Hey what’s going on out there in Bloggersville, USA? I know it’s been some time since my last post but I’ve had a pretty eventful summer. On May 7, I lost my grandmother, so I needed personal time with the family to work through the loss. She was 85 years old and meant the world to me. It took my entire family by surprise because she was very healthy and getting around like a woman half her age. She was the matriarch of our family and was one of the most influential people in my life. Everyone who’s ever met her, fell in love with her. She was very grandmother-like but was real “hip” on the times. Much Love to everyone for your prayers and acts of kindness. I really appreciated them. Especially those from my Suns and Bay area Families. You guys are the best! Love ya Gran. Miss ya.

It’s good to be back! I was extremely busy this summer with my foundation. I’ve been so blessed that I feel obligated to give back to communities that have given so much to me over the years. My foundation, “The Jason Richardson foundation” is all about making a difference in the lives of young people. Everything I do, they’re represented in some shape or fashion.

This summer we fed a 1,000 families in need of food assistance, mentored, and raised money for agencies that impact inner city youth, like the United Way. Thanks to all of those young people who worked so hard to make everything so successful. You can see what I’ve been up to this summer on my website JRICH23.COM. (Including photos of me, Chris Paul, and Stephon Curry at my basketball camp hosted during Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion).

This season should be a good one. Everyone is counting us out and really aren’t expecting much from us, but we’re going to show them how it goes down in the Valley of the Sun. Grant, Steve, and myself have promised to give 110% and lay it all on the line. We are going to catch a lot of people off guard. Don’t sleep on us!!!

We’re working out really hard right now. Everyone is beginning to gel together. I’m glad because I didn’t have an opportunity to do that last season as transplant. I think last year we spent a lot of time adjusting to all of the changes that we didn’t really get a chance to focus on the TEAM. This year we’re coming out as a team with a mission. People sometimes overlook how change impacts the effectiveness of great teams, but it does.

I just wanted to get the cob-webs out and drop everyone a line. I haven’t forgotten about you, just putting things into perspective.

Until next Tuesday,

JRICH

Visit Jrich23.com, his official site, for more information on Richardson.

Ah, when the Valley temperature cools to the low 200s, the Cardinals are driving everyone crazy with their inconsistency, and the Suns head back to training camp…Is there any better time of year?

I’ve named my fantasy basketball team this season “Team Microfracture,” in the hopes that putting that unsavory word out there will ward off injury and keep my team in the thick of it. It’s a risky “if” to put my faith in, but isn’t that all any NBA team can hope for, really? That a few of its major “ifs” come through for a given season?

Like every pro squad (okay, except maybe Memphis), the Suns are starting the preseason with a heaping helping of optimism. They feel they’ve had a great offseason, that they’re being either underestimated or overlooked by the prognosticators (or maybe both), and that there’s real hope that they might surprise some people in the contender-loaded West. No one’s saying championship, not even the Suns themselves, but we are hearing a lot of words like, “hungry,” “excited,” and “fun,” which would seem to bode well. I’m stoked to see the Suns in the position of underdog for the first time in a long time, and anxious to see what they can do. Which will, of course, be dependent on a bunch of “ifs.”

If Amare can stay healthy…That’s the biggest one, of course. He’s the Suns best, most proven big man and, with the departure of Shaq (definitely a case of addition by subtraction), once more the focal point of the offense. He’s more motivated than the Obamas at an Olympic Committee meeting, and wants to prove to everyone (whether it’s the Suns or a potential taker in a trade) that he still has what it takes to be a monster in the middle and that his ceiling is still a few floors up. But how are the knees? How are the goggles? Can Amare be as aggressive as he once was, and play without fear of injury? Maybe more importantly, how’s the defense and rebounding? Is this the year we finally see him reach his potential in both areas? Nothing has prevented Amare from being an elite defender and shot-blocker…except Amare himself. If he brings the same focus to those aspects of his game that he has to improving his mid-range jumper…and if he stays healthy…there’s no one in the league who would be in his league.

If J-Rich returns to J-Rich’s original form…It’s hard to remember now, but when Jason Richardson was in Golden State, he was a top-five scoring guard who could slash, get his own shot, and rebound like very few twos his size. Perhaps unmotivated in Charlotte, and a bit confused in his transition last season to the different style of the Suns (not to mention more than a bit uncertain on the Valley roads), Richardson never really got his shwerve on in the purple-and-orange. But those skills don’t just vanish. Dude is the kind of wing player every team craves when he’s focused and on his game. If he can reclaim that, he’ll absolutely thrive in the Suns system and be a key factor in keeping teams from doubling and tripling Amare.

If the Suns really let LB run free…And I mean really run free. Leandro Barbosa is at his best when things are chaotic on the floor – and at his absolute finest when he’s causing the chaos. No one is faster or sneakier. Put him with a second unit where the other four guys commit to defense and rebounding and let LB go all Iverson on everybody. We know he can score 24 off the bench. The Suns need to let him do what he does best. In doing so, his confidence will build, and his success will compound daily, with interest. This should be the Brazilian Blur’s best year.

If Steve Nash and Grant Hill can maintain their time share at the Fountain of Youth…What am I saying? Of course they will. By the way, you know how everyone talks about how old the Suns are? Well, outside of Nash and Hill, who’s really achieved emeritus status on the squad? Right, nobody. The Suns are a young team. Amare, LB and J-Rich are in their absolute prime, and the rest of the kids are…kids. And can you think of two veterans you’d rather have in your clubhouse than Steve Nash and Grant Hill, two better examples for young players? I can’t.

If Robin Lopez has made a substantial leap forward…Okay, fouling out of a no-foul-limit summer league game isn’t necessarily a great indicator, but the fact that Robin has remained aggressive and hasn’t let last year’s stumbles get in his head is very encouraging. Toward the end of last season, people forget the kind of improvement he showed. Now he consistency in the coaching staff, a half-season of the running system under his belt, and no Big Cactus in his way, physically or psychically. The Suns don’t need Robin to be an all-pro center. Nor do they want him just for his six fouls. Lopez West just needs to focus on pick and roll defense, staying between big men and the basket, and cleaning the boards. That’s it. If he can do that, his hair will no longer be the first thing people comment upon.

If I’m as right about Channing Frye as I was wrong about Matt Barnes…Boy, was I excited about the Suns signing Matt Barnes. I envisioned double-digit rebounding, endless hustle and smart defense, the kind of “glue guy” every team covets (see Ariza, Trevor). Somehow, it didn’t work out that way. Maybe it was the unsettled nature of the coaching staff and the playing system. It sure affected other players. But Matt just never really got it going in his Suns uniform. And you know who turned out to be the “glue guys” the Suns had been looking for? Sweet Lou Amundson and Jared Dudley, of all people, and they’re back for another go-round. I like Channing Frye, though. Okay, he got lost in a sea of big men in Portland last season, and okay, he couldn’t beat out Joel Pryzbilla for playing time, but before that, he was a pretty good player for a really lousy Knicks team. Ran the floor, rebounded well, played decent defense, and showed a nice, soft touch around the hoop and out to mid-range. His mobility makes him a better courtmate for Amare than the Big…oh, I’m too tired to come up with a funny nickname for a guy who’s long gone, and I want to close the book on Shaq as a Sun anyway. The important thing is, if Channing Frye fits in well on the court and in the clubhouse, as I suspect he will, the team will be better for it.

If all the Suns’ talk about “better chemistry” isn’t just lip service…The fun-and-gun Suns were at their best when they really, truly, liked each other. Things only came apart when the grumbling started, whether it was Shawn Marion wishing he could find a spotlight somewhere else (how’s that going, Matrix?), or Boris Diaw mumbling about…Actually, I’m not sure what he was unhappy about, because I don’t understand French. But all indicators are that this year’s edition of the Purple Gang practically sit around the campfire every night, through their arms around each other’s shoulders, and sing “Kum-By-Yah.” I’d take a slightly less-talented group of individuals who really get along over a bunch of superstars operating on different pages. Harmony on the court is a beautiful thing…and it makes fast breaks easier to run.

And so, when all is said and done, I think these Suns can be a fifty-win team, even in a division and conference as tough as the one they’re in. They’ve got something to prove and nothing to lose. Who’s to say that, with a couple breaks here and there, a couple misfires from other contenders, they couldn’t really surprise everyone? That’s why they play the games, someone once said. I think it was Charles Barkley.
If the Suns don’t whiff on their “ifs,” we could be in for a fun season.

Most people head to Orlando, FL to relax and vacation. But Amar’e Stoudemire isn’t most people.

This past weekend, Stoudemire and his “Each One, Teach One” Foundation returned to his old stomping grounds to throw a “goodwill giveaway” in his old neighborhood. Over 1500 people turned out at one of his former high schools, Lake Wales, to catch a peek and interact with the four-time All-Star.

STAT came armed with loads of Nike gear for the community’s youth and chatted with local families that turned out to welcome home the 6-10 forward/center.

“Making sure all the kids here in Lake Wales have a good start to their school year,” Stoudemire said on Twitter. “I’m looking out for our youth.”

After the appearance, the former Rookie of the Year made his way over to the court by his grandmother’s house. STAT reminisced about how that court was the first place he played organized basketball.

“This is it! This is where it all began,” he reflected. “You have to appreciate where you come from.”

