![]() ![]() Less remembered was that Gasol made his final two All-Star games with the Chicago Bulls in 2014-16.īefore that, in his final season with the Lakers, the Suns reportedly made a push to trade for him as they got off to a surprising start and won 48 games only to miss the playoffs in 2013-14. While Phoenix will remember what Ron Artest’s putback that won the Lakers Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, it was Kobe Bryant and Gasol who helped get Los Angeles a 2-0 lead.īryant’s 40-piece in Game 1 helped, but Gasol scored 29 and 21 points and led the team with a +41 plus-minus through two games. Both were sweeps to send the Grizzlies home.Ī more mature Gasol hit Phoenix again in 2010. He hit the Western Conference’s best, the San Antonio Spurs, in 2004 before meeting the first iteration of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns in 2005. ![]() It took him three seasons toiling with a trying-to-be-relevant Memphis Grizzlies team to finally reach the postseason. A near connection with Phoenix also brings back “what could’ve been” memories. ![]() Gasol had two playoff run-ins with Phoenix in his extensive NBA career. Now the head of basketball operations in Phoenix, he shaped the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals and with a bit of financial and philosophical empowerment from Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia appears to be keeping his current team in title contention. Jones spent 2008-14 with Wade in Miami, winning titles in 2012, 20 while getting a glimpse of what it took to build and maintain a title contender over a long period of time. Two guys in that class, Steve Blake and Willie Green, would coach for the Suns.īut the biggest connection was James Jones, the 49th overall draft pick by the Indiana Pacers who eventually played with Phoenix from 2005-07 before entering his post-playing career in the Suns’ front office in 2017. The Suns also traded with the Spurs to grab Leandro Barbosa 28th, and he spent three stints with the team and grew into a fan favorite.Ī handful of guys in that amazing draft class that began with LeBron James, Darko Milicic, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Wade played for Phoenix at one point: Mickael Pietrus (11th overall pick), Marcus Banks (13th), Maciej Lampe (30th) Phoenix drafted Serbian Zarko Cabarkapa 17th in what ultimately went south. ![]()
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