--Strength and conditioning guru Erik Phillips has left the Suns, effective July 1. Phillips, who opened a fitness center last year in Engelwood, Colo., will move back home and run the center. Assistant athletic trainer Mike Elliott was promoted to take over for Phillips under head trainer Aaron Nelson, while Tom Maystadt will replace Elliott as assistant trainer.
--The Suns and the Knicks (Think this is a Mike D'Antoni thing?) were the only two teams that were both (1) luxury tax payers and (2) lottery participants last season. But after unloading Shaquille O'Neal's $20 million-plus contract for two players they can write off the books putting themselves in a position to buy out both players they obtained in the deal (Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace), the Suns won't have to pay out any money. That doesn't bring back the nearly $3 million they would have received for being under the tax, but it's a start. Wallace's contract was bought out on July 13. The move could save the team $8 million under the salary cap.
--A brief flirtation with the idea of luring F Shawn Marion back to town was snuffed out when Dallas continued their off-season overhaul by seeking a sign-and-trade deal with Toronto that will pay Marion more than the mid-level exception -- and more than the Suns are willing to spend. When the Raptors unexpectedly won the Hedo Turkoglu sweepstakes, they had to renounce Marion's rights and there was talk that the mid-level might be the going rate before Mark Cuban raised the stakes.
--Draft picks Earl Clark and Taylor Griffin will join second-year players Goran Dragic and Robin Lopez and third-year player Alando Tucker on the Suns' entry in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas from July 10-19. Dan Majerle will coach the team for the second straight season and, if last season's form holds, will play the five roster holders and competitors big minutes.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I would love to stay here, but it's not my decision. My decision is to continue to improve and get ready for any team that would be willing to accept me." -- Suns forward Amare Stoudemire.
