This offseason series will recap some of the most memorable moments from Suns history in the past 15 years. Buckle up! The Phoenix Suns have had some memorable offseasons over the past 15+ years. Heartbreak. Shockers. Blockbusters. Headscratchers. Betrayal. You name it. We’ve seen it all in Phoenix. We’re going to cover as much of it as we can. It’s time to remember what got us here and who came before this current group. This will be a trip down memory lane, so be prepared to open up some old wounds and bask in nostalgia. PART ONE - THE BEGINNING OF THE END 2010 Offseason The Season Before - 2009-10 Record: 54-28 (2nd in Pacific Division)
- Head Coach: Alvin Gentry
- Executive: Steve Kerr (Lance Blanks replaced)
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images The Suns were coming off a successful season, reaching the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-2. The Lakers went on to defeat the Celtics in the Finals that year. It was another 54-win season which felt ho-hum at the time. Boy would that change quickly. The Phoenix Suns led the league in points per game in 2009-10 at 110.2 and had quite the dynamic team with depth across the board. Even if they lost Amar’e, it felt like they could combat that loss if they made the right moves around the edges. Right? RIGHT?! Phoenix’s starting five in 2009-10: - Robin Lopez
- Amar’e Stoudemire
- Grant Hill
- Jason Richardson
- Steve Nash
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images For a team fresh off a heartbreaking loss in the Western Conference Finals, they certainly did not get better. They got “creative” and cheap, some might say and probably emphasize the latter. Here’s how things shook out. Key Acquisitions Hakim Warrick: Warrick signed a 4-year deal to bring in an athletic forward with rim pressure to replace... STAT. Yeah, that went well. During the 2010-11 campaign, he averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds on 51% shooting in 17.7 minutes per game in 80 contests. He went on to play a season and a half in Phoenix before he was shipped out. 
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images - Josh Childress: Acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with Atlanta, Childress was expected to add valuable depth on the wing with a hint of upside. The Hawks received the Suns’ 2012 second-round draft pick. Childress signed a five-year contract, returning from overseas where he played with Greek club Olympiacos. That experiment went south real quick. He was amnestied by the Suns just two years later. 0-for-2.
- Hedo Turkoglu: Acquired from Toronto, Hedo was poised to bring experience and playmaking to replace what they lost that summer. He was not a good fit and quickly dealt to Orlando for Marcin Gortat, Vince Carter, and Mickael Pietrus that winter: another swing and a miss.
- Channing Frye: The Arizona native inked a five-year contract extension with the Suns after a strong season as a combo stretch big. This was one of the lone bright spots to a disaster of an offseason.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images Key Losses - Amar’e Stoudemire: The biggest loss of the offseason signed with the New York Knicks. His departure left a significant void in the Suns’ frontcourt and a sour taste in Suns fans' mouths. At the time the injury concerns (incentives in the contract) ultimately made the difference for Stoudemire. He took the deal with more guaranteed money and bolted to the Big Apple.
- Louis Amundson: “LOUUUU” departed to the Golden State Warriors, impacting the team’s frontcourt depth and energy. He was the heart and the soul of the team, and a
- Leandro Barbosa: The Suns lost yet another fan favorite off the bench in 2007 Sixth Man of the Year winner, Leandro Barbosa. The Brazilian Blur was dealt for Hedo, who we talked about above.
- Gani Lawal: Selected in the second round (46th overall). He appeared in one game for Phoenix.
- Dwayne Collins: Selected in the second round (60th overall). He did not appear in any NBA games.
Source: https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024 ... grant-hill