NEW YORK — Should the staggering Suns slip into qualifying as a 50-plus-win lottery team (as opposed to the Nuggets or Warriors), their fans will be astonished to learn this closet consequence:
For agreeing to assume Kurt Thomas' $8 million salary, the Sonics own the Suns' utterly unprotected first-round pick this June. They also own Phoenix's No. 1 selection in 2010; I'm unsure of that arrangement.
That deal, mandated by owner Robert Sarver, was all about getting under the luxury tax, one of the most infuriating aspects of the league today; business takes precedence over personnel.