The Phoenix Suns today traded center Kurt Thomas and two future first-round draft picks to the Seattle SuperSonics for a future conditional second-round pick. In addition to salary cap relief, the trade leaves Phoenix with an $8 million trade exception for their use in future dealings.
“We are doing everything we can to keep our core group together. Sometimes in doing so, you have difficult decisions to make,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr.
“We feel good going forward having our core group of players under contract for several years, including the recent addition of free-agent Grant Hill. The bottom line is there are tough decisions to make, but we have flexibility and our core together. We really like the group of players we’ve assembled and feel we can make a legitimate run for an NBA championship next season.”
Phoenix will send Seattle its own 2008 and 2010 first-round picks. The Suns will receive a conditional 2008 second-round pick from Seattle (via Orlando).
Thomas, a 12-year NBA veteran, spent the last two seasons with the Suns after he was acquired from the New York Knicks on June 28, 2005 along with the draft rights to Dijon Thompson (54th overall pick in 2005 NBA Draft) for Quentin Richardson and the draft rights to Nate Robinson (21st overall). The 6-9, 235-pound center averaged 6.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 21.8 minutes in 120 games (63 starts) with Phoenix.
Most recently, Thomas, 34, averaged 4.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 18.0 minutes in 67 games (13 starts) with the Suns last season, including 7.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 19.3 minutes in 11 games (five starts) in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.
Originally the 10th overall selection in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, Thomas owns career averages of 10.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 27.8 minutes in 747 games (526 starts) with four teams (Miami, Dallas, New York, Phoenix).
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It’s like Trading Rashard Lewis for Kurt Thomas’ expiring Contract and two future first round picks! Good move for the rebuilding Sonics! Also Thomas could help those young Sonics’ frontline in Sene, Petro and Swift develop. They really needed a veteran frontcourt player in Thomas.
As a Suns fan, this is disheartening. The ownership appears to be hellbent on avoiding the luxury tax, not on winning a championship. Seriously, Kurt Thomas was crucial to matching up against the Spurs. Who’s going to mark Duncan now? Diaw, Hill and Stoudemire can’t that’s for sure. The fire-sale on Phoenix’s draft picks is shocking too. Phoenix have sold off Rondo, Rodgriguez and Fernandez for nothing basically. I wouldn’t be so concerned about losing the picks if it meant the Suns were gearing up for a run at the cahmpionship now, but the Thomas trade proves they aren’t serious about that either. They just want to be competitive enough to put bums on seats, not to win. I think Steve Nash should feel thoroughly betrayed. Shame on the Suns’ Esau-minded owners!
The news of Phoenix moving Kurt Thomas is news to my ears. Why you say, it is because I am a Spurs fan and Kurt Thomas was the biggest reason they almost won against the Spurs. He is un-doughtily the best post defender they had and now it’s all on Marion now. I believe the move was good and bad from them, I say it is a good move so that they can sign there core for a few more years. I say it’s bad because your best Tim Duncan defender and re-bounder is playing with the Sonics now. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out but I really believe this hurts there chances of getting a title even if they sign Brown. He will be a nice addition but he doesn’t have the skills that Thomas does. Phoenix can prolly beat every other team in the league in the playoffs except the Spurs and now without Thomas you can surely bet on that.
Spurs Fan For Life,
Brandon AKA B-Mac
I agree with B. That 2010 pick could come back and bite the Suns in the butt if Nash is done and Marion’s been traded. Why did they give up so much to give someone away?
Money, money, money. Lets get it right. Nash will be done in 2 years (you can already see the “passing” confusion during the Western Conference playoffs.) Marion is in every trade rumor this side of the planet, Stoudemire is fallible, breakable, shakeable, and plays every other year since he’s been in the league (He’ll go down this year, mark my words) But Kurt was something to keep. Stable and not a knucklehead, two charateristics that most of todays all-stars lack. The absence of a big man presence outside of Amare will become REAL apparent.
I think that the Sonics and Presti have done a great job this off season. The sonics used the suns. The suns are left wit Amare and Sean Marks???? as their big men. I don’t see what the suns are doing. They already saw that running doesn’t win championships and my personal opinion is that shawn Marion is replacable. The small forward position is easy to fill especially when you have a point guard like nash and a beast in the paint like amare. The suns could have traded marion for some bigs. Tehy are never going to beat the spurs with amare at center and sean marks as his backup. Amare can’t do anything but foul duncan. Grant Hill was the big offseason pick-up. Are you kidding me. What are they going to do with him. He is washed up, injured everytime i turn on the tv and he plays sf and they have Diaw, marion, barbosa, bell.Terrible moves Kerr. They draft alando tucker and dj strawberry? What are the suns doing?
Seattle upgrades with kurt thomas. They add a inside presence defensively, a junk yard type player, 10 years of experience and a nice mid range shot.
Ok, I have finally figured out how the S.A. Spurs will defeat the Suns for the next 5-10 years. Plant a mole named Steve Kerr inside the Suns top management!! All Kerr has done so far as made the Suns weaker in the front court (their biggest weak spot is center…duh….hello…..think McFly); and so far has he has done little to strengthen this team. Didn’t Kerr used to play for S.A.? Hmmm…..seems a bit fishy! Seriously though, where’s the love for Kurt Thomas? They gave him away….they gave away Jones? Whose next in the name of saving money? Barbosa? Marion? I have been a Suns fan since I was 10, and I can tell you their players on every roster since 1976. This is as bad as the Dennis Johnson for Rick Robey trade……and here I was hoping that Sarver would not be prone to the same team-self-destruction that the Colangelos did every time the Suns would build a “Championship” caliber team. This is really depressing. I guess money does rule the world.