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1996–97 Phoenix Suns season

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1996–97 Phoenix Suns season
Head coach
General managerBryan Colangelo
Owner(s)Jerry Colangelo
ArenaAmerica West Arena
Results
Record40–42 (.488)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Pacific)
Conference: 7th (Western)
Playoff finishFirst round
(lost to SuperSonics 2–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television
RadioKTAR
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the 29th season for the Phoenix Suns in the National Basketball Association.[1] This season is notable for the Suns drafting Steve Nash out of Santa Clara University with the fifteenth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft.[2][3][4][5] During the off-season, the team acquired Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, Mark Bryant and Chucky Brown from the Houston Rockets,[6][7][8][9] and signed free agent Rex Chapman.[10][11][12] However, the Suns struggled losing their first 13 games of the season, as Kevin Johnson missed the first eleven games with a hernia injury.[13][14][15] After an 0–8 start, head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons resigned and was replaced by former Suns guard Danny Ainge,[16][17][18] who led the team to a 40–34 finish.

Along the way, there were many in-season moves such as trading Cassell, second-year star Michael Finley and A.C. Green, to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for All-Star guard Jason Kidd, second-year center Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas,[19][20][21][22][23] sending Horry along with Joe Kleine to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for former Suns forward Cedric Ceballos and Rumeal Robinson,[24][25][26][27] who was released to free agency after a short stint with the team, and trading Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Darrin Hancock, who never played for the Suns and was released to free agency.[28]

The Suns held a 17–31 record at the All-Star break,[29] but played above .500 for the remainder of the season. It was a season that would not be matched in terms of moves until both the 2014–15 and the 2015–16 seasons came and went. Still, the Suns finished fourth in the Pacific Division with a 40–42 record.[30] This team would also be the first and only NBA team to start out the season with a 10+ losing streak, yet make it to the playoffs by the end of the season. Not only that, but they would also be the first team to record a 10+ game winning streak after recording a 10+ game losing streak earlier in the season, posting an 11-game winning streak between March and April.[30]

Johnson led the Suns with 20.1 points, 9.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while Chapman averaged 13.8 points per game, and sixth man Danny Manning provided the team with 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game off the bench. In addition, Wesley Person contributed 13.5 points per game, and led the team with 171 three-point field goals, while Bryant provided with 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, but only played just 41 games due to an abdominal strain injury,[31] and Hot Rod Williams averaged 8.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.[32]

As the #7 seed in the Western Conference, the Suns faced the 2nd-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, taking a 2–1 series lead,[33][34][35] but then losing 2–3 in a closely contested series.[36][37][38][39] Following the season, Person was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade,[40][41][42][43] and Wayman Tisdale retired.

Offseason

[edit]

NBA draft

[edit]
Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 15 Steve Nash Guard  Canada Santa Clara
2 39 Russ Millard Forward  United States Iowa
2 43 Ben Davis Forward  United States Arizona

The Suns used their first-round pick to select point guard Steve Nash from Santa Clara. Nash averaged 14.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in four years with the Broncos. On July 24, the Suns signed Nash to a three-year rookie contract for $3.2 million. He would spend his first two seasons with the Suns playing a limited role behind All-Star guards Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd, before being traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. Nash would later return to the franchise as a free agent in 2004, winning consecutive MVP awards in 2005 and 2006 and ultimately making it to the Phoenix Suns Ring of Honor on October 30, 2015.

The Suns received the 39th pick from a trade with the Detroit Pistons in 1994. With the pick they would select power forward Russ Millard from Iowa. Millard averaged 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in four years with the Hawkeyes. Millard would sign with Italian club Pallacanestro Varese before the season and would never play in the NBA.

The Suns used their second-round pick to select power forward Ben Davis from Arizona. Davis averaged 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in two years with the Wildcats. On September 25, the Suns signed Davis to a one-year rookie contract for $220,000. Davis spent much of the year on the injured reserve with a finger injury. He would appear in 20 games, average 1.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 4.9 minutes a game. Davis would sign as a free agent with the New York Knicks after the season. He would later return to the Suns shortly in the 1999–2000 season, appearing in just five games before being waived.

