Head coach Alvin Gentry Owner(s) Robert Sarver Record 33–33 (.500) | General manager Lance Blanks Arena US Airways Center | |
Place Division: 3rd (Pacific)
Conference: 10th (Western) | ||
The 2011–12 Phoenix Suns season was the 44th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as the last season the Suns had point guard Steve Nash on the team. The season was shortened to sixty-six games due to the 2011 NBA Lockout. Going into the All-Star break with a 14–20 record, the Suns went 14–6 in their next 20 games to push back into playoffs contention. Towards the end of the season, the eighth-seeded Suns were still in the hunt, but a loss after their second-to-last game on the road against the Utah Jazz eliminated them from playoff contention. They went 8–7 in April, finishing the season with a 33–33 record, 10th-best in the West.
Contents
- Key dates
- NBA Draft
- Free agency
- Coaching changes
- Salaries
- Game log
- Awards
- All Star
- Records
- Team Records
- Milestones
- Team Milestones
- InjuriesMissed games
- Additions
- Subtractions
- References
Nash led the team in assists per game (10.7; second-best average in the league, most assists in total), three-point percentage (.390%), and free throw percentage (.894%), while averaging a career-high in field goal percentage (.532%). Center Marcin Gortat led the team in most statistical categories, including games played (66), games started (66), minutes per game (32.0), field goal percentage (.555%), rebounds per game (10.0), blocks per game (1.5), and points per game (15.4). Nash was the lone member of the Suns selected for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, his eighth appearance. In a game against the Denver Nuggets on April 21, Nash passed Oscar Robertson for fifth all-time in total assists.
Key dates
NBA Draft
The Suns used their only draft pick to select power forward Markieff Morris from Kansas. Morris averaged 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in his last year with the Jayhawks. The Suns traded their other first-round pick, which they acquired from the Orlando Magic, to the Houston Rockets when they dealt Goran Dragić for Aaron Brooks. Their second-round pick was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Hakim Warrick in a sign and trade. Around a year and a half later, the Suns ended up with the 14th draft pick in Marcus Morris, who would be a part of the team for two or so seasons before being traded himself in 2015.
Free agency
Veteran forward Grant Hill became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2010–11 season. Newly acquired point guard Aaron Brooks became a restricted free agent at the end of the season. On June 23, the Suns extended a $3 million qualifying offer to Brooks. However, due to the lockout, Brooks signed a contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association on November 22. With no opt-out clause, Brooks had to complete the CBA season before returning to the NBA. On February 6, 2011, reserve point guard Zabian Dowdell was signed for the remainder of the 2010–11 season, with a team option for a second year. If the Suns do not opt to pick up the contract, Dowdell will become a free agent.
Coaching changes
On July 14, the Suns signed Elston Turner as an assistant coach. Turner is considered to be a defensive specialist and has been called the Suns' unofficial "defensive coordinator".
Salaries
The final year of Vince Carter's contract was non-guaranteed. Carter's contract stipulated that if he was not waived by the Suns before the start of free agency on July 1, his $18 million would become fully guaranteed. However, with the onset of the lockout, the Suns delayed the deadline until the date on which free agency began at the end of the lockout. If waived, he will receive a guaranteed $4 million. The second-year contracts of Gani Lawal and Garret Siler were non-guaranteed.
Game log
All games from November 1 through December 24 were canceled due to the 2011 NBA Lockout. A new schedule was created with games starting in December 25.
Awards
All-Star
Records
Team Records
Milestones
Team Milestones
Injuries/Missed games
Additions
^ a: Michael Redd signed onto the team two games after the beginning of the 2011–12 season. However, he didn't start playing until January 12, 2012 due to Redd fully recovering from some knee injuries during his last two seasons in Milwaukee.
Subtractions
^ b: Gani Lawal originally left due to the 2011 NBA lockout in concerns of playing the season. He signed with Zastal Zielona Góra in Poland before returning to Phoenix once the lockout ended. However, Gani was waived by the team alongside Vince Carter once the season began, and he tried a stint with the San Antonio Spurs for their training camp before being waived again. He later found a new team in the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers, but due to personal problems, he returned to playing with Zastal once more before finishing his season with Chorale Roanne Basket in France.
^ c: Vince Carter was paid $4 million in order to get out of his contract with the Suns.
^ d: Zabian Dowdell originally signed a deal to play with Anadolu Efes Pilsen Spor Kulübü in Turkey on January 18, 2012. However, due to a failed physical, he would be waived from the team before even having a change to play for them. He would then play with Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria – Claret, S.A.D. on March 17, 2016 after passing their own physical exam.
^ e: Mickaël Piétrus was paid $1.2 million in order to get out of his contract with the Suns.
^ f: Garret Siler was waived after the January 2 game against the Golden State Warriors. He didn't play a single game with the Phoenix Suns in the regular season.
^ g: Garret Siler signed with the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association quite some time after this season ended.