Open Court: Suns burning out?

Through 27 games of the NBA season, what are we to make of this Phoenix Suns squad?

On the surface, it would appear as if it’s business-as-usual for coach Mike D’Antoni’s high-flying squad.

The Suns currently sit atop the Pacific Division standings, three games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers. At 19-8, they’re currently in the mix with San Antonio, Detroit, Orlando and Dallas for the NBA’s second-best record after the rejuvenated Boston Celtics.

The offense is as prolific and efficient as ever, averaging a league-best 109 points per game on nearly 50 percent shooting.

Perennial MVP candidate Steve Nash continues to defy father time. At an age where most elite point guards begin to physically break down, Nash, 33, leads the league in assists at 12.2 per game while maintaining his mind-boggling shooting percentages (52 percent from the floor, 46 percent from three-point range, 93 percent from the line).

Super sub Leandro Barbosa remains the league’s quickest player off the dribble and is one of the few non-starts in this league who can singlehandedly take over a game.

Newcomer Grant Hill is healthy and playing some of the best basketball of his post-Pistons career, with his cerebral approach fitting in nicely with the pass-oriented Suns attack.

However, none of this should satisfy Suns fans. While this team is very good, it could’ve been great.

During this three-year stretch where the Suns have become the league’s most entertaining team and Nash has developed into the perfect offensive point guard, the Suns have yet to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.

While the questionable Stoudemire and Boris Diaw suspensions after Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs last season didn’t help matters, the root of these problems lies much deeper.

First, the Suns have no answers for Tim Duncan. Since he’s the best player of his generation, that is nothing to be ashamed of, but as long as Duncan is healthy and surrounded by good players, he will thwart the Suns’ playoff efforts.

Even when the Suns beat the Tony Parker-less Spurs 100-95 this past Monday, Duncan still had 36 points and 17 rebounds.

Second, the Suns have yet to show an ability to get a defensive stop when they absolutely need one.

Look, I love Phoenix’s approach to the game and the beautiful way they execute on offense, but in playoff basketball, most games come down to one or two possessions where you have to lock down your opponent and grab a key rebound.

In a related story, this year’s Suns team has the league’s worst rebounding margin at minus-six per game.

Third, and most importantly, the ownership is too cheap for its own good.

New general manager and Arizona hoops legend Steve Kerr knows what it takes to put a winning team together, as he is only five years removed from his fifth NBA championship, but it’s impossible to say whether majority owner Robert Sarver will give him the financial leeway to make the necessary adjustments.

In 2004, Phoenix held the No. 7 pick in what was widely considered a loaded draft. The Suns gave the pick away to the Bulls for a worthless second rounder and a future first, where Chicago selected Luol Deng, who has developed into one of the best young forwards in the league.

In 2006, desperate for a young backup point guard to help take some pressure off of Nash, the Suns elected to give Boston the 21st pick in a cash-cutting move. The Celtics selected Rajon Rondo, currently starting at point guard for the 20-2 Celtics.

The 2007 draft wasn’t much different, with Phoenix selling the 24th pick to Portland to save some money. The Blazers selected promising Spanish shooter Rudy Fernandez.

Prior to the start of this season, Phoenix gave away Kurt Thomas—the squad’s only legitimate post defender—to the Seattle Sonics for a couple of worthless second-round picks in another cash-cutting move.

I’m not sure I understand any of these moves. There isn’t a better value in the NBA than a solid youngster playing on a rookie contract and Thomas was a proven playoff warrior.

If Sarver is so terrified of paying the luxury tax, it makes far more business sense to sell high on a veteran making more than $16 million per year—someone like, say, Shawn Marion—than to give away valuable picks in talent-heavy drafts.

While Marion is no doubt a valuable asset to this team, his numbers are down (especially his atrocious three-point shooting) and he has never seemed totally at ease, since he feels like he’s the most underappreciated player in the league.

Phoenix’s payroll currently stands at more than $71 million. Nash might be the best dollar-for-dollar value in the league, considering everything he brings to this franchise on and off the court, but the window is closing.

Nash won’t be the league’s best offensive point guard forever, not with Chris Paul breathing down his neck.

If the Suns are to win a championship in the Nash era, changes must take place, starting from the top down. Not drastic changes, mind you, just a handful of small philosophical alterations to help make this team a viable title contender.

Either that, or pray that Duncan retires soon.

nprevenas@gvnews.com | 547-9747