RealGM

Rankings:

(#1) Jay Wright
(#2) Igor Kokoškov
(#3) Mike Budenholzer

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Next poll:
Ettore Messina
Porter Moser
David Fizdale
Eddie Johnson
Jay Triano
Nick Nurse
David Blatt
Becky Hammon
Jeff Van Gundy
Eric Musselman

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Removed:
Tony Bennett

Majerle. I'm not sure about McD as GM. Maybe he stays, maybe he doesn't. But I'd assume the job would go to James Jones if he was to be canned.

I would love to change our GM over our coach.

If we can sign Messina or Budenholzer I would like to change our HC, but I do not think we have a chance.
I am OK with Triano if we can not upgrade him.

I would love David Griffin back, as our GM. He would be my first option.

And Steve Nash at whatever position in the franchise. He around our guys would be fantastic.

1. No more first time GMs. James Jones hasn't even been on the job for a year. It would be a huge mistake to make him the GM of the Suns. At least McDonough worked closely with Ainge for several years first.
2. Triano does not want this head coaching job. His comments about Canada's national team the other day made that obvious.
3. I had not heard the Hawks were planning to move on from Bud. Is that a certainty? Regardless, if you pay enough, coaches will come.
4. David Griffin has not been great. Why would you want him back here? That TT deal is a nightmare. Shumpert? JR Smith? What's the best thing he did as a GM? Unearth Dellavedova?
5. I don't think Nash is interested in working full time. You might be able to hire him away as a shooting consultant or something.

Firing McD to me would be no different from firing Hinkie. All either of them did was what they thought was in the best long-term interests of the team, no matter how it looked to the outside world. I think the three young players we've been panning hardest - Bender, JJ and Chriss - will all pan out eventually. You hire a new GM because you want to go a new direction. I want to stay the course.

I also don't think he's done damage to our culture the way some think. IT came here as a free agent with no promises. The team McD inherited was garbage that needed to be converted into assets - that he did. He brought Bled in, but it was clear at least to me that we were just accumulating assets. I don't think our reputation has been meaningfully harmed. I think all of that stuff has been overblown. Just part of the sausage making process.

I love McD. He's rebuilt this team. I've only known Jerry, Bryan, Kerr, Blanks and Sarver as GMs of the Suns. And in order from worst to best, it's Sarver, Blanks, Kerr, Bryan, McD, Jerry.

So here we are, lacking all perspective, because we're losing games today, starting a 5'9" 22 year old point guard, a 20 year old shooting guard, and a 20 year old power forward. Shocking. Don't think about the injuries to Reed or Williams (or Knight, fwiw). Those lottery picks that we all used to want are now all trash since we've made them and now the board doesn't seem to value the extra picks we've stashed away.

Sorry for the rant. I guess I'm preemptively pissed, for I can already hear the cheering in the distance. If we do get a new GM, they'll get all the credit when McD's work pays off.

As far as the coach goes, I think that's a tougher call, and one I'll have to leave to you guys to make the smarter call. Triano probably isn't a long-term solution. Not sure a grizzled coach is what we need with this group. Obviously don't want another empty suit out there. I think the kids could handle someone tough, since most of them got the benefit of so much yoga early on.

I don't think McD will go anywhere after getting extension (though I don't know how long it is). As for coach, I'm not sure and I'd need to evaluate more prospects. Both Messina and Blatt sound good but I doubt Messina would come. Not sure if Blatt seems like the type of hire we'd make either. I don't think Budenholzer is going anywhere.

I still like McD as our GM because he gives reasonable and solid contract to the players which is the most common mistake that almost every gm fall for in the NBA. He drafts well and he is not scared of taking risks which is sometimes could