HoopsHype.com Rumors

All of your basketball guys wanted you to resign Hakim Warrick. Heisley: That's not true at all. … We tried to sign Hakim Warrick and he wouldn't sign the contract. If we hadn't have withdrawn the offer, he could have held us to it until December, the trade deadline. I hated to get rid of Hakim Warrick. We didn't try to get rid of Hakim Warrick. We tried to keep Hakim Warrick. Memphis Flyer

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Chris Herrington: When Heisley says none of his basketball people were bothered by losing Warrick either he's lying or he was lied to. Twitter

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Hakim Warrick: Just woke up 2 some horrible news... Thoughts and prayers go out 2 Lorenzen Wright's family. Twitter

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Phoenix had already signed free agent forward Hakim Warrick to a four-year, $18 million contract this summer, but ''we didn't want to fall off the earth with Amar'e leaving," a Suns source said. NBA.com

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The Suns also completed a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls for Hakim Warrick, giving Chicago the Suns' second-round pick in 2011. Warrick has signed a four-year contract for $18 million with $2 million of it in incentive bonuses. Arizona Republic

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A person with knowledge of the negotiations with the Suns confirmed to CBSSports.com that the team had to renounce his rights to sign power forward Hakim Warrick -- a sure sign that Stoudemire is gone. As a result of renouncing his rights, Phoenix can no longer sign-and-trade Stoudemire. The issue for Stoudemire and other second-tier free agents like Joe Johnson has been their concern over being the only star player who winds up going to New York. With no other All-Stars on a roster that was gutted for a run at James, Wade and/or Bosh, a Knicks team with Stoudemire as the only star would put immense pressure on him to fill the shoes of the superstars who went elsewhere. CBSSports.com

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Warrick, 6 feet 9 and 219 pounds, averaged 10.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per game in his five-year career (four with Memphis and one split last year in Chicago and Milwaukee). "I was going to try to wait it (free agency) out but it's like a dream job," said Warrick, who can sign for "the best birthday present I ever got" when he turns 28 on Thursday. "I've always sat there and watched the Suns, thinking, 'If I could play with Steve Nash, that'd be great.' I got that opportunity and I jumped on it." Arizona Republic

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Since Nash returned to the Suns, no rotation player but for a backup (Marcus Banks) has come to Phoenix and not benefitted statistically from playing alongside the two-time Most Valuable Player. Warrick said half of NBA players want to play in the Suns' system with Nash. "I know he's going to take my game to a whole other level," Warrick said. Arizona Republic

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"Hakim is finally going to be in an up-tempo situation that is perfect for his skill set," said Warrick's agent, Bill Duffy, whose agency also represents Suns players Steve Nash, Leandro Barbosa, Goran Dragic and Earl Clark. "You just can't think of a perfect fit. What you hear in the NBA is all people want to play with a point guard like Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo. Arizona Republic

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The Phoenix Suns have reached agreement with forward Hakim Warrick on a four-year, $18 million contract, a deal that likely foreshadows the departure of All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, league sources said. Yahoo! Sports

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The Suns moved forward with Warrick after negotiations with Stoudemire stalled. Stoudemire’s agent Happy Walters had a late-night conversation with Suns owner Robert Sarver, who insisted he couldn’t wait any longer on Stoudemire’s decision and would need to consider other options. Stoudemire is not ready to commit, sources said, until he sees how the rest of the free- agent market plays out. Yahoo! Sports

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The Phoenix Suns are showing the most interest in athletic power forward Hakim Warrick and have begun exchanging potential salary figures with Warrick’s representatives, according to sources close to the situation. New York and Denver have also expressed initial interest, sources said. ESPN.com

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