Getting an education was the message of Stoudemire’s talk with the youth of Lake Wales. As one of the last players to go straight from high school to the NBA, his recent eye injury reminded him how fortunate he was and how fleeting a professional basketball career can be.

The kids in the audience, who ranged from ages 5 to 17, were told by STAT that not everyone is going to become a professional athlete and that they needed to have an education to fall back on.

“Being smart is supercool,” Stoudemire told The Lakeland Ledger. “A lot of people say what you don’t know can’t hurt you. That’s not true because what you don’t know can actually kill you.”

Click here for photos of STAT at the event.

Or you can follow him on Twitter at Amareisreal.

If you love basketball and you haven’t been to the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, you need to go at some point. It was remodeled five or six years ago and it is really beautiful. There’s a great collection of memorabilia and plaques honoring all of the inductees, including our own Ann Meyers Drysdale and Jerry Colangelo. When you walk in, you truly feel like you’re in the Mecca of basketball.

Last week, I made my second visit to the Hall for the induction ceremonies – my first trip was two years ago to see Al McCoy honored for his work in broadcasting. This time I went to support a couple of former teammates, Michael Jordan and David Robinson, along with two others who have had a huge impact on my life – Doug Collins and Johnny ‘Red’ Kerr, the former Suns’ coach.

Doug and I worked together at TNT and he was honored for his contributions as a television commentator. He gave a beautiful speech in which he graciously thanked his family, his friends and colleagues from the basketball world, and told some great stories from his playing days. Of all the people I’ve ever known in basketball, no one appreciates the game more than Doug. He truly has a sense of how much the game has meant to him, not only in regards to the competition and joy and financial reward, but also the friendship and camaraderie has provided him. Doug’s honor was well deserved, as he is one of the great commentators of all time. I love watching a game with Doug breaking down what’s going on – he is the best.

I knew Red Kerr quite well when I played in Chicago from 1993-98. He was the Bulls’ television commentator at the time, which followed a long, storied career as a player and a coach in the NBA. Red was honored posthumously, as he passed away this past spring following a bout with cancer. His son Matt was there to accept the honor – the John Bunn Award for Lifetime Achievement. Red and I were not related, although occasionally I’d get stuck with his bar tab when we were checking out of hotels on road trips. (Talk about eyebrow raising!) He was one of the great characters in the NBA’s history, with a great sense of humor and a million stories from the early days of the league, when the NBA was hardly the corporate giant it is now. Like Doug, Red loved basketball and stayed in the game his entire life. He is missed, particularly in Chicago where he made such a big mark.

Probably the highlight of the weekend was hearing the speeches of the five Hall of Fame inductees – Robinson, John Stockton, Vivian Stringer, Jerry Sloan and Jordan. Obviously every Hall of Fame class is an impressive one, but this one ranks as one of the greatest of all time. To hear the stories of these amazing people is fascinating, because everyone comes from such different backgrounds and had so many influences in their lives. Yet basketball is the common thread that allowed each person to become so successful.

David Robinson was fantastic. He is clearly very happy in his post retirement, raising his three boys with his wife Valerie and putting his time, money and effort into helping develop the Carver Academy, a school for underprivileged kids in San Antonio. I’m not sure there’s ever been an athlete who has done more for his community than David. He originally donated $9 million of his own money to get the school off the ground, and now it is thriving, helping hundreds of kids get an education they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. David’s speech focused on his family, his teammates and his faith, and it was done with typical class and eloquence.

The surprise of the evening was Stockton. I played against John for many years, and of course everyone remembers him as one of the great point guards of all time. But during his long playing career, he rarely let his guard down with the media. He just went about his job and stayed pretty quiet. I never knew him well, but admired him from afar. He was possibly the toughest competitors I ever faced. What I didn’t know, though, was how funny he is. John gave a brilliant speech that was filled with wit, humor, emotion and poignancy. If you get a chance, check it out on youtube – I thought it was amazing.

Vivian Stringer and Jerry Sloan had similar stories. Each came from very modest beginnings – blue collar backgrounds, tragedy dotting their early lives, and basketball becoming a refuge and eventually a way to a better life. Both gave great speeches – Vivian in an eloquent, passionate way that gave me a pretty good idea of what it would be like to play for her. She is funny, thoughtful and full of life experience, and it’s easy to see how her players must have learned a ton from her. Sloan, by his own admission, hates the spotlight and would rather not talk about himself. But he told the audience of his early upbringing in the most rural part of Illinois, one of ten kids working on a farm and going to class in a one room schoolhouse. Hearing about his background explained everything about his coaching style and the teams he has crafted– no nonsense, tough, and physical.

