Hooped Up

How would it not be awesome to play for the Phoenix Suns? As long as you have one arm, two legs and can hit open jump shots you have a good chance of averaging at least 12 points per game with Steve Nash at the point.

Plus, their team flights look pretty damn fun too.

The Phoenix Suns say guard Leandro Barbosa underwent successful surgery Tuesday to remove a ganglion cyst in his right wrist and he’s expected to be sidelined up to six weeks.

Barbosa has struggled with the wrist problem since last summer when he sprained it on a fall while playing for the Brazilian national team. He had fluid drained from the wrist in November, sat out three games and took anti-inflammatory drugs but the problems returned.

Suns officials say a decision on the surgery was reached last weekend after the swelling and pain in Barbosa’s right hand worsened during Friday’s loss to Chicago.

Barbosa is averaging 10.6 points this season, but has shot career-worst percentages from the field (42.2) and 3-point range (33.0).

Press Release

When you see Denzel Washington, you think Goran Dragic right? Neither do I, but Dragic does.

When broadcaster Scott Williams asked a few Suns players which actor would best portray them in a motion picture about their life. Jared Dudley said Will Smith, Steve Nash picked Sean Penn, GM Steve Kerr demanded the outstanding Rick Schroder, Channing Frye envisioned a Nick Cannon and Denzel Washington’s genetically impossible love child, Dan Majerle chose Woody Harrelson (good choice), Louis Admundson selected Steven Seagal (clearly), assistant coach John Shumate wanted Morgan Freeman, and coach Alvin Gentry, Jason Richardson, along with Goran Dragic all casted Denzel Washington for their biopic. Yes, that last part you read correctly.

Maybe as a back up option, John Krasinski should be ready to roll if this sucker ever gets made, because clearly Denzel Washington is too short for the role and even more importantly — his Slovene is horrible.

See the video below.

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On his off day, Leandro Barbosa aka the “Brazilian Blur” teamed up with St. Vincent de Paul to help bring a little holiday cheer to 400 families.

Great stuff Mr. Barbosa!

If Lionel Richie can’t unite your team, nobody can.

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

Last season the Suns took a chance and made a deal to get Shaq and it failed — epically. So they got rid of him and got back to being a lean, mean running machine. Read More »

The status of three-time all-star Gilbert Arenas hovers over just about everything the team does. Arenas did not travel with the team on the current road trip and continues to work out at Verizon Center but has yet to decide whether he is going to play before the end of the season. A source close to Arenas indicated yesterday that he is in the process of making a decision and has not ruled out a return. Following tomorrow night’s game at Phoenix, the Wizards will have 11 games remaining. Arenas has practiced with the team off and on since Feb. 16 and declared his surgically repaired left knee at “full strength” on Feb. 23.
Washington Post

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Your basic Alvin Gentry practice is pretty cool! It covers defensive sets, offensive drills, foul shooting and penalty kicks. Watch Brazillian striker Lenardo Barbosa face off against the biggest keeper in the world, Shaq from the USA squad for the Suns Practice Cup.

I’ll bet the sans Beckham LA Galaxy are now crunching numbers to sign Shaq in the summer, just imagine the jersey sales!

Leandro Barbosa looks like Ed Jovanovski of the Phoenix Coyotes with one skate on trying to guard Tony Parker in this clip.  Averaging 28.3 points per game against the Suns this season, Parker has his wallet in one of his back pockets and the Phoenix Suns in the other.

Video tip via Hooped Up reader Brian Lopez

If the Phoenix Suns trade Steve Nash to the Toronto Raptors, my chances of getting this wicked job has hope too. According to Sam Smith, the Phoenix Suns have been offered a deal by the Toronto Raptors that would have Jose Calderon, Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker, Jason Kopono and perhaps Jamario Moon going to the Suns. Going back to Toronto would be Nash, Leandro Barbosa and Robin Lopez.

This deal makes a lot of sense for Toronto because it would have the best player ever Canada has ever produced (sorry Bill Wennington) coming back home. Plus the Suns, might as well make a deal for a new point guard after they soured Nash by dealing his boys Diaw and Bell to the Bobcats.

As soon as they did that Nash was guaranteed to be Audi 5000 in 2010. Still Nash is a future Hall of Famer and him being traded by the Suns would not make the Phoenix faithful happy.

If this trade happens, lets hope I get that job too.