Posted: Nov. 16, 2001
The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have acquired forward Bo Outlaw and a first round pick plus cash from the Orlando Magic and sent swingman Jud Buechler to the Magic and guard Vinny Del Negro to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade. Orlando also sent cash to the Clippers and Orlando acquired the option to swap second round picks with the Clippers in the 2005 NBA Draft.
The first round pick the Suns receive from Orlando is the remaining selection Phoenix sent the Magic as part of the Anfernee Hardaway trade on Aug. 5, 1999. Therefore, all obligations from that transaction are now complete.
“Bo Outlaw should immediately impact the energy level of this basketball team,” Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo said. “He has proven to be an effective defender, rebounder and shot blocker. He can change the flow of a game.”
Outlaw is an eight-year NBA veteran who just started his fifth season in Orlando and owns career averages of 6.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.65 blocked shots and .578 shooting from the field. In 10 games this season, he averaged 3.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, .619 shooting in 16.0 minutes.
His finest season came in his first with Orlando in 1997-98, when he teamed with Hardaway and averaged career highs of 9.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots, along with 1.3 steals and .554 shooting from the field (2nd in NBA). Overall, he shot better than .520 from the field in each of his eight seasons and more than 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in each of his four years with Orlando.
Known as a tough rebounder and defender, Outlaw was undrafted out of University of Houston in 1993 and then played in Spain and in the CBA before embarking on an NBA career midway through the 1993-94 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was with the Clippers for four seasons before signing with Orlando as a free agent prior to the 1997-98 season.
“I’m sorry to see Jud and Vinny leave,” Colangelo said. “They were both true professionals and high character people.”
Buechler was acquired by Phoenix on July 18 from Detroit with John Wallace in exchange for Clifford Robinson. He played in six of the Suns nine games and had six points, eight rebounds and shot 2-6 from the field (all three-pointers) in those contests. The 11-year swingman heads to his seventh NBA team and he won three NBA titles while with Chicago from 1996-98. He sports career averages of 3.5 points and 1.8 rebounds.
Del Negro came to the Suns from Golden State midway through last season and played in 36 games in 2000-01 but started this season on the injured list with plantar fasciitis. He played in two games this season with two points and two assists. The 11-year veteran owns career marks of 9.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists along with .475 shooting from the field.
Phoenix plays the Lakers tonight at America West Arena in a 7 p.m. tipoff. The Suns then host Toronto on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. and New York on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m.