1999–2000 Phoenix Suns season
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 32nd season for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns. During the off-season, the Suns acquired All-Star guard Anfernee Hardaway from the Orlando Magic, signed free agent Rodney Rogers, and re-signed former Suns center Oliver Miller, who played for the team when they reached the 1993 NBA Finals. Scott Skiles would come on as head coach, replacing Danny Ainge after a 13–7 start to the season. The Suns posted a 7-game winning streak between November and December, then won eight straight games in February, and finished  third in the Pacific Division at 53–29, and extend the franchise's record for playoff appearances before losing in the Western Conference Semi-finals. Clifford Robinson led the team in scoring at 18.5 points per game. Hardaway, Jason Kidd, Rodney Rogers, Tom Gugliotta, and top draft pick Shawn Marion out of UNLV, rounded out a list of six Suns players averaging double-digits in points. Hardaway provided the team with 16.9 points and 5.3 assists per game, while Kidd averaged 14.3 points, led the NBA with 10.1 assists per game, and was tied for fifth in steals with 2.0 per  game, while being selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game. Rogers played a sixth man role averaging 13.8 points per game off the bench, and finished the regular season fourth in three-point field goal percentage, and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. Gugliotta contributed 13.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, but did not play in any of the Suns' playoff games due to injury. Kidd would earn All-NBA First Team honors, and he and Robinson both made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Marion averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and  was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. In March, Kidd suffered an ankle injury and missed the final month of the regular season. Former Suns guard Kevin Johnson would come out of his retirement, averaging 6.7 points and 4.0 assists per game in six games. The Suns finished with the same regular season record, but did not have home court advantage going into their Western Conference First Round match-up with the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Still, the Suns would advance to their first conference semifinals appearance since the 1994–95 season en route to taking the series  three games to one. The Suns lost in the conference semi-finals to new league MVP Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. Following the season, Johnson retired for the second and last time, while Rex Chapman also retired due to continuing injuries, Miller was released to free agency, and Luc Longley was traded to the New York Knicks. Offseason. NBA Draft. The Suns received the ninth pick from a trade with the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. With the pick they selected combo forward Shawn Marion from UNLV. Marion averaged 18.7 points , 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game in one year with the Runnin' Rebels. On July 30, the Suns signed him to a 4-year rookie contract for $5.9 million. Though missing two months with a knee injury, Marion averaged 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in his first season, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Marion would play over eight seasons with the Suns, becoming an All-Star four times and being named to the All-NBA Third Team twice, before being traded to the Miami Heat in 2008. The Suns  traded their first-round pick to the Chicago Bulls in 1999. With the pick the Bulls selected future All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest (later Metta World Peace). They also traded their second-round pick to the Houston Rockets in 1996. With the pick the Rockets selected Tyrone Washington. Player statistics. Season. Playoffs. Transactions. Free agents. Subtractions. Player Transactions Citation: