The State of the Suns and the MVP Race

As an avid Phoenix Suns fan, I feel compelled to give you my opinion on their team in general right now. Let's just say I am deeply, and I mean deeply, dissatisfied with their front office. The Killing K's (not Killer, mind you) are hurting this franchise more than anything else. They got rid of James Jones, a remarkable shooter, to go under the cap and then basically gave away Kurt Thomas for next to nothing. Last season, those were two key reserves on a team that got within one win of the Western Conference Finals.

Now wait, it gets much better. They trade Shawn Marion, a four-time all-star and possibly their most valuable player, for Shaquille O'Neal, a past-his-prime overly-expensive center. At the time, I wasn't quite sure what to think of the trade. However, after Shaq's little playoff performance, in which he went 32-63 from the FREE THROW LINE and fouled out of two of the five games, this trade was one of the biggest mistakes made all year by any team with the exception of the Knicks.

My next problem I have with them is their drafting ability or lack of any drafting ability. Rudy Fernandez, also known as the next Manu Ginobili, was traded by the Suns to the Blazers. Luol Deng and Nate Robinson were, like Rudy, drafted by Phoenix before being traded away. What do they think they are doing? Drafts are supposed to be used for building your future. The Killing K's, however, have been trading their future away.

My final "beef" with them is their rumored decision to get rid of head coach Mike D'Antoni. This is the wrong move. D'Antoni is a great coach who helps that team very much. Yes, he made some mistakes in the series against the Spurs this year, but that doesn't mean you drop him like a bad habit. If Phoenix does decide to hire a halfcourt offense-favoring coach, they are in some serious trouble. Not only will it take the veterans of D'Antoni's system such as Nash and Stoudemire some time to adjust, but it will also weaken the talent of the team. Diaw, Barbosa, and Bell help the team because of their ability to play well in an uptempo game. With a slowed-down tempo, these players aren't so good.

To end this, Kraft and Kerr better make some good decisions fast or the fans won't be too happy. I doubt it will get anywhere near the situation that Isaiah had in New York, but it definitely will not be good for the organization. My first advice is to either keep Coach Mike or hire a coach that favors the uptempo game. Next they should draft either a defensive specialist or a shooter and KEEP HIM for years to come.

Moving on in this blogging program...the MVP race is close. Last year, Kobe's averages of 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists while leading his team to the #1 seed would have been enough to win the League's most coveted award. However, last year did not include the phenomenal season of third-year playmaker Chris Paul. So without further adieu, I give to you my top three Most Valuable Players of the 2007-08 NBA season.

3. LeBron James- King James is like no one else on the court. He is dominant and puts up his great numbers, but his supporting cast (or lack thereof) is holding him back from winning. At any rate, if Cleveland didn't have this guy, they would be the cellar dweller of their division behind even the Milwaukee Bucks.
Stats: 30 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl

2. Kobe Bryant- As I mentioned before, Kobe has put up ridiculous stats and his team is actually doing well for the first time since the Shaq and Kobe Era. So why doesn't he win? Well he could, but the competition for the award this year is as stiff as ever. My reason for his being second though is simple: he's not so valuable to his team as the person I chose to win the trophy.
Stats: 28 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 46% FG

1. Chris Paul- I believe this year's Most Valuable Player award goes to the player that is the most valuable for his team. He is the player that makes the #2-seeded Hornets go. Without him, they would be settling in mediocrity. Paul is the playmaker for his team that simply wins them games.
Stats: 21 pts, 12 ast, 4 reb, 3 stl, 49% FG

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Poll Results: After asking readers "Who was the best team to lose in the Elite Eight?", they responded with some very close results. Texas drew 40% of the votes while Davidson and Louisville received 30% each. Xavier, however, garnered no votes.