| 19 January 2010
Decades ago - sure we're talking lifetimes - our country was faced with a tough decision. What should we do about the Soviet Union's blockade of those poor folks in West Berlin?? It was a moment that tested a grumpy little President from Missouri but Harry Truman wasn't shaken. Instead the man in the Oval Office came up with an airlift that proved a point.
The Berlin Airlift proved to everyone - friend and foe alike - that America was not to be trifled with. And it inspired a nation to rally together during a challenging time.
Sorry for the history lesson - but it is a lesson - and we think it's time for the Suns to learn from it.
Looking at the latest Suns loss - a reasonably close 125-118 defeat at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday - you could argue that the Suns aren't doing too badly. But this hardfought loss in Memphis is just the cherry on top of a very nasty sundae and we are in danger of getting our just desserts.
Come on - face it - four losses in a row for a team that was challenging the LA Lakers for the best record in the Western Conference earlier this season isn't pretty. And going from Number 2 in the conference to Number 6 - and falling - is a problem. The kind of problem that means it is time for the Suns to airlift our top players out of the danger zone and blow-out the rest of the franchise.
So who do we jettison in the weeks before the mid-February trade deadline and who do we keep?
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Well - despite being a rabid Jason Richardson fan - he would top our list of possible trade candidates.
J-Rich can be a brilliant player and on a good night he can hit the 3-point shot with a percision that literally changes the complexion of a game. But having the potential to knock your opponents back on their heals and doing it consistently are - sadly in this case - are two different things.
Sure Jason Richardson has a career average of 18.4 points per game and he's hitting 38.1 % of his shots from 3-point range so far this season but those numbers are misleading.
His recent play has become such a lead weight - like cement shoes even worse - that Coach Alvin Gentry has taken him out of the starting rotation. Yep - that's what happened after J-Rich scored 5 points in 27 minutes against Atlanta and 9 points in 19 minutes against Charlotte.
After being dropped to second string J-Rich then hit for 8 points in 24 minutes against Memphis on Monday. So we're paying $13.3 million for a benchwarmer and he's still struggling - you gotta' love it.
The clock is running and it's time to get the helicopter ready - just gun the engine a little bit for good measure. And start printing up the J-Rich ticket so we can leave him behind. Give Richardson a couple more weeks to shape up and then - if need be - trade that payroll for someone who can consistently hit a clutch shot.
We'll be back with you soon. See ya'.
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