By Randy Hill
FOXSportsArizona.com
Even if you're viewing them through the prism of absolute allegiance, the Phoenix Suns have taken on a quality that demands to be rubber-necked.
And it's not all because of the wreckage that accompanies a disturbing run of seven losses in the last nine games. Well, that has something to do with it, but even more compelling for us as witnesses is the integration of the three players acquired in a recent deal with the Orlando Magic.
The transaction seemed like a slick maneuver ... at least on paper or after a few mouse clicks. Now we're finding out if - beyond the team's quest for future financial victory - the newcomers are worth the commotion.
OK, so center Marcin Gortat seems to be a competitive upgrade, and wing defender Mickael Pietrus even looked a bit like, well, Jason Richardson (on offense) during Sunday's loss to the Clippers in Los Angeles.
But we're still waiting to see how Vince Carter fits ... or fails to fit. (It might come as soon as Wednesday's game against the 76ers, or perhaps Friday vs. the Pistons.) Based on our recollections of Vinsanity and the (perhaps exaggerated) perception of his ability to sabotage offensive chemistry, the potential for a combustible reaction makes Carter seem not unlike the myth of Pop Rocks basted with carbonated soda.
Even if Carter's capacity to blend rivals his work with Jason Kidd in New Jersey instead of his sensationally average stint in Orlando, there are other issues to consider. There's the current quadriceps issue and subsequent knee soreness that has kept Vince from suiting up for the Suns. We also are expected to keep an eye on the explosive power that inspired observers around the league to saddle him with the next-Jordan curse.
"For the last three years I've hard that," Carter said of those who insist the tool box has been emptied. "But even if you lose a bit here and there, there are other ways to compensate. I take pride in learning the game, not just watching it."
So an older, wiser Vince Carter sounds geeked for a fresh start in Phoenix, where Steve "Dime Store" Nash is ready and willing to cough up the rock to any teammate within one pass of an assist.
"I just wanna step in and be myself," Carter said.
What does that mean for the Suns? Maybe that means fewer minutes and opportunities for Pietrus, who bagged 25 points against the Clippers, or less prime-time burn for Jared Dudley, who somehow managed to score 33 points against the suffocating Miami Heat.
Throw in the serious clock required to keep 38-year-old Grant Hill engaged and (once again) Coach Alvin Gentry and the Suns could have nothing more in Carter than an extended wing-rotational crisis.
But there's another possibility.
Maybe Carter will be really good. Even though he no longer has the "ups" sufficient to leap frog a 7-footer, Carter still has that experience-generated ability to score. He may not fire as quickly or accurately as the aforementioned Richardson, but he's pretty solid from deep and could improve based on this affiliation with Nash.
Vince also is a better low-post option than Richardson, often using his ability to hang and fade (which, obviously, doesn't serve him nearly as well from mid-range and beyond) against defenders in the paint. J-Rich isn't as comfortable taking advantage of mismatches or absorbing a bump and finishing at the rim.
Although four years older, the 33-year-old Carter also is considerably better than his Phoenix two-guard predecessor at putting the ball on the deck and creating a reasonable shot. This should come in handy if the opposition continues blitzing Nash on ball screens and Nash insists on pounding the ball as the shot-clock starts to bleed. Yeah, Nash has been piling up the assists, but the offense hasn't exactly been flourishing lately. The ball-screen traps should lead to quick ball reversals and wide-open jumpers. Anyway, Carter can use the bounce to invent an opportunity.
All you need to know about Richardson's ability drive into traffic is revealed by watching his two-ball dribbling routine during pre-game warm ups. Some of the drills look truly challenging and the dexterity is impressive -- until you notice Richardson looking at both basketballs the entire time. Traffic-related turnovers due to his dangerously high dribble were hardly shocking.
Why the anti-J-Rich review? That's easy. Richardson is the leader in recently departed Suns generating the most despair among fans. When ready, Carter will take his spot in the starting lineup. Can he (it has been wondered) enable Gentry to replace the 19 points per game, the occasional humongous scoring outbursts and the rare salvo of aggressive defense?
Actually, with Nash constantly probing the guts of opposing defenses and no Dwight Howard attracting lane-clogging resistance while hunkered down on the block, Carter (if his health allows appropriate playing time) could give the Suns a nice shoot/drive boost on offense.
If it works out, Dudley will go back to what should be an effective second unit with Pietrus, Gortat, Gorgan Dragic and Hakim Warrick.
If not, Vince and his contract (only $4 million of his $18 million guaranteed in his season's getaway year) could be combined with one of the franchise's two off-season expenditures to acquire something that makes more sense in Phoenix.
For now (or whenever Carter suits up), we can take a deep breath, break out our Pop Rocks and soda, then see what happens.
