Newsflash people, the Suns have not had the pleasure of lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy. I started to think of players that have graced our franchise early on in their careers and managed to win a ring elsewhere. After spending some considerable time on Basketball Reference, here are the most interesting ones I found:
Jason Kidd
After spending 2 full years at Dallas, Jason Kidd ending up spending 4 full seasons with the Suns from 1996 to 2001. Kidd was an outstanding playmaker and lead the league in assists multiple seasons. His on-court vision was unparalleled and he was a triple-double threat on any given night. He eventually returned to the Mavericks in 2008 and won an NBA title in 2011 by beating the LeBron James-lead Miami Heat. Another highlight for Kidd came in the summer of 08’ when he participated for ‘Redeem’ Team USA reclaiming their throne over Spain. Kidd was a joy to watch for any basketball fan.
Shawn Marion
The Matrix was drafted by the Suns in 99 and spent a special 8 years in The Valley. He was part of the ‘7 Seconds or less’ Suns led by Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire. He averaged nearly 19 points a game, 10 rebounds, nearly 2 steals and 2 blocks in his time in Phoenix. Marion won his only title alongside Jason Kidd with the 11’ Dallas Mavericks. Marion was a freakish athlete who fit perfectly into the run-and-gun offence of Coach Mike D’Antoni. He was a very versatile defender who could guard multiple positions. It also helps when you play with Hall of Famer Nash and The Matrix took full advantage.
Leandro Barbosa
Another player from that roster that went onto win a ring was the man from Brazil Leandro Barbosa. The Brazilian Blur was a real offensive spark off the bench for the Suns for 7 seasons. In 2007 he averaged 18 points a game off bench, not bad my friend. He had lightening quick speed, hence the nickname and made real contributions when the starters got their rest. Barbosa won his only title with the 2015 Golden State Warriors. The next season he helped the Warriors win the most regular season games ever with 73.
Channing Frye
Frye was on the last Suns team that made the playoffs way back in 2010. He spent 4 seasons with us from 2009 to 2014. He was a classic stretch 4/5 who could space the floor due to his 3-point shooting. This left plenty of room for other players like Nash and Stoudamire to do their work in the paint. Unfortunately, he had to sit out an entire season in 2012 due to having an enlarged heart. He did make a full recovery and in 2016 he won his only title when LeBron James brought a title to Cleveland.
Robert Horry
Big Shot Bob only played 32 games for the Suns after being involved in the Charles Barkley to Houston trade. His Suns career was cut short after he had an altercation with then Coach Danny Ainge, and he was then traded to the Lakers. Horry won 7 titles in total, 2 he already had from the Rockets, 3 with the Lakers and 2 with the Spurs. After leaving the Suns, Horry proceeded to punish us for the next 10 years in hitting clutch shots. When I see him on ESPN’s The Jump, I can still see him shoving our beloved Steve Nash to the floor at the end of Game 4 of the 2007 West Semi-Finals.
James Jones
Our current GM once played for the Suns between 2005 and 2007. Like Horry, Jones never lit up the score board consistently but could hit big shots when it mattered. JJ was an excellent 3-point shooter so was always in demand as he could space the floor and play defence. Jones went onto win 3 NBA championships, 2 with the Miami Heat and 1 with the Cavs. A player who was well respected around the league has now taken his talents to the front office. I will be honest I was sceptical when he was hired to Phoenix but I think he is doing a great job and has now put the Suns in position to end the 10-year playoff drought.
Steve Kerr
Before joining the Bulls dynasty in 1993, Steve Kerr was drafted by the Suns in 1988. He only played 26 games for us until he was traded to Cleveland. As shown in The Last Dance, Kerr was a 3-point specialist before that was a thing. He won 5 titles as a player with the Bulls (96, 97, 98) and Spurs (99, 03). He also spent a successful 6 years back with the Suns in several roles until becoming the GM in 2007. Kerr was also instrumental in us trading for Shaq in 2008. As I am sure you are aware, Kerr then took to Coaching and turned down the Knicks to take the job at the Warriors. In Golden State he has won 3 more titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
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