1999–2000 Phoenix Suns season

The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 32nd season for the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns. During the offseason, the Suns acquired All-Star guard Anfernee Hardaway from the Orlando Magic, and signed free agent Rodney Rogers while re-signing former Suns center Oliver Miller. Scott Skiles would come on as head coach, replacing Danny Ainge after a 13–7 start to the season. The Suns would finish third in the Pacific Division at 53–29, and extend the franchise's record for playoff appearances before losing in the Western Conference semifinals.

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 rounded out a list of six Suns players averaging double-digits in points. Kidd led the NBA in assists per game and was tied for fifth in steals, while being selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game. Rogers finished the regular season fourth in three-point field goal percentage, and won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. Kidd would earn All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors. In March, former Suns guard Kevin Johnson came out of his retirement and played in six games. He would then retire for the second time after the playoffs.

The Suns finished with the same regular season record, but did not have home court advantage going into their 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 semifinals to new league MVP Shaquille O'Neal and the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. Following the season, Rex Chapman retired, Miller was released 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.

Roster

Phoenix Suns roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Height Weight DOB (Y-M-D) From G/F 12 Bailey, Toby 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 213 lb (97 kg) 1975–11–19 UCLA F/C 40 Blount, Corie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1969–01–04 Cincinnati G 3 Chapman, Rex  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1967–10–05 Kentucky G 11 Day, Todd 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1970–01–07 Arkansas F 24 Gugliotta, Tom  6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1969–12–19 North Carolina State G/F 1 Hardaway, Anfernee 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1971–07–18 Memphis G 7 Johnson, Kevin 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–03–04 California G 32 Kidd, Jason 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1973–03–23 California G 2 Livingston, Randy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1975–04–02 LSU C 13 Longley, Luc 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1969–01–19 New Mexico F 25 MacLean, Don 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1970–01–16 UCLA F 31 Marion, Shawn 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1978–05–07 UNLV C 8 Miller, Oliver 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 280 lb (127 kg) 1970–04–06 Arkansas F/C 30 Robinson, Clifford 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1966–12–16 Connecticut F 54 Rogers, Rodney 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1971–06–20 Wake Forest	Head coach Scott Skiles (Michigan State) Assistant coach(es) Frank Johnson (Wake Forest) John MacLeod (Bellarmine) Phil Weber (North Carolina State) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

Playoffs

Playoffs

West First Round

(4) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Phoenix Suns Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western Conference First Round (San Antonio won 3-1)

Western Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Phoenix Suns Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Western Conference First Round (Phoenix won 3-2)

Awards and honors

Week/Month

• Jason Kidd was named Player of the Week for games played December 12 through December 18.

All-Star

• Jason Kidd was voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game. Kidd finished first in voting among Western Conference guards with 1,061,031 votes.

Season

• Rodney Rogers received the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Rogers also finished eighth in Most Improved Player voting.
• Jason Kidd was named to the All-NBA First Team. Kidd also finished tenth in MVP voting.
• Jason Kidd was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Kidd also finished tenth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
• Clifford Robinson was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Robinson also finished tenth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
• Shawn Marion was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
• Jason Kidd led the league in assists per game with a 10.1 average.

Player statistics

Season

† – Minimum 300 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 55 three-pointers made.
# – Minimum 125 free throws made.

Playoffs

† – Minimum 20 field goals made.
^ – Minimum 10 free throws made.

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

External links

• Standings on Basketball Reference