John Thompson Shocked Phoenix Suns Considered Trading Amare Stoudemire For Kevin Garnett

ESPN’s J.A. Adande’s most-recent article features an interesting quote from John Thompson:

There went Amare Stoudemire, talent coursing through all 6 feet, 10 inches of him, running down the court at Team USA practice, prompting former Georgetown coach John Thompson to lean forward in his sideline seat and wonder aloud the same thing that crossed many NBA minds this summer: "I can’t imagine why the Suns would even think about trading Amare."

He’s 24 years old, coming off a season of averaging 20 and 10, and capable of making you forget he’s had multiple knee surgeries. But the Minnesota Timberwolves were making Kevin Garnett available and, as a Suns insider said, "You have to listen." Stoudemire’s name came into the various scenarios, including a three-way trade with the Atlanta Hawks, but things never got serious enough to plan a press conference.

Stoudemire thinks he can "raise the stakes" this year as he takes more on his broad shoulders. The Suns listened, and that was about it. Didn’t make the move to get a former MVP and 10-time All-Star. Maybe it’s because they realized something: Amare Stoudemire must be the most important player in the NBA.

My Quick Take: Part of me agrees with John Thompson. Stoudemire is a superb talent; a power forward capable of redefining the position. His physical skills and athleticism landed him on last year’s All-NBA Team. And his standout performance came one season after a pair of knee surgeries, which typically ends or slows the careers of most players. Sky is the limit with Stoudemire. At 24 years old, he’s pretty much untouchable.

Notice I said pretty much.

Another part of me disagrees with John Thompson. In fact, I sometimes think the Suns should have rolled the dice and traded Stoudemire for a player Thompson is pretty familiar with.

The argument for acquiring Kevin Garnett was simple (of course, he’s now a member of the Boston Celtics). It was about capitalizing on opportunities. Steve Nash is getting older and The Big Ticket would have given Phoenix the best shot at winning an NBA Title in the next couple of seasons. After Nash retires, the Suns will have to rebuild, so they should have sacrificed everything, including Stoudemire, to capture the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The Stoudemire or Garnett debate will go on for years. It only ends if Stoudemire wins an NBA Title in Phoenix.

Agree or disagree with John Thompson? Stoudemire or Garnett? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts.

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