Roster

[edit]
1996–97 Phoenix Suns roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
C 45 Brown, Mike 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 257 lb (117 kg) 1963–07–19 George Washington
F 2 Bryant, Mark 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1965–04–25 Seton Hall
F 1 Ceballos, Cedric 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1969–08–02 Cal State Fullerton
G/F 3 Chapman, Rex 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1967–10–05 Kentucky
F 43 Davis, Ben Injured 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1972–12–26 Arizona
G 27 Dumas, Tony Injured 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1972–08–25 UMKC
G 7 Johnson, Kevin 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–03–04 California
G 32 Kidd, Jason 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1973–03–23 California
C 17 Llamas, Horacio 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 285 lb (129 kg) 1973–07–17 Grand Canyon
F/C 15 Manning, Danny 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966–05–17 Kansas
C 40 Meyer, Loren 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 257 lb (117 kg) 1972–12–30 Iowa State
G 13 Nash, Steve 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1974–02–07 Santa Clara
G/F 11 Person, Wesley 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971–03–28 Auburn
F 23 Tisdale, Wayman 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1964–06–09 Oklahoma
C 18 Williams, John 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1962–08–09 Tulane
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

[edit]

Standings

[edit]
Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 – 31–10 26–15 16–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 1 31–10 25–16 18–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 8 29–12 20–21 15–9
x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 17 25–16 15–26 13–11
x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 21 21–20 15–26 10–14
Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 23 22–19 12–29 8–16
Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 27 18–23 12–29 4–20
1996–97 NBA West standings
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Utah Jazz 64 18 .780 –
2 y-Seattle SuperSonics 57 25 .695 7
3 x-Houston Rockets 57 25 .695 7
4 x-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 8
5 x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 15
6 x-Minnesota Timberwolves 40 42 .488 24
7 x-Phoenix Suns 40 42 .488 24
8 x-Los Angeles Clippers 36 46 .439 28
9 Sacramento Kings 34 48 .415 30
10 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 34
11 Dallas Mavericks 24 58 .293 40
12 Denver Nuggets 21 61 .256 43
13 San Antonio Spurs 20 62 .244 44
14 Vancouver Grizzlies 14 68 .171 50

Record vs. opponents

[edit]
1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta — 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 — 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 — 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 — 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 — 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 — 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 — 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 — 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 — 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 — 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 — 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 — 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 — 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 — 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 — 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 — 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Playoffs

[edit]

The Suns came into the playoffs as the seventh seed, facing the 1996 Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. In game one, Rex Chapman set a playoff record with 9 three-pointers, finishing the game with 42 points and leading the Suns to a 106–101 upset in Seattle. The Sonics responded with a 44-point blowout in game two, evening the series 1–1. The Suns recovered at home in game three. After an early 15-point deficit, Wesley Person led the team to a comeback 110–103 victory with 29 points and 10 rebounds. The Suns had a chance to close the series at home in game four. Behind by eleven points in the final two minutes of regulation, the Suns cut to lead to two before fouling Detlef Schrempf with 5.4 seconds remaining. Schrempf would miss the second of two free throws, giving the Sonics a 107–104 lead. Rex Chapman would respond with a famous turnaround three-pointer to send the game into overtime. The Sonics would outscore the Suns 15–8 in extra time to gain a 122–115 victory. The Suns would head back to Seattle tied 2–2 for a deciding fifth game. The Suns turned to small ball, starting four guards (Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, Rex Chapman and Wesley Person) along with center Hot Rod Williams. The Sonics would dominate the first half, leading by 22 at the break. A third quarter rally would bring the lead to eight, and a Wesley Person three-pointer to open the fourth quarter brought the lead to just five. But the Sonics would go on a 19–7 run in the final six minutes to claim a 116–92 victory.[36]

Game log

[edit]
1997 playoff game log
First Round: 2–3 (home: 1–1; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 25 @ Seattle W 106–101 Rex Chapman (42) Kevin Johnson (7) Jason Kidd (10) KeyArena
17,072 		1–0
2 April 27 @ Seattle L 78–122 Rex Chapman (18) Wesley Person (10) Jason Kidd (8) KeyArena
17,072 		1–1
3 April 29 Seattle W 110–103 Wesley Person (29) Wesley Person (10) Jason Kidd (10) America West Arena
19,023 		2–1
4 May 1 Seattle L 115–122 (OT) Johnson, Kidd (23) Danny Manning (10) Jason Kidd (14) America West Arena
19,023 		2–2
5 May 3 @ Seattle L 92–116 Wesley Person (26) Kidd, Person (8) Jason Kidd (7) KeyArena
17,072 		2–3
1997 schedule

Awards and honors

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Week/Month

[edit]
  • Kevin Johnson was named Player of the Week for games played March 24 through March 30.
  • Kevin Johnson was named Player of the Month for April.

