The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, through a report published in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, is reporting that Sonic Danny Fortson has filed a defamation lawsuit against Phoenix Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo, the New York Post and its columnist Peter Vecsey.

The suit is related to comments made by Colangelo last season towards Fortson, labelling the strong forward a "thug," as well as saying "I want him out of here."  Colangelo's characterization was televised and published in many newspapers as well as the statement.  The comments stemmed from a hard foul then-Maverick Fortson had committed against then-Sun Zarko Cabarkapa, leaving the rookie with a broken wrist.  Fortson was ejected and suspended for three games over the incident.

Vecsey is included for a Nov. 30 column he wrote in which he criticized the league's response to Fortson's foul. He called Fortson a "vacant lot," said he engaged in "attempted murder" and called him a "gangsta or a wanksta."

According to the Sun-Sentinel, Fortson seeks damages of more than $15,000 as well as the expense involved in the suit and "other relief the court may deem appropriate."

Despite having two years and $14.5 million remaining on his contract the Phoenix Suns severed ties with Howard Eisley Friday, releasing the guard who has been unhappy about his role on the team.

The East Valley Tribune reports that Eisley got somewhat less than the $14.5 million he was guaranteed, $13 million over the next two seasons, then a partial guarantee of $1.5 million for a third season, a Suns' official indicated.

Eisley termed the Suns' backcourt "crowded" before sitting out Thursday's exhibition game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. Coach Mike D'Antoni said Eisley had "flu-like symptoms" though he said so with a wink and a nod.

The Utah Jazz, a team Eisley has played for in the past, are believed to be interested in signing the point guard.

Decisions that would guarantee extending the Suns careers of Joe Johnson and Casey Jacobsen must be wrapped up by Sunday.
But the Suns almost certainly will pass on the opportunity.

"It's unlikely" the Suns will negotiate a long-term contract extension for Johnson or pick up the fourth-year option on Jacobsen, Suns president Bryan Colangelo confirmed Wednesday.

Both likely will become restricted free agents, meaning the Suns can match any offer for them next summer.

Said Colangelo, "Decisions to not sign them now do not preclude us from signing them in the future."

These apparent decisions mean they could lose Johnson, in particular, if another team with salary-cap space makes a monstrous offer, such as the $68 million deal given to Carlos Boozer, who jumped from Cleveland to Utah this past summer.

The Suns, as previously announced, picked up the fourth-year option on star forward Amare Stoudemire Wednesday, meaning he'll be under contract through the 2005-06 season. They'll hope to negotiate a long-term deal with him next year.

But they did not do the same on Jacobsen, who ? along with Stoudemire? was drafted in Round 1 of the 2002 NBA draft. Both are paid relatively modestly under terms of the NBA's rookie scale for the first four years.

The fourth-year option for Jacobsen for the ?05-06 season would have cost the Suns about $1.8 million. The guard from Stanford had a disappointing rookie season, then bounced back to have a solid second year.

Jacobsen, after an exhibition game Tuesday night, said he understood that incoming owner Robert Sarver wanted to maintain budget flexibility and that, "If it hasn't happened by now, I'm assuming it's not going to happen." He was correct, as it turned out. "It's not a reflection of what we think of Casey as a person and as a player," Colangelo said. "It's a function of maintaining flexibility."

Johnson's situation is more complicated than Jacobsen's. The Suns could have given him a big contract that extends over six seasons, starting in '05-06. Instead, he now likely will await offers next summer. With the Suns adding firepower for this season, Johnson's statistics could decrease, perhaps cutting the price Johnson could command.

The Phoenix Suns announced on Wednesday that they were picking up Amare Stoudemire's option for the 2005-06 season.

The move was expected since it also gives the Suns the right of first refusal when Stoudemire becomes a restricted free agent in 2006

"This decision was easy in that Amare has quickly established himself as a key part of our team's bright future and he ranks among the NBA's best young talents," said Bryan Colagelo, President and General Manager.

Stoudemire, the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year, had another solid season last year with averages of 20.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.6 blocks. The All-Star forward was particularly impressive in the second half of last season when he averaged 23.9 points and 9.6 rebounds.

When you're five best players don't necessarily fill a standard starting five of point guard, shooting guard, small and power forward and center, most teams will insert a less talented player into the necessary position, but the Phoenix Suns appear to be taking a less convential approach.

In response to the Quentin Richardson and Joe Johnson controversy, it appears that they will both start, with Amare Stoudemire at center, Shawn Marion at power forward, Joe Johnson at small forward, Quentin Richardson at shooting guard and Steve Nash at point guard.

This is a very small starting five, but with Shaquille O'Neal now in the East, they shouldn't be exposed on the defensive end too frequently.  Instead they will be extremely quick and athletic and will outpace many teams.

In the offseason the Phoenix Suns signed restricted free-agent guard Quentin Richardson to a lucrative multi-year contract and this year they'll have a restricted free-agent of their own to negotiate with, Joe Johnson.

According to a source close to Peter Vecsey, the Suns' significant scorer (16.7 last season) who also can rebound and pass, appears to be inflexible regarding his $10M per demand, which will be problematic for Phoenix, who gave away a lot of it's cap mobility when they signed Richardson and Steve Nash.

Suns point guard Howard Eisley is doing little to impress in Phoenix.
     
With former Dallas Mavericks star Steve Nash now in town with a six-year, $66 million deal, and young Brazilian Leandro Barbosa in line to backup Nash, Eisley is trying to fend off a rookie from Japan, Yuta Tabuse, for Phoenix's No. 3 point position. Even with two years and $13-plus million left on his current deal, some in Phoenix suggest 10-season vet Eisley may be a contract-buyout candidate.

The Phoenix Suns signed two high priced free-agents in the offseason, Steve Nash and Quentin Richardson, but only one of them will begin the season in their starting five.

Nash will be the starting point guard and Joe Johnson will be the starting shooting guard, relegating Richardson to a sixth man role.  Richarson is scoring over 21 points per game thus far in the preseason.

The New York Post is reporting that Keon Clark visited the Knicks camp in Westchester during this past summer and verbally accepted a contract.

After that meeting Clark was not heard from again by Knick management and he remains a free-agent today.

The Knicks were hoping that Clark could return to the form that made him such a valuable part of the Kings team of 2002-2003.

When Steve Nash signed with the Phoenix Suns, Dirk Nowitzki was shocked and disapponted that he wouldn't play again with  his good friend and point guard.

"We're always going to be friends, no matter what," Nowitzki said. "And of course we both wanted to end our careers here. But when you're talking millions and millions of dollars, then you have to do what's right.

"I would have never, ever thought we'd let Steve go," Nowitzki said. "When it happened, I was shocked, disappointed and mad altogether. After a couple days, I settled down."

Nowitzki said he never considered anything rash. He said he knew it wouldn't be right to demand a trade or make any other threats.

"I never thought about anything like that," Nowitzki said. "I love being here in Dallas and I love this organization."

"If it (the money) is close, then I would have told him to stay. But he made the right decision."