official/certain. But he needs to make a call as soon as things look certain. I’d like the players to find out from him or their agents, not Twitter. I understand it’s a tough situation though as info leaks out so easily and quickly nowadays.

Yeah, I don't mind him denying trades that haven't yet happened. My point was, 1, don't tell guys they're "off limits" or other such language. Nobody is ever completely off limits. Just don't say things like that. And, 2, once the trade is happening, immediately drop everything and call all affected players and tell them and thank them for their service. Don't let them find out on Twitter or TV or whatever.

Ya I agree with that.

[JCSunsfan]

I don’t really have a problem with Jones denying trade talks when nothing is official/certain. But he needs to make a call as soon as things look certain. I’d like the players to find out from him or their agents, not Twitter. I understand it’s a tough situation though as info leaks out so easily and quickly nowadays.

Yeah, I don't mind him denying trades that haven't yet happened. My point was, 1, don't tell guys they're "off limits" or other such language. Nobody is ever completely off limits. Just don't say things like that. And, 2, once the trade is happening, immediately drop everything and call all affected players and tell them and thank them for their service. Don't let them find out on Twitter or TV or whatever.

No way you can beat Twitter. That’s just the fact. If a player is incommunicado for 5 minutes it’s over. Woj has all the NBA offices bugged (virtually, with paid insiders including agents and front office people). Early notification for traded players is no longer a realistic expectation. This is simply a non-issue. Players need to get used to it.

Good grief. I wouldn’t be surprised if agents call Woj before they call their clients.

[Mori Chu]

Agree/disagree? What are the best-ever Suns offseasons?

[Superbone]

Come on, Espo. I guess he's too young to remember the Larry Nance for Kevin Johnson, Mark West, Ty Corbin, and draft picks trade. One of the picks which was used to snag Dan Majerle. Well, maybe that wasn't during an off-season.

[Superbone]

Maybe he's right when you're talking off-seasons. The Tom Chambers acquisition was pretty big too. Danny Manning?

[O_Gardino]

There's just no way to get a personal phone call from the GM faster than twitter. Both of these guys were in the Gym and didn't have phones on them. Jones might have called that very second and the players didn't pick up.

I'm not gonna worry about the he said she said.

[Split T]

I think the issue is Rubio being told he was “off the table” in trade talks. Clearly that was a lie. I’m not sure how you walk that line on being honest with players/agents but not leaking trade info.

[Superbone]

Jones is very player friendly. I have no doubt he did the best he could in informing the traded parties. But getting traded is always a bitter thing especially when you enjoyed being part of the organization and you thought you were the part of something big.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Ricky Rubio doesn't strike me as an idiot, so him and his agent should've been able to plainly see the writing on the wall once the rumors started regardless of what James Jones did or didn't say to him.

[Cap]

I think the issue is Rubio being told he was “off the table” in trade talks. Clearly that was a lie.

Assuming anybody meant to tell him that. It seems strange that they would. Maybe it was a misunderstanding or Chinese Whispers kind of situation.

[Oatmeal]

This all screams sour grapes to me.

[Superbone]

This all screams sour grapes to me.

Sour grapes and oatmeal is a bad combination. Just saying.

[LazarusLong]

Maybe he's right when you're talking off-seasons. The Tom Chambers acquisition was pretty big too. Danny Manning?

suns website and other sources:

In 1988, the Phoenix Suns made history as they changed the framework of the NBA forever.
Tom Chambers received his first NBA All-Star appearance in 1987 as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. He was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player after scoring 34 points and was quickly turning heads as he approached free agency.
Throughout the first 40 years of the NBA, if a player swapped jerseys for a new team, it was almost guaranteed to be by trade, not by choice.
This was until 1988, the same year that Tom Chambers’ contract was up for renewal with the Supersonics.
“I remember being in New York City at an owners meeting,” Former Suns Owner Jerry Colangelo said. “David Stern was addressing the group. He talked about unrestricted free agency and almost immediately my eyes went to the owner of the Seattle franchise. I said to myself, ‘You just lost Tom Chambers.’ ”
Colangelo took little time in his efforts to acquire Chambers as he quickly began an aggressive approach at one of the top players on the market.
“At the appropriate time at midnight, that call was made,” Colangelo said.
The Suns already had connections with Chambers as both he and assistant coach Paul Westphal shared an agent in Howard Slusher.
“I just loved what the Suns were doing the year before,” Chambers said. “Kevin Johnson was playing great. I loved the speed of the game. I loved the fact that they’re just going to go up and down and score a lot of points, which I wanted to do...”
Colangelo was joined by Westphal and Head Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons as the trio met with Chambers and Slusher.
“We were all sitting around the pool, talking for a little bit,” Colangelo said. “Slusher’s phone is ringing and teams are calling trying to set up appointments …we had to take care of this pretty quickly.”
Colangelo got directly to the point … “Here’s the deal and you have 15 minutes to make a decision or I’m out,” Colangelo said.
With other big names on the market, Chambers and Slusher didn’t want to let the opportunity in Phoenix slip away.
“So, I went back to the pool,” Colangelo said. “Five minutes or ten minutes later, he came back and said you’ve got yourself a forward.”
And as the pen touched the paper, history was made. Tom Chambers became the first unrestricted free agent to sign a contract with a new team.

[LazarusLong]

The Connie Hawkins acquisition was a big deal.

Suns went from a struggling infant franchise in the NBA outback to a team of national interest. The Hawk made the team legit.

[rhylek]

Thanks Laz, so it's always great to read stories/insight of what happened before I began following NBA.

[The Bobster]

The Connie Hawkins acquisition was a big deal.

Suns went from a struggling infant franchise in the NBA outback to a team of national interest. The Hawk made the team legit.

They also acquired Paul Silas that offseason.

[Mori Chu]

The Connie Hawkins acquisition was a big deal.

Suns went from a struggling infant franchise in the NBA outback to a team of national interest. The Hawk made the team legit.

They also acquired Paul Silas that offseason.

Wow, I didn't know we got the Hawk and Silas in the same offseason. It looks like that was the 1969 offseason if Wikipedia is correct?

[The Bobster]

The Connie Hawkins acquisition was a big deal.

Suns went from a struggling infant franchise in the NBA outback to a team of national interest. The Hawk made the team legit.

They also acquired Paul Silas that offseason.

Wow, I didn't know we got the Hawk and Silas in the same offseason. It looks like that was the 1969 offseason if Wikipedia is correct?

1969. They traded Gary Gregor straight up for Silas and won a coin flip with Seattle for the rights to Hawkins.

[The Bobster]

There's also the 1975 offseason where they drafted Alvan Adams and Ricky Sobers and traded for Paul Westphal.