All-Star

[edit]

Season

[edit]

Injuries/Missed games

[edit]
  • 10/31/96: Kevin Johnson: Abdominal hernia; placed on injured reserve until November 24
  • 10/31/96: Mark Bryant: Torn knee cartilage; placed on injured reserve until December 6
  • 10/31/96: Hot Rod Williams: Toe surgery; placed on injured list until November 26
  • 11/14/96: Sam Cassell: Flu; did not play
  • 11/23/96: Wayman Tisdale: Shoulder tendinitis; placed on injured list until December 30
  • 11/26/96: Ben Davis: Finger ligament damage; placed on injured reserve until January 12
  • 11/26/96: Sam Cassell: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 11/27/96: Sam Cassell: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 11/29/96: Sam Cassell: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 12/06/96: Darrin Hancock: Bilateral knee bruises; placed on injured reserve until waived on December 10
  • 12/21/96: Joe Kleine: Back spasms; did not play
  • 12/28/96: Kevin Johnson: Flu; did not play
  • 12/30/96: Tony Dumas: Injured finger; did not play
  • 12/30/96: Jason Kidd: Collarbone hairline fracture; placed on injured list until December 14
  • 01/06/97: Robert Horry: Two-game team suspension (threw towel at coach Danny Ainge); out until traded on January 10
  • 01/10/97: Rex Chapman: Sprained ankle; did not play
  • 01/12/97: Tony Dumas: Bruised knee; placed on injured list until April 20
  • 01/13/97: Mark Bryant: Abdominal strain; did not play
  • 01/13/97: Rex Chapman: Sprained ankle; did not play
  • 01/14/97: Mark Bryant: Abdominal strain; did not play
  • 01/14/97: Rex Chapman: Sprained ankle; did not play
  • 01/18/97: Mark Bryant: Abdominal strain; did not play
  • 01/29/97: Rex Chapman: Fractured finger; placed on injured reserve until March 2
  • 02/11/97: Hot Rod Williams: Flu; did not play
  • 02/26/97: Danny Manning: Sore leg; did not play
  • 03/02/97: Ben Davis: Injured finger; placed on injured reserve until March 13
  • 03/09/97: Mark Bryant: Bruised foot; did not play
  • 03/11/97: Mark Bryant: Bruised foot; did not play
  • 03/13/97: Mark Bryant: Bruised foot; did not play
  • 03/13/97: Loren Meyer: Strained lower back; placed on injured list until March 25
  • 03/17/97: Mark Bryant: Bruised foot; placed on injured reserve until April 20
  • 03/22/97: Cedric Ceballos: Bruised knee; did not play
  • 03/26/97: Cedric Ceballos: Bruised knee; did not play
  • 03/28/97: Cedric Ceballos: Bruised knee; did not play
  • 03/28/97: Wayman Tisdale: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 03/30/97: Wayman Tisdale: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 04/02/97: Wayman Tisdale: Personal reasons; did not play
  • 04/05/97: Ben Davis: Injured finger; placed on injured reserve until April 20
  • 04/15/97: Wesley Person: Flu; did not play
  • 04/18/97: Wesley Person: Flu; did not play
  • 04/19/97: Danny Manning: Injured foot; did not play

Player statistics

[edit]
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season

[edit]
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Dexter Boney 8 0 6.0 .316 .167 .750 0.8 0.0 .3 .1 2.4
Chucky Brown* 10 0 8.3 .500 . .727 1.6 0.4 .0 .02 3.4
Mike Brown 6 1 13.8 .417 . .600 4.2 0.8 .2 .3 2.7
Mark Bryant 41 18 24.8 .553† . .704 5.2 1.1 .5 .1 9.3
Sam Cassell* 22 9 24.5 .415 .306 .855# 2.3 4.5 1.0 .3 14.8
Cedric Ceballos* 42 32 27.3 .464 .259 .737 6.6 1.2 .7 .4 15.3
Rex Chapman 65 33 28.2 .443 .350 .832 2.8 2.8 .8 .1 13.8
Ben Davis 20 0 4.9 .385 . .450 1.4 0.0 .2 .1 1.5
Tony Dumas* 6 1 8.5 .316 .250 .500 0.3 0.5 .0 .2 2.3
Michael Finley* 27 18 29.5 .475 .255 .812 4.4 2.5 .7 .1 13.0
A.C. Green* 27 19 20.3 .477 .000 .646 5.1 0.6 .7 .0 5.7
Robert Horry* 32 15 22.5 .421 .308 .640 3.7 1.7 .9 .8 6.9
Kevin Johnson 70 70 38.0 .496 .441^ .852# 3.6 9.3 1.5+ .2 20.1
Jason Kidd* 33 23 35.5 .423 .400 .688 4.8 9.0 2.4+ .4 11.6
Joe Kleine* 23 10 15.9 .400 1.000^ .722 3.5 0.5 .4 .3 3.4
Horacio Llamas 20 2 5.1 .536 . .500 0.9 0.2 .5 .3 1.7
Danny Manning 77 17 27.7 .536† .194 .721 6.1 2.2 1.1 1.0 13.5
Loren Meyer* 35 17 12.8 .446 .600^ .712 2.7 .3 .1 .3 5.4
Steve Nash 65 2 10.5 .423 .418 .824 1.0 2.1 .3 .0 3.3
Wesley Person 80 42 29.1 .453 .413 .798 3.7 1.5 1.1 .2 13.5
Rumeal Robinson* 12 0 7.3 .471 .300 .250 0.6 0.7 .1 .0 3.0
Wayman Tisdale 53 15 14.7 .426 . .625 2.3 0.4 .2 .4 6.5
John "Hot Rod" Williams 68 66 31.4 .490 .000 .672 8.3 1.5 1.0 1.3 8.0

* – Stats with the Suns.
† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 82 three-pointers made.
# – Minimum 125 free throws made.
+ – Minimum 50 games played.

Playoffs

[edit]
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Mike Brown 4 0 6.8 .400 . .875 1.0 0.3 .0 .0 2.8
Mark Bryant 4 0 9.0 .400 . 1.000# 1.0 0.0 .0 .0 2.8
Cedric Ceballos 5 0 21.4 .333 .250 1.000# 5.2 0.6 .8 .6 6.6
Rex Chapman 5 5 38.2 .494 .458 .680 3.2 2.6 .4 .0 24.2
Kevin Johnson 5 5 41.6 .295 .136 .879 4.4 6.0 2.6 .0 16.8
Jason Kidd 5 5 41.4 .396 .364 .526 6.0 9.8 2.2 .4 12.0
Danny Manning 5 0 23.2 .578 .000 .933# 6.0 1.4 .8 1.4 13.2
Loren Meyer 3 0 4.7 .000 .000 . 2.0 0.3 .0 .7 0.0
Steve Nash 4 0 3.8 .222 .250 . 0.3 0.3 .2 .2 1.3
Wesley Person 5 1 32.6 .472 .424 .778 6.6 1.2 .8 .6 15.6
Wayman Tisdale 4 4 9.0 .400 . . 1.8 0.0 .0 .0 3.0
John "Hot Rod" Williams 5 5 21.0 .533 . .400 4.6 0.6 .4 1.6 4.0

# – Minimum 10 free throws made.

Transactions

[edit]

Trades

[edit]
August 19, 1996
 To Houston Rockets
United States Charles Barkley
1999 second-round draft pick (United States Tyrone Washington)
 To Phoenix Suns
United States Sam Cassell
United States Robert Horry
United States Mark Bryant
United States Chucky Brown
September 25, 1996
 To Milwaukee Bucks
United States Elliot Perry
 To Phoenix Suns
United States Marty Conlon
1999 first-round draft pick (United States James Posey)
December 4, 1996
 To Milwaukee Bucks
United States Chucky Brown
 To Phoenix Suns
United States Darrin Hancock
Conditional 1997 second-round draft pick
December 26, 1996
 To Dallas Mavericks
United States Sam Cassell
United States Michael Finley
United States A.C. Green
1998 second-round draft pick (United States Greg Buckner)
 To Phoenix Suns
United States Jason Kidd
United States Loren Meyer
United States Tony Dumas
January 10, 1997
 To Los Angeles Lakers
United States Robert Horry
United States Joe Kleine
 To Phoenix Suns
United States Cedric Ceballos
United States Rumeal Robinson

Free agents

[edit]

Additions

[edit]
Date Player Contract Former Team
October 2, 1996 Evric Gray Undisclosed Chicago Bulls
October 11, 1996 Rex Chapman Signed one-year contract Miami Heat
January 31, 1997 Dexter Boney Signed two 10-day contracts San Antonio Spurs
February 21, 1997 Horacio Llamas Signed two 10-day contracts Grand Canyon Antelopes
March 13, 1997 Horacio Llamas Signed for rest of season Phoenix Suns
April 5, 1997 Mike Brown Signed for rest of season Philadelphia 76ers

Subtractions

[edit]
Date Player Reason Left New Team
July 1, 1996 Terrence Rencher Free agent Grand Rapids Hoops (CBA)
July 19, 1996 Chris Carr Free agent Minnesota Timberwolves
October 22, 1996 Evric Gray Waived New Jersey Nets
October 29, 1996 Marty Conlon Waived Boston Celtics
October 29, 1996 Mario Bennett Waived Grand Rapids Hoops (CBA)
October 29, 1996 John Coker Waived Toronto Raptors
December 11, 1996 Darrin Hancock Waived Atlanta Hawks
February 14, 1996 Rumeal Robinson Waived Portland Trail Blazers
February 20, 1997 Dexter Boney Waived Florida Beach Dogs (CBA)

