--The Suns learned their lesson last year when they touted the abilities of No. 15 overall selection Robin Lopez and said he would have a big impact on a team that still fancied itself a championship contender. Lopez looked horrible early and only showed signs of life after being chided by Shaquille O'Neal for his passive approach to the game.
This year, after taking Earl Clark at No. 14, GM Steve Kerr and coach Alvin Gentry almost fell over in pushing down any expectations of the 6-foot-10 forward from Louisville -- going so far as to mention he would be hard-pressed to earn court time behind role players Louis Amundson and Jared Dudley. But Clark wasn't as willing to downplay his possible impact. "I think it was a great choice by the Suns organization," Clark said. "I think I've got a unique game ... I've got a different game from everybody."
--You can't blame the Suns' slide on O'Neal last season. He was Phoenix's best player much of the season and he played heavier minutes and more games than the Suns would have ever thought possible. That's what got Cleveland's attention and makes the Cavs think he can put them over the championship hump.
But the Suns also knew that they probably couldn't count on a repeat performance, and if the team slipped out of contention that O'Neal's effort and attitude would likely fall quickly -- using his time in Miami as a measuring stick.
GM Steve Kerr said he would declared "a moron or a genius" when he sent Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Heat for O'Neal in February of 2007. And while he was reminded of that quote on Thursday, he stood by his guns on the decision to pull the trigger.
"Team-wise, it didn't pan out as we'd hoped," he said. "But we knew before the (Shaq) deal that the team wasn't going anywhere in the playoffs because of our lack of size. And the team was starting to decline a little bit."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Emotionally, I didn't feel like this team, at the end of the year, as constituted -- just being everything back -- I wouldn't have felt like this team had the mojo, the magic." -- Suns GM Steve Kerr