Michael’s speech has been the subject of some controversy the past few days, because he definitely took some shots at people. The thing you have to understand about MJ is that he is who he is – there’s no fake in him whatsoever, and he says what he feels. He showed more emotion than I thought he would, crying before he could really get started. I was glad he thanked Scottie Pippen for helping him win 6 championships, and he also thanked many others who helped him ‘stoke the fire’ along the way: Dean Smith and Phil Jackson in particular. But he also thanked – in a sort of perverse way – people like Jeff Van Gundy, Bryon Russell, and Jerry Krause – for unintentionally motivating Michael to new heights by slighting him during his career.

I guess the way I look at it is, Michael was the most dominant athlete of our time. Even in the alpha dog world of the NBA, he was The Man and reigned supreme over everyone. He knew he needed to be the lead wolf, in order to give him and his team a psychological edge. Well, that dominance wasn’t contrived. MJ knew he was better than everyone, and he used that confidence to spur him on. And he also used any other fuel he could find, including the words of his detractors, real or imagined. His speech reflected the attitude that made him so good, whether people liked it or not.

In the end, what I enjoyed most about the weekend was hearing people’s stories about where they came from, and then what the game of basketball did for their lives. I think about that all the time – how important the game has been to me. It has introduced me to my best friends, it has given me a life of great reward, challenge and emotion, and it has given me a path to follow that keeps me happy and energized. Thinking about how many people there are out there who have been similarly affected by a silly game with a ball and a hoop is pretty incredible.

But I guess that’s why we love the game.

I used to wonder why I never got much attention from the fairer sex when I was a teenager. Now I suspect it was my admiration of the Phoenix Suns that may have been the culprit.

No, that doesn’t mean I was so obsessed with the Suns that I couldn’t think, speak or interact with the rest of the world, like Patton Oswalt in the excellent new film, “Big Fan.” Rather, I thought the Suns were cool. So, in order to be cool myself, I thought I had to be more like the Suns. Now, obviously, I wasn’t tall. And I wasn’t athletically gifted. So I couldn’t emulate my heroes in those senses. But could I dress like them? You bet.

Was that a good idea? You bet it wasn’t.

Keep in mind, in those days in Phoenix, cool clothes for kids meant surfer gear. Long-sleeve t-shirts bearing the emblem of “Mr. Zog’s Sex Wax.” Van’s slip-on sneakers without any socks. Corduroy Ocean Pacific, or long Bermuda shorts. That’s what you wore if you wanted to hang with the cool kids.

Unfortunately, that kind of gear wasn’t in vogue in the NBA around that time. No, that was the era of the short-shorts. Much scorned now, and rightfully so. Some time ago, I bought on eBay a pair of game-worn Suns shorts from that period (since washed, don’t worry). They belonged to a small forward, meaning a guy maybe six-foot six or so. On a lark, I tried them on. I am five-foot-nine. The shorts weren’t just small on me, they were embarrassingly, don’t-cross-your-legs-or-you’ll-get-arrested small.

Of course, I can recognize these clothing inadequacies now, at a riper age, with more of a sense of fashion and a couple decades of reading Esquire Magazine. When I was eleven, however? I thought surf clothes were for knuckleheads. The Suns were the best, therefore I should do everything in my power to resemble them.

Mike Bratz wore wristbands, I wore wristbands (everywhere). Johnny High wore short-shorts, I wore short-shorts (everywhere). Alvin Scott wore his white socks up to his kneecaps, I did the same. Don Buse had floppy hair, I grew mine out until it flopped just so. Garfield Heard wore a headband, I wore a headband – but only briefly. Even I recognized I couldn’t pull that one off.

And so I strutted around, trying my best to look like an athletic young millionaire, completely unaware, or rather, unconcerned, that I looked like a stringbean with arms wearing socks up to his neck. Unfortunately, my peers didn’t appreciate my maverick sense of fashion. I don’t mind saying it. I was mocked. And you know what? I didn’t care. Yes, looking back I can be embarrassed – especially by the photographic evidence (which you’ll notice I’m not including here), but at the time, my fondness for the Suns was so pure and complete, the pressures of my peers didn’t matter. I was waving my Suns flag high, and I was proud of it. It’s the same pride I feel when I go to a Lakers game today wearing the same Suns jacket I’ve had for twenty years. I don’t hear the jeers, I don’t see the looks, and I don’t hide. I don’t care if the Suns are fashionable.

I’m a Suns fan.

However, looking back, I can say I’m glad I didn’t grow up in the era of tattoos and shaved heads, otherwise my mother probably would have had me committed.

