Inside the NBA: Quotage

Makes sense to him, anyway

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver to the Arizona Repubic, insisting that he does not regret offering Amare Stoudemire four guaranteed seasons when the New York Knicks’ offer guaranteed five:

“Anytime you lose an All-Star player, that’s a hole to fill and we did the best we can to fill that hole, thinking in the short term and long term with some mixed results, which is typically the case in this business. …

“He did not want to take any of the risk. … There was a team out there that was willing to provide him with a max contract without any protection. … Can’t fault him for that.”

Lucky Steve

Sarver to the Republic, on his disinclination to trade Steve Nash: “He’s still the best player and most important player on the team and, in addition, we’ve got a lot history together. That means something.”

Seriously

The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, on Clippers rookie Blake Griffin’s All-Star worthiness: “He should be an All-Star. It’s a joke for people not to consider him an All-Star. He should be. He has what, 30 straight double-doubles? What more do you want from a power forward? What more do you want from him?”

Tell me about it

Portland radio personality Dwight Jaynes to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, on Timberwolves General Manager David Kahn, once a colleague at the Oregonian: “He’s smart. He gave up sports writing.”