Phoenix Suns interested in Quinton Ross
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:59 pmFound this in the East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune:
Suns notebook: Team has interest in another ‘Q’
Jerry Brown, Mark Heller, Tribune
It appears Suns owner Robert Sarver is prepared to go deeper into luxury-tax red ink to make the team stronger for the playoffs.
With the NBA trade deadline looming at 1 p.m. today, the Suns were working the phones hard to come up with a player that can help them beyond the free agents they brought in this week.
With only second-round picks or cash (or both) to offer, the Suns are trying to pry 6-foot-6 guard Quinton Ross away from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ross, who shares the same 'Q' nickname as ex-Suns guard Quentin Richardson, makes only $824,000 this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He is a strong defender and rebounder who started for the Clippers against Phoenix in the Western Conference quarterfinals two years ago. His offensive capability is limited, but the Suns won't be asking him to score.
Sources with the team said players like Denver's Yakhouba Diawara and Seattle's Mickael Gelabale were now secondary on the list, leaving Ross as the main target with the deadline approaching.
If they don't get a deal done, the Suns could still sign one of the players brought in for a workout Tuesday - likely either Linton Johnson or Bobby Jones - to a 10-day contract and wait to see if a player is bought out before March 1 - since those players would still be playoff eligible. Three-point specialist Brent Barry, who was traded to Seattle on Wednesday in the Kurt Thomas deal with San Antonio, is one of the players Phoenix will watch.
Barry, 36, is making $5.5 million this year and is in the final year of his contract. He averaged 7.3 points per game this year and shot 43 percent from 3-point range with the Spurs. He could be an ideal fit for Phoenix, given that defenses may sag inside to try to stop Shaquille O'Neal.
Even if the Suns swing a deal for Ross, that wouldn't keep them from going after Barry. Sources say the team would either add him as a 14th player or cut loose one of the veteran minimum players on the team (Sean Marks, Eric Piatkowski, etc.).
To read the entire story, click here:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/109495
Suns notebook: Team has interest in another ‘Q’
Jerry Brown, Mark Heller, Tribune
It appears Suns owner Robert Sarver is prepared to go deeper into luxury-tax red ink to make the team stronger for the playoffs.
With the NBA trade deadline looming at 1 p.m. today, the Suns were working the phones hard to come up with a player that can help them beyond the free agents they brought in this week.
With only second-round picks or cash (or both) to offer, the Suns are trying to pry 6-foot-6 guard Quinton Ross away from the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ross, who shares the same 'Q' nickname as ex-Suns guard Quentin Richardson, makes only $824,000 this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He is a strong defender and rebounder who started for the Clippers against Phoenix in the Western Conference quarterfinals two years ago. His offensive capability is limited, but the Suns won't be asking him to score.
Sources with the team said players like Denver's Yakhouba Diawara and Seattle's Mickael Gelabale were now secondary on the list, leaving Ross as the main target with the deadline approaching.
If they don't get a deal done, the Suns could still sign one of the players brought in for a workout Tuesday - likely either Linton Johnson or Bobby Jones - to a 10-day contract and wait to see if a player is bought out before March 1 - since those players would still be playoff eligible. Three-point specialist Brent Barry, who was traded to Seattle on Wednesday in the Kurt Thomas deal with San Antonio, is one of the players Phoenix will watch.
Barry, 36, is making $5.5 million this year and is in the final year of his contract. He averaged 7.3 points per game this year and shot 43 percent from 3-point range with the Spurs. He could be an ideal fit for Phoenix, given that defenses may sag inside to try to stop Shaquille O'Neal.
Even if the Suns swing a deal for Ross, that wouldn't keep them from going after Barry. Sources say the team would either add him as a 14th player or cut loose one of the veteran minimum players on the team (Sean Marks, Eric Piatkowski, etc.).
To read the entire story, click here:
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/109495