On Wednesday, September 9, Suns President and CEO Rick Welts and Suns owner and Indian Wells resident, Dick Heckmann, along with Suns legend Alvan Adams started out a media blitz in the sunny Coachella Valley at 5:30 a.m. visiting KPSP-TV 2 studios. From there, the team visited seven more television and radio studios throughout the day to promote the 2nd NBA Outdoors game at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Saturday, October 10.

While on the blitz, Welts, Heckmann and Adams announced that the Phoenix Suns have introduced a special “Back to School” offer of half-price tickets, in limited price categories, to catch the Phoenix Suns in action when they take on the Golden State Warriors in Indian Wells, CA. The discount offer runs through September 18 or while supplies last. Fans of all ages can take advantage of the deal using the password “school” online at Suns.com or at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden box office. Ticket prices for the half-price “Back to School” special start as low as $25.

On October 11, 2008 the NBA hosted the first outdoor game of the modern era which featured a preseason showcase between the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The sold out event, known as the AutoTrader.com Open, saw the Denver Nuggets outlast the Phoenix Suns, 77-72.

Phoenix Suns guard Jason Richardson was back home in Saginaw, Mich., working on his game, his golf game that is. The Suns guard and Saginaw native enjoyed giving back to his community during a three-day event, July 22-24, which included a golf tournament, family food donations, and a motivational speaking event for both boys and girls.

The sixth annual golf tournament funded by Richardson, which he has dubbed the Jason Richardson Golf Classic, drew 124 golfers and all of the proceeds went to the United Way of Saginaw County. On Thursday Richardson teamed up with Parishioners on Patrol and the Northeast Neighborhood Association of Saginaw to distribute food to 1,000 families at a local park. About 4,000 people showed up to the event to collect the 25-pound food boxes that were being given out. On Friday, boys and girls ages 12 and up were invited to Jason’s “Focus on the Family Conference” that took place at Saginaw Valley State University.

For his contributions, Richardson is a finalist for the NBA’s Jefferson Award, given to a player for his philanthropic activities. Suns teammate Steve Nash is also a finalist.

Once upon a simpler time, a Hammertime, when the words “dot” and “com” had yet to be perfected, when mall hair ruled the Earth, and “direct television” meant you turned on the television and there was a picture, there lived a kind, talented young knight known as Prince Kevin.

Prince Kevin called a purple and orange Madhouse his home.  In the context we use here, however, this Madhouse was a happy place, filled with people who cheered for tall warriors in violet sneakers, who wore cowboy letters across their chests, and very, very short shorts.  This Madhouse was in the desert, and Prince Kevin came to that desert from the Land of Cleve, where he was neither loved nor wanted, along with Mark the Massive and Tyrone, the Man of Many Faces (he was a role player), in exchange for two guys named Larry and Mike.  Mark and Tyrone were valued additions, but Prince Kevin was the prize.

Prince Kevin arrived in the desert at roughly the same time as Sir Tom, a renowned marksman from the Rain Country, and Dan the Thunder-Bringer, who was famed at the time for hurling himself into storms and almost always coming out with the basketball.  Or a bloody lip.  Or both.  It was hoped that these three young fighters would bring the desert out of the desert, as it were, and restore a kingdom that had fallen into disarray, due to the alleged misadventures of several former knights who were no longer welcome at this particular round table.

On arrival, Prince Kevin proved far better than advertised.  Barely more than a child, he instantly became a leader of men, charging down the court well ahead of them – and their opponents, and the referees, and frequently, the television cameras – to do grievous damage to enemy forces.  When his way was blocked, he’d wait patiently for his teammates, and deliver them the ball in such a fashion that it almost always resulted in two points.  But his favorite place was a land called The Middle, to which he’d flash like lightning and leave foes crying, whether by his own hand, or by throwing the ball out to his trusted friend, Jeff of the Corner.

Prince Kevin was everything the desert kingdom could have asked for.  He moved faster than a summer monsoon across the scrub.  He both gave (to organizations like St. Hope) and received (in the form of free throws) charity.  He could pull up and drive a dagger into you from twenty feet away.  And he could even dunk on a Dream.  Though overshadowed by a Magician from Los Angeles, and a General (a Postmaster General, as he often worked with a Mailman) from Utah, the people of the kingdom wouldn’t have traded the Prince for two Admirals, a Glove, and a Human Highlight Film to be named later.

With Prince Kevin in command (under King Cotton, it should be said), the desert kingdom rose anew, like a Phoenix, some said, or like Suns in the west.  Their progress was steady, and eventually they burned the sunglasses off their hated rivals to the West in a playoff series.  Along the way, Prince Kevin assembled statistics the likes of which had seldom been seen, numbers that put him in a historic class with legends like The Tiny One and that Magician from Los Angeles.  Everyone said that, with Prince Kevin at the helm, these Suns were the next big thing, an empire in ascendancy.  All they needed, everyone said, was one more piece.  And the Suns listened to everyone, and they got that piece.

