All Time Suns Team(Modern Game)

[Indy]

I am surprised to not see Westy in there Laz.

I think Booker has him beat! And Westy was my favorite growing up so I don't say that lightly. I guess then it comes down to Westy versus Davis on the bench.

I never watched him play, but have read a bit about it and checked out the stats. I love Book, but I think there is a lot of recency bias with him, especially considering he has never played on a winning team. (I know there are really good reasons to blame the org for that, but it is still a stain--let's hope that turns around finally next year)

[Superbone]

I am surprised to not see Westy in there Laz.

I think Booker has him beat! And Westy was my favorite growing up so I don't say that lightly. I guess then it comes down to Westy versus Davis on the bench.

I never watched him play, but have read a bit about it and checked out the stats. I love Book, but I think there is a lot of recency bias with him, especially considering he has never played on a winning team. (I know there are really good reasons to blame the org for that, but it is still a stain--let's hope that turns around finally next year)

Here's to more bubble play going forward. (Bubble or not.)

[LazarusLong]

Tough to leave out Westphal, Davis and Dennis Johnson.
Westy had a nice five-year run with the Suns.
He also had better players around him, including Adams, Curtis Perry, Truck Robinson, Walter Davis, Don Buse and Ronnie Lee.
Ditto with DJ, who would be on my all tough SOB Suns team.

I was a bit skeptical about Booker until his performance in the bubble.
Being a Suns fan since day one (yeah, I'm older than dirt on the moon) I tend to remember the early crew.
But I think Booker has proven his worth in the Suns tradition of guards.
If anyone were to edge him out it would have been Davis, but I think Booker is the better ballhandler.

[Superbone]

Tough to leave out Westphal, Davis and Dennis Johnson.
Westy had a nice five-year run with the Suns.
He also had better players around him, including Adams, Curtis Perry, Truck Robinson, Walter Davis, Don Buse and Ronnie Lee.
Ditto with DJ, who would be on my all tough SOB Suns team.

I was a bit skeptical about Booker until his performance in the bubble.
Being a Suns fan since day one (yeah, I'm older than dirt on the moon) I tend to remember the early crew.
But I think Booker has proven his worth in the Suns tradition of guards.
If anyone were to edge him out it would have been Davis, but I think Booker is the better ballhandler.

We're thankful to have you here, Laz. You've got the best perspective of anybody here. I'm pretty sure you're the only member that's been a fan since day 1! What year was the first Suns game? Was it 1968 or 69?

[LazarusLong]

October 1968. George Wilson, Gary Gregor, Dick Snyder, Dick Van Arsdale and Gail Goodrich were starters.

[Superbone]

October 1968. George Wilson, Gary Gregor, Dick Snyder, Dick Van Arsdale and Gail Goodrich were starters.

Wow, thanks. I'm aware of all of those names except George Wilson. I looked it up and the first three were one and done. As in that was their only year with the Suns. And Gail Goodrich only played two years with the Suns before being traded for Mel Counts. Of course, Dick Van Arsdale, The Original Sun, I know well as he was on the team when I first started paying attention and he played the remainder of his career in Phoenix until he retired in 1977. He also coached the Suns for one year in 1987.

[sunshoopjunky]

PG-Nash 07-08 / KJ 96-97
SG-Booker 19-20 / Marjerle 94-95
SF- Marion 03-04 / Connie Hawkins 69-70
PF- Barkley 92-93 / Frye 09-10
C- Ayton 19-20 / Amare 07-08

PG/SG Hornacek 91-92
SF/PF Cliff Robinson 99-00
PF Larry Nance 86-87
SG/SF Wesley Person 96-97
SG Raja Bell 06-07

Almost made it
Tom Chambers 89-90
Q Rich 04-05
Ainge 92-93
Leandro Barbosa 06-07
Gerald Green 13-14

I put a lot of thought into this as far as how players complement each other.

[LazarusLong]

October 1968. George Wilson, Gary Gregor, Dick Snyder, Dick Van Arsdale and Gail Goodrich were starters.

Wow, thanks. I'm aware of all of those names except George Wilson. I looked it up and the first three were one and done. As in that was their only year with the Suns. And Gail Goodrich only played two years with the Suns before being traded for Mel Counts. Of course, Dick Van Arsdale, The Original Sun, I know well as he was on the team when I first started paying attention and he played the remainder of his career in Phoenix until he retired in 1977. He also coached the Suns for one year in 1987.

Wilson was the starting center until the Suns traded for Jim Fox, who was several inches taller.
Wilson was traded for guard Jerry Chambers, thought to be a good offensive player, but never really hit his stride in the NBA
Snyder was the off guard -- a good shooter, but little else. He was traded for defensive specialist Art Harris.
Gregor was dealt for Paul Silas, a steal for the Suns. The Hawks, then in St. Louis, were loaded at forward.
Gregor had a short, mediocre career in the NBA and ABA, while Silas blossomed as a tough rebounder and defender.

Goodrich had been a star of the championship UCLA teams in the mid-60s (pre-Lew/Kareem)
He'd been a backup with the Lakers and was chosen by Phoenix in the expansion draft.
Given time to play, Goodrich came into his own as a player.
The trade for Counts was to give the Suns more height, but Counts was not a difference maker.
Goodrich became an important cog in the Chamberlain-West Laker teams.

[The Bobster]

Gary Gregor was actually the first Suns player. They held the first round of the draft before the expansion draft was held.

"The Original Sun" nickname still works for Van Arsdale if you consider him the last of the 1968-69 team to play for them.

Goodrich was by far the best-known of the original Suns, having played for title teams at UCLA in 1964 and 1965 (he was 1st team All-American in 1965). He was also the top scorer (barely) on the 1972 Lakers championship team that many considered the greatest team in NBA history until the Jordan Bulls came along.

[LazarusLong]

Gary Gregor was actually the first Suns player. They held the first round of the draft before the expansion draft was held.

"The Original Sun" nickname still works for Van Arsdale if you consider him the last of the 1968-69 team to play for them.

Goodrich was by far the best-known of the original Suns, having played for title teams at UCLA in 1964 and 1965 (he was 1st team All-American in 1965). He was also the top scorer (barely) on the 1972 Lakers championship team that many considered the greatest team in NBA history until the Jordan Bulls came along.

Also on that first Suns team was another player from a national NCAA champion team: David "Big Daddy" Lattin, from the Texas Western team that beat Kentucky in 1966. He was a backup center for the Suns. Very strong, but limited in basketball talent.