Player Transactions Citation:[45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1996-97 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 27, 1996). "The Surprises Are Few". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Bembry, Jerry (June 27, 1996). "76ers Make Iverson the 1, Philadelphia Takes Georgetown Guard; Camby Goes Second". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Sports Briefs". Deseret News. July 25, 1996. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "1996 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Barkley Confirms His Trade to Rockets". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 19, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  7. ^ "Suns Unload Barkley, Get Four Players from Rockets". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 19, 1996. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  8. ^ "Barkley Traded to the Rockets". The Washington Post. August 19, 1996. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  9. ^ Sharpio, Mark (August 19, 1996). "Rockets to Trade 4 for Barkley". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "Raptors Sign Benjamin for Backup Role". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. October 12, 1996. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "New York Knicks". Orlando Sentinel. October 12, 1996. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  12. ^ Winderman, Ira (November 25, 1996). "Chapman Burned Up Over Treatment from Riley, Heat". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  13. ^ "Suns' Johnson Undergoes Hernia Surgery". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. September 28, 1996. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  14. ^ "Suns' K.J. to Miss 6 to 8 Weeks". Deseret News. September 28, 1996. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  15. ^ Diamos, Jason (November 28, 1996). "Leave It to the Nets: 0-13 Suns Now 1-13". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  16. ^ "Fitzsimmons Opts to Step Aside; Ainge Will Take Over 0-8 Suns". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 15, 1996. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  17. ^ "Fitzsimmons Quits as Suns Remain Winless". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. November 15, 1996. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  18. ^ "Ainge Takes Over 0-8 Phoenix Club". Las Vegas Sun. November 15, 1996. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  19. ^ "Kidd Traded to Suns jn a Six-Player Deal". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 27, 1996. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  20. ^ "Kidd Is Traded to Suns for Cassell, Finley, Green". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 27, 1996. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  21. ^ "Kidd Sent to Suns in 6-Player Deal". The Washington Post. December 27, 1996. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  22. ^ "Mavericks Trade Kidd to Suns in Blockbuster". Tampa Bay Times. December 27, 1996. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  23. ^ "Kidd, a Goat in Dallas, Sent to Suns". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. December 27, 1996. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  24. ^ Brown, Clifton (January 11, 1997). "Suns Send Unhappy Horry to Lakers". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  25. ^ "Ceballos Returned to Sender". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 11, 1997. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  26. ^ "Suns Send Horry to Lakers in 4-Player Deal". The Washington Post. January 11, 1997. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  27. ^ Harris, Beth (January 11, 1997). "Suns Trade Horry to Lakers for Cedric Ceballos in Four-Player Deal". Associated Press. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  28. ^ "Heat 101, Mavericks 79". Tampa Bay Times. December 5, 1996. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  29. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1997". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  30. ^ a b "1996–97 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  31. ^ "Ceballos Triggers Comeback as Suns Defeat Knicks Again". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 19, 1997. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  32. ^ "1996–97 Phoenix Suns Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  33. ^ Friend, Tom (April 30, 1997). "Sonics Fall in Familiar 2-1 Hole". The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  34. ^ "Suns Beat SuperSonics, Again". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. April 30, 1997. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  35. ^ Reisner, Mel (April 30, 1997). "Person Rises, Leads Suns Past Sonics". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  36. ^ a b Friend, Tom (May 4, 1997). "Sonics Beat Suns, Dousing Lights on Johnson's Career". The New York Times. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  37. ^ Moore, Jim (May 4, 1997). "Sonics 116, Suns 92". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  38. ^ Underwood, Roger (May 4, 1997). "Hello, Houston". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  39. ^ "1997 NBA Western Conference First Round: Suns vs. SuperSonics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  40. ^ Berger, Ken (October 1, 1997). "Nuggets Send McDyess to Phoenix". Associated Press. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  41. ^ "PLUS: IN THE NEWS -- PRO BASKETBALL; McDyess to Suns in Three-Team Deal". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 2, 1997. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  42. ^ "Suns Make Trade for McDyess". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. October 2, 1997. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  43. ^ "Nuggets Deal McDs to Phoenix". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. October 2, 1997. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  44. ^ a b "1996–97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  45. ^ "1996–97 Phoenix Suns Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
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