Suns notebook: Team has interest in another ‘Q’

It appears Suns owner Robert Sarver is prepared to go deeper into luxury-tax red ink to make the team stronger for the playoffs.

Shaq makes debut for Suns as they lose to Lakers
Suns have interest in another ‘Q’
Read Jerry Brown's blog, Rim Shots

With the NBA trade deadline looming at 1 p.m. today, the Suns were working the phones hard to come up with a player that can help them beyond the free agents they brought in this week.

With only second-round picks or cash (or both) to offer, the Suns are trying to pry 6-foot-6 guard Quinton Ross away from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ross, who shares the same 'Q' nickname as ex-Suns guard Quentin Richardson, makes only $824,000 this year and will be a free agent at the end of the season. He is a strong defender and rebounder who started for the Clippers against Phoenix in the Western Conference quarterfinals two years ago. His offensive capability is limited, but the Suns won't be asking him to score.

Sources with the team said players like Denver's Yakhouba Diawara and Seattle's Mickael Gelabale were now secondary on the list, leaving Ross as the main target with the deadline approaching.

If they don't get a deal done, the Suns could still sign one of the players brought in for a workout Tuesday - likely either Linton Johnson or Bobby Jones - to a 10-day contract and wait to see if a player is bought out before March 1 - since those players would still be playoff eligible. Three-point specialist Brent Barry, who was traded to Seattle on Wednesday in the Kurt Thomas deal with San Antonio, is one of the players Phoenix will watch.

Barry, 36, is making $5.5 million this year and is in the final year of his contract. He averaged 7.3 points per game this year and shot 43 percent from 3-point range with the Spurs. He could be an ideal fit for Phoenix, given that defenses may sag inside to try to stop Shaquille O'Neal.

Even if the Suns swing a deal for Ross, that wouldn't keep them from going after Barry. Sources say the team would either add him as a 14th player or cut loose one of the veteran minimum players on the team (Sean Marks, Eric Piatkowski, etc.).

GOOD LUCK - KIND OF

Before the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he hadn't talked to Shaq, and hadn't planned on it.

"I wish him well, no doubt about it," Jackson said.

Then he paused, perhaps remembering the two are now in the same conference.

"Not too well," he added.

A few minutes later, Jackson clarified his previous ribbing of Shaq, in which "taking the ball out of bounds," was his idea of what Shaq's role would be with the Suns.

"I always liked to kid Shaq about never taking the ball out of bounds," Jackson said. "He always wanted to be the first guy down the floor, so Robert Horry or A.C. Green always had to inbound."

SPRINT TO THE FINISH

The Lakers started this Western Conference sweepstakes by trading for Pau Gasol.

Then the Suns got Shaq. Then the Mavericks acquired Jason Kidd. Then Wednesday, the Spurs added former Suns center Thomas.

The Western Conference has gone up a notch, and, to some Lakers, the playoffs have already begun.

"Rivalries are being started even before the games are being played," forward Lamar Odom said.

Even Jackson admitted to spending the All-Star break looking ahead into March, trying to assess teams' strengths of schedule, travel, and back-to-back games before the playoffs.

BONUS SHOTS

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni is choosing some of his words more carefully in practice - at the behest of his players. "I was drawing up a play and I said 'Now Shaq, you smash through and get down low.' Later Brian Skinner (who guards O'Neal in practice) asked if I would please not use the term 'smash,' because he's the guy getting smashed."

After trading Thomas to San Antonio on Wednesday, the Sonics received their third first-round draft pick in less than seven months for the veteran center. The Suns gave them two to take Thomas' $8 million salary on July 20, then Seattle got one more first-rounder from the Spurs.

D'Antoni on the Thomas trade: "Well, he was brought here to guard (San Antonio's Tim) Duncan and now he can do it every day in practice."

Amare Stoudemire scored at least 15 points for the 42nd straight game. That ties a personal career best and is the league's second-longest active streak behind Cleveland's LeBron James, who did it for the 47th straight time Wednesday at Indiana.