So you think we can get JJ for less?

[Sevin]

For all of you that think we can play hard ball with the Suns on this, here's some comments from an interview Sarver did on a Phoenix station this evening. I got this from a Phoenix board:

- Procedural issue with Atlanta. Hawks trying to resolve this.

- Thinks it will go through...but is really hesitant about whether or not it actually will.

- Elected not to sign him last year because he had just bought the team and committed a TON of money. Hadn't proven how successful the team would be and didn't want to lock in a starting 5 with big contracts without knowing how well the team would perform together. (Good point).

- Thought Joe would make more money the next season. Told him he really liked him and knows he'd be making more money than what his offer was (but not expecting him to be a MAX player) and hope he'd be in a Suns uniform (this was all last year).

- Didn't really receive any indications that Joe wasn't happy (other than the typical things that anyone may not be happy with sporadically....didn't see anything bad though)

- Realized about halfway through the season (especially after the Miami blowout) that they would match for Joe. Doesn't have a problem paying Joe more money.

- Last season's team performance exceeded all expectations.

- Allen, Redd marquee players. Joe got a team to give him a lot of money and good for him (I disagree here, sounds like

- Moving Q allowed us to get Defense and stay quick.

- Q deal and Kurt Thomas was not done to make room for Joe. Paying $3 million more this year (because of trade kicker with Q). Made the deal to make us a better team.

- Tried to meet with Joe. Tried to do the same thing as they did with Nash. Day after making appointment his agent called and said they don't want to meet, no reason to.

- Never thought the rumors were true of Joe wanting to leave. Figured it was all posturing. Kept thinking, okay, that's fine, let's just meet and tell us how much you want. Told him they want Joe, want him as a Sun. Based their offer off of Steve's and Manu's offers thinking it was fair. Told him, here's the offer, come back to us. They said, "We're not interested." They asked "Well, do you have a counter?" "NOPE". Kept trying to meet with Joe after this. Sarver thought of flying out to Arkansas himself. Got in contact with his mom. Agent's assistant called Sarver and said he wasn't meeting him. Kept trying, Joe finally called and said, "I want to play in Atlanta."

- Once he heard the offer from Atlanta, yes there were questions, but the decision was that they were going to match. Just trying to get confirmation from Joe that he wanted to stay with Phoenix. Once he talked with Joe, and Joe said what he did, that's when the hesitancy came.

- No response from Joe's agent from the 6 year $75 million dollar offer.

- Not trying to throw Joe under the bus. He's worked his tail off and deserves whatever he wants. BUT, at the end of the day, after talking with him for 25 minutes, (spent 2 minutes of that time talking about his frustration with not immediately getting an offer from us). After talking, Robert said, "We know you're offer, are you telling me you don't want us to match it?" Joe's answer was "Don't match."

- Thought of "It's all business" came across, Told him, if he signs an offer sheet with Atlanta, we'd match it because it's our right as he's restricted. So, Joe better get his agent on the horn with Atlanta and work out a fair deal if he really wants to go to Atlanta.

- WE WILL MATCH JOE'S OFFER IF THE TRADE FALLS THROUGH. WE WILL NOT LOSE JOE WITHOUT COMPENSATION.

- Sounds like if we match, ticket prices are going to rise to help cover costs. Lower prices right now than Clippers.

- With the contract being front loaded, can't really trade him after 1 year if things actually don't work.

- Honestly thinks that Joe is just getting bad advice (buddies, friends, agents, advisors). ...He also thinks he's only 22 (sic) and that he's immature and not making good decisions.

- Spent $10,000 making a book (Like we did with Nash) showing Joe's future with the Suns (ring of honor, etc). Made donations to Joe's camps. Did everything to try and make Joe feel wanted here.

- Feels good about our team with or without Joe for the next 3-5 years. Amare Stoudemire is our future.

- WE WILL LOCK UP AMARE. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. PLENTY OF CONVERSATIONS WITH AMARE. HE LOVES IT HERE. LOVES PLAYING WITH NASH AND SHAWN. AMARE IS DOING 2 A DAY WORK OUTS ON HIS OWN RIGHT NOW. AMARE'S A MAN ON A MISSION TO WIN A TITLE...WITH OR WITHOUT JOE.

- Told Joe, "If you don't come back to Phoenix, my wife will kill me, my kids will be bawling, the fans will kill me. Are you telling me you don't want to win a championship?" "More important to be happy"