And nothing was ever the same for Prince Kevin.

For the Suns brought in an Ogre.  Like another famous ogre, this one of film named Shrek, this basketball playing ogre was lovable and charming, frequently misunderstood, had some forgivable bad habits, attracted a lot of attention, and was of prodigious strength.  Some were so enamored of him, they even bestowed knighthood upon him.  Sir Charles, they called him.  But let’s face it, he was still an ogre.  Unlike Shrek, however, he demanded to be, needed to be, the center of attention.  Were he not the center of attention, he would not be himself, and the negotiation that brought him to the desert (which exiled Jeff of the Corner to Philadelphia, a fate he surely did not deserve) would have meant nothing.

True, the arrival of Sir Charles brought great initial success to the desert kingdom, and for a time, there was harmony in the desert.  In Sir Charles’ first year, having left the Madhouse behind for a New House Named For An Airline (not quite the same ring to it), and having swapped the short shorts and cowboy lettering for sleek and sellable black (which was not slimming to either Sir Charles or his protégé, Oliver the Corpulent), the Suns nearly claimed the entire land, and because they were so successful, heroes of the past willingly changed their roles.  Sir Tom graciously moved from “veteran superstar in residence” to the more limited post of “valued bench asset,” while Dan the Thunder-Bringer contented himself to throw lightning strikes from beyond the clouds, which found their marks with great regularity.

But the role of no player changed more than that of valiant Prince Kevin.  More and more often, he was told to wait for Sir Charles to plant his big feet on the lower block, then throw the ball to him and go on brief vacation to the other side of the court.  His forays to the Middle became less frequent, as he found it often clogged by the ogre and the lesser goblins that chased, held and otherwise fruitlessly tried to hinder him. And Prince Kevin, who was supposed to be entering his physical prime, mysteriously began to decline.  It turned out that changing his style was not so good for his armor.  Unable to run free and turn the ankles of others, he turned his own ankles with alarming frequency.  His hamstrings and knees protested, and Prince Kevin began missing games and losing his most valuable quality, his speed.  Where once he was running to the Hall of Fame, Prince Kevin was now running to a well-deserved spot in the local Ring Of Honor, and a mostly-forgotten rank as perhaps the second- or third-best point guard of his generation.

After the initial success, the Suns became more desperate, trading off some of the pieces that had put them on the verge of greatness (including the Thunder-Bringer, who brought a lemony Hot Rod in exchange), trying mightily to add one more piece to that one more piece that had been supposed to put them over the top.  Prince Kevin faded away, and returned to his homeland of Sacramento (which he now rules benignly).  The desert kingdom hasn’t come as close to the promised land since he left.

Now, if Sir Charles had made the desert kingdom an empire, as was hoped, and if the Son of Pax had not struck the Suns a mortal blow and the Suns had gone on to adorn their tanned fingers with several gaudy rings, then the tale of Prince Kevin would have had a happier than this already-somewhat-happy ending.  And Sir Charles did bring the eyes of the nation to the desert by doing wondrous, funny, and sometimes illegal deeds. And Prince Kevin probably did need one more sidekick to help him lift the kingdom.  So no fault can be placed on the wizards that brought Sir Charles to the land of cactus.  But still, this scribe can’t help but wonder what the ending to Prince Kevin’s tale might have been, had an ogre not come to stay in the middle of what should have been the young prince’s most glorious chapter.

*            *            *

Okay, literary pretensions aside, here’s my thesis statement:

If not for Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson would be in the NBA Hall of Fame.

I’m not saying getting Barkley in 1992 was a bad thing.  Without him, there almost certainly wouldn’t have been a Finals run that season.  But his arrival necessitated a change in KJ’s style that was certainly detrimental to him statistically and, I’d contend, detrimental to him physically.

Check out KJ’s stats in his most productive pre-Barkley seasons, and compare them to the most productive seasons by comaprable Hall of Fame players Nate “Tiny” Archibald, and Calvin Murphy:

KJ:

1988-89:  20.4 ppg., 12.2 apg., 4.2 rpg., 1.7 spg., .505 FG., .882 FT.

1989-90:  22.5 ppg., 11.4 apg., 3.6 rpg., 1.3 spg., .492 FG., .838 FT.

1990-91:  22.2 ppg., 10.1 apg., 3.5 rpg., 2.1 spg., .516 FG., .843 FT.

1991-92:  19.7 ppg., 10.7 apg., 3.7 rpg., 1.5. spg., .479 FG., .807 FT.

Tiny Archibald:

1971-72:  28.2 ppg., 9.2 apg., 2.9 rpg., steals not kept as a stat, .486 FG., .822 FT.

1972-73:  34.0 ppg., 11.4 rpg., 2.8 rpg., steals not kept as a stat, .488 FG., .847 FT.

1974-75:  26.5 ppg., 6.8 apg., 2.7 rpg., 1.5 spg., .456 FG., .872 FT.

1975-76:  24.8 ppg., 7.9 apg., 2.7 rpg., 1.6 spg., .453 FG., .802 FT.

Calvin Murphy:

1973-74: 20.4 ppg., 7.4 apg., 2.3 rpg., 1.9 spg., .522 FG., .868 FT.

1975-76: 21.0 ppg., 7.3 apg., 2.5 rpg., 1.8 spg., .493 FG., .907 FT.

1977-78: 25.6 ppg., 3.4 apg., 2.2 rpg., 1.5 spg., .491 FG., .918 FT.

1978-79: 20.2 ppg., 4.3 apg., 2.1 rpg., 1.4 spg., .496 FG., .928 FT.

KJ wasn’t the scorer Tiny was, clearly, but he also never averaged more than 16 shots per game in a season.  In the four seasons detailed above, Tiny averaged more than 20 shots per game.  Some of that, of course, can be attributed to the fact that KJ had better supporting players than Tiny had on some awful Cincinnati and Kansas City teams, but more shots is more shots, and the percentages suggest that, had KJ’s teams needed him to be, he could have been a Tiny-like scorer.  As for assists and rebounds, give KJ the edge.  The steals and free throws are essentially a wash.

Murphy and KJ were on par as scorers, and KJ was clearly a better ball distributor (early in his career, Murphy had Elvin Hayes to throw to – Later, the Rockets’ offense was completely built around Moses Malone in the low post, so Murphy’s role was more to spot up. In truth, outside of those two seven-plus assist seasons, Murphy never averaged more than five assists in a season).  KJ was a better rebounder, Murphy a better free-throw shooter…One of the best in league history, in fact.  Field-goal percentages and steals play virtually even.

Tiny won one ring late in his NBA career (largely on the backs of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish).  Murphy (like KJ) won none.  KJ played in more playoff games than either Hall of Famer.  Archibald played in six All-Star games, Murphy in one, KJ in three.

Now look at KJ’s games played before and after Barkley:

STATS

Pre-Barkley (age 21-25):

1987-88 – 80 games

1988-89 – 81 games

1989-90 – 74 games

1990-91 – 77 games

1991-92 – 78 games

Post-Barkley (age 26-33):

1992-93 – 49 games

1993-94 – 67 games

1994-95 – 47 games

1996-96 – 56 games

1996-97 – 70 games

1997-98 – 50 games

1999-2000 – 6 games

Anyone who saw KJ in his youth knows his body was a finely-tuned machined designed for fast, forward motion.  His early Suns teams, predicated on a two-man game with Tom Chambers that was as potent as Malone-and-Stockton at the same time, were perfect for his playing style.  The arrival of Barkley made the Suns more of a clear-out team, in which Barkley held the ball for long periods on the low block, eating the shot clock, and forcing KJ to idle.  When a body conditioned to do one thing is now required to do another, something completely foreign, bad things are gonna happen to the body.  KJ was, literally, never the same again.

I don’t write this to suggest KJ is a Hall of Famer (although, personally, as a homer, I feel he deserves serious consideration).  I just write it to point out that I think he was absolutely, positively headed that way before the organization changed philosophy in an attempt to get over the hump.  Whether or not they needed to change philosophy can be debated – Speaking only for myself, I wouldn’t have traded the 1992-93 championship run for anything…except maybe a ring.

But Prince Kevin deserves more historical mention than he gets, a spot among the great point guards of all time, and a happier ending to the fairy tale than the one he received.

(Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images)

With summer league behind us and our roster close to being finalized, I thought this would be a good time to fill you in on what has been a very productive, busy off season for our team.

Our goals heading into next year were to add young talent, create financial flexibility and become more mobile along the front line.  With our roster beginning to age and a clear need to make improvements defensively, we felt it was important to begin to make a transition of sorts.  At the same time, we didn’t want to blow up the team and start from scratch.  After all, we’re still very talented and we won 46 games during an adversity filled season last year.   We know there’s still plenty of potential with our team.

With that in mind, our plan really came together – beginning with the signing of Alvin Gentry.  Alvin was so good with our team when he took over in February that he was clearly the right choice to lead us into the future.  He has a better feel for our players than anyone, and they in turn love playing for him.  Signing him to a 3 year contract gave us the stability we needed going into the off season.

The next step was trading Shaquille O’Neal  to Cleveland.  As well as Shaq played for us, it was critical for our franchise to gain financial flexibility and move forward.  Shedding Shaq’s contract and then eventually buying out Ben Wallace saved us enough money to resign Grant Hill and also add Channing Frye.  Grant is a huge part of our team, both as a player and a leader.  Channing is going to be key for us next season, and he’s exactly what we’re looking for in a big man – he’s mobile, he can really shoot from the perimeter, and he’s a great person and team player.

In the draft, we continued our theme of front line mobility by selecting Earl Clark and Taylor Griffin.  Earl is 6-10 and an excellent defender who also has impressive perimeter skills.  He can shoot and handle the ball, and coming from Louisville, he is accustomed to playing an up tempo style.  Earl is young and has a lot to learn, but he has a ton of talent and likes to work.  He was very good in the summer league, particularly at the defensive end.  He has a chance to be a terrific player. Taylor is very athletic and also a hard worker with good skills.  His challenge will be to learn to play the 3 position after spending most of college career as a 4.

The final piece of the puzzle was taken care of today, when we signed Steve Nash to a contract extension .  The deal will keep him a Sun for three more seasons, which is really exciting.  Steve is still one of the top point guards in the NBA, and he obviously represents the  identity of our team.  His style and his play have helped make us one of the best, most entertaining teams in the league for the last 5 seasons, and we need him to run our offense. Given his commitment to conditioning, it’s easy to see Steve playing at a very high level for several more years.

Of course, health always plays a major role in determining a team’s success, as we found out last year when Amare Stoudemire missed 29 games with his eye injury.  The healing process took longer than we expected for Amare, but after a difficult process,  he is doing very well and is getting back in the gym to prepare for next season.  He should be in good shape for training camp.  Remember, he’s a guy who has always responded well to adversity, and I think Amare will come back and have a monster year for us.

In the end, we feel really good about  the team we’ll have on the floor this season.  We’ve gotten younger and  added more talent, but we will maintain the veteran leadership necessary to be successful in the NBA.  Steve and Grant will be  mentors for what is now a very young group of players.  In fact, our roster consists of 10 players who are 26 or younger.  Only Steve, Grant and Jason Richardson are older than that.  (Jason is 29). Having a good blend of youth and experience, along with the stability of Alvin’s coaching, will serve us well both this season and beyond. One of the toughest things to do in the NBA is to develop and sustain a winning culture, and you do that with veteran players who teach the younger ones how to win and how to be professional.  I can think of no better people to fill that role than Steve and Grant.

The key will be staying healthy, of course, and the development of our young players.  Goran Dragic and Robin Lopez both played well in Las Vegas at summer league, and they’ll have important roles for us.  So will Jared Dudley and Lou Amundson, each of whom made dramatic improvement last season.  If they continue to grow and develop, they’ll support our core guys – Steve, Grant, Amare, Jason and Leandro Barbosa – and we’ll be very deep. That will allow us to play a lot of people and increase our intensity defensively.

It’s going to be a fun season, and it will be exciting to watch the process unfold.  Even though it’s still July, I know I’m really excited about the start of training camp in a couple of months. Thanks, as always, for all your support.  Best wishes and  Go Suns!

Sincerely,

Steve Kerr

Whether it takes you being faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, free up some time this week to head out to San Diego for the annual Comic-Con and say hello to Suns blogger and superfan Adam Beechen.

By day (when he’s not blogging about his favorite NBA team), Adam is hard at work as an unsuspecting comic book writer and animation scriptwriter. With credits including Justice League Unlimited, Teen Titans and multiple Nickelodeon animated series, the Con is the perfect venue for him to meet industry peers, as well as zealous comic book, movie and TV fans.  

“Here’s what I believe,” said Beechen during his appearance at the 2009 Phoenix Comicon. “You become a better, more well-rounded writer the more life experience you have. So experiences like this, where they may not find their way directly into a Suns blog, make me a better writer, a better more well-rounded person and someone more able to do my job as a Suns blogger (coughs).”

To meet Adam at the Con, head to the:
DC Comics booth today from 1-2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 2-3 p.m.
AiT/PlanetLar booth (#2001) today from 2-3 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from noon to 1 p.m.

His current KILLAPALOOZA comic book miniseries continues, with No. 3 in stores now.  He’ll also be announcing one new project at the Con, with another big announcement coming on Saturday at the Wildstorm panel from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

“There is a letdown after a convention is over,” he said. “Everything is so high-energy, and you’re going so fast for so long, when it’s over and everybody leaves, it’s back to real life and everything is slow and really quiet. That’s a little hard to get used to. On the other hand, it’s nice to have it a little slower and quieter and try and rest up a little bit. You go from work to work.”

Look for more of Adam’s Suns blogs this upcoming season.