1987–88 Phoenix Suns season
They lost the first pick to the San Antonio Spurs, who selected future Hall of Fame center David Robinson.
"[4] Gilliam would play part of three seasons with the Suns, averaging 14.7 points and 7.2 rebounds in 145 games, before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets in December 1989.
Crite would play part of two seasons with the Suns, averaging 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 31 games, before being waived in December 1988.
[8] On April 17, 1987, the Maricopa County attorney's office announced indictments against 13 individuals in relation to a cocaine-trafficking investigation.
A number of other current or former Suns players (Walter Davis, William Bedford, Alvin Scott, Johnny High, Don Buse and Curtis Perry) were named in the indictments but not charged.
Other indictees were: Terrence Patrick Kelly, a waiter at Avanti's restaurant in Phoenix; Wynn and Kim Lesure, local businessmen; James Jordan, manager of Malarkey's nightclub in Phoenix; Joseph Beninato, a team photographer; Ramon Vives, owner of Avanti's restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale; Kevin Merriweather, roommate of Suns' center William Bedford; and an undisclosed team ticket taker.
Davis stated that he first used cocaine with then-teammate Garfield Heard during the 1978–79 season, and admitted to using the drug with multiple teammates.
[12] Terrence Patrick Kelly pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to sell a narcotic drug and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five-years of probation.
[13] Wynn Lesure pleaded no contest to conspiracy to possess a narcotic drug and received three-years of probation.
On August 16, 1987, Suns center Nick Vanos and his fiancée Carolyn Cohen were among 156 killed in the Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crash.
Vanos and Cohen, who had spent four days on vacation in Michigan, were returning to Phoenix when the flight crashed after takeoff due to pilot error.
The team filed a property damage suit against the airline, due to the three years remaining on Vanos' five-year contract, claiming the center to be "irreplaceable".
[15] Nick's parents, Peter and Josie, filed a wrongful death suit seeking $13.85 million in damages.
Nick recently appeared to be coming into his own and to have his life taken away at this time is a tragedy to his family, friends and to our organization.Vanos had spent most of his two seasons as a backup center.
Vanos' role would increase late in the season due to injuries to centers James Edwards and William Bedford.
On October 14, 1987, a group headed by Suns general manager and vice president Jerry Colangelo purchased the franchise from owners Richard L. Bloch, Donald Pitt and Don Diamond for a then-record $44.5 million.
Colangelo headed JDM Sports Inc., the general partnership group that owned a controlling interest of the franchise.
Twenty years ago, Donald Pitt, Don Diamond and Richard Bloch had the foresight to see that Phoenix had the ability to be a professional sports franchise despite the cynics back East.
[24] In early October, the Suns signed free agent forward Jeff Cook, and centers Greg Spurling and Ozell Jones.
On October 20, the Suns signed restricted free agent center Alton Lister to a four-year offer sheet worth $3.5 million.
