Phx-Suns.Net

Superbone wrote:

Mori Chu wrote:And he isn't just coat-tailing, either. West is actively contributing and will be in their playoff rotation. Great veteran signing.

Remember when that used to be us? Danny Manning?

I was thinking the same thing. Back in the '90s on the Barkley, KJ, Chambers era, the Suns enticed a number of vets to sign cheaper/below market rate. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; Spurs are using a practice Phoenix employed earlier.

Also after the Barkley years. Cliff Robinson and even Tom Gugliotta took less to play for the Suns.

Man, I can't *not* see all those names and *not* think of Randy Livingston and Joe Kleine.

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!

I have mostly good memories of Joe Kleine.

He was probably our best center in the 90s, yeah?

I seem to remember the combination of him and Danny Schayes being referred to has Schleine - with Joe preferring Klayes, haha.

Ahhh, too bad neither of them could handle Hakeem Olajuwon...but who could?

#90ssunsmemorieslol

Charlie Smithy! wrote:He was probably our best center in the 90s, yeah?

I seem to remember the combination of him and Danny Schayes being referred to has Schleine - with Joe preferring Klayes, haha.

Ahhh, too bad neither of them could handle Hakeem Olajuwon...but who could?

#90ssunsmemorieslol

Yeah, Kleine was mostly a journeyman solid center. He was blue collar and didn't back down from anybody. I'm sure Laz has some stories.

Probably our best center combination since in-his-prime Alvan Adams and Rich Kelley.

LazarusLong wrote:I was thinking the same thing. Back in the '90s on the Barkley, KJ, Chambers era, the Suns enticed a number of vets to sign cheaper/below market rate. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; Spurs are using a practice Phoenix employed earlier.

Of course Manning (and Tisdale) knew a bigger contract was coming after their one-year deal was up. Manning and Chris Dudley were the main reason that loophole got close.

Minny putting a pounding on ATL. I think I might be sick...

our best center of the 90s wasn't andrew lang?

The Bobster wrote:

LazarusLong wrote:I was thinking the same thing. Back in the '90s on the Barkley, KJ, Chambers era, the Suns enticed a number of vets to sign cheaper/below market rate. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; Spurs are using a practice Phoenix employed earlier.

Of course Manning (and Tisdale) knew a bigger contract was coming after their one-year deal was up. Manning and Chris Dudley were the main reason that loophole got close.

Chris Dudley?!

Wasn't he famous for being from Yale and missing tons of free throws?

I do remember him being a good rebounder, though.

He was famous for being abused by Shaq and not taking it too well.

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I wouldn't take it well either if Shaq grabbed me with his legs after the dunk and then shoved me down.

Yes, Chris Dudley. Great rebounder, good defender, terrible offensive player.

Portland signed him to a multi-year contract with an opt-out after one year as a free agent in 1993 because they were over the cap and then re-signed him to a six-year, $24 million contract a year later. Pretty much the same situation as when the Suns signed A.C. Green. Manning and Tisdale just signed one-year deals and then got rewarded a year later.

I thought the tandem of Mark West and Andrew Lang were highly serviceable.

Actually had a number of centers through the 90s. Kleine was a big lug who set great screens and was a rock of Gibraltar on D. Sort of a redheaded Mark Bryant. Kleine also was a great quote with a dry, wicked sense of humor.

Oliver Miller had a great start to his career ... he saved the Suns late in the fifth game of the first round when an undermanned Lakers team almost torpedoed Phoenix. Ollie had a couple of key blocks, a steal and a couple of buckets that help turned the tide. Unfortunately, he didn't have the discipline to keep his excess ballast in check. Too bad. He could handle the ball, shoot, rebound and overwhelm on defense. He could have been a force in the league.

Hot Rod Williams also had a brief, odd stint with the Suns. When healthy, he was a solid defensive center.

Can't forget Horacio "Combo Plate" Llamas. Somewhat of a local curiosity.

Chris Dudley has quite the CV. He was the recipient of the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 1996,and USA Today's Most Caring Athlete Award in 1997. A diabetic himself, he created the Chris Dudley Foundation, an Oregon-based group developed to improve the lives of diabetic children. In 1995 the foundation started a basketball camp for children with diabetes. He was the Republican nominee for governor of Oregon in 2010.

Good stuff, Laz and Bobster. You never disappoint.

Hot Rod Williams! Big O! Llamas! Sigh, the memories. To think that several of us bums were on AZCentral talking about those guys, all those years ago. I remember being in the student union at U of A as a freshman there in 1997, logging in to the azcentral forum from the public access computer to post as "Mori Chu".

Some other center names from the 90s:

* Mike Brown: Thumper and enforcer; bouncer playing in the NBA
* John Coker: A 7-footer who was either injured or glued to the end of the bench
* Joe Barry "Just Breathing" Carroll: Trivia answer for Celtics-Warriors trade in 1980 ...Traded by the Boston Celtics (as a future 1980 1st rounder) with another 1980 1st rounder (Rickey Brown was later selected) to the Golden State Warriors for Robert Parish and a 1980 1st round draft pick (Kevin McHale was later selected).
* Luc whatshisface: Everybody's favorite Suns center
* Tim Kempton: Radio voice of the Suns. Made Joe Kleine look athletic
* Malcolm Mackey: one-trick pony first rounder
* Danny Schayes: Dad was a great player in the early days of NBA. Danny worked hard, but always looked like he was running with snowshoes on when he headed upcourt. He and Blair Rasmussen were nicknamed "White Castles" when they formed a center tandem at Denver.

LazarusLong wrote: * Malcolm Mackey: one-trick pony first rounder

What was his one trick? Keeping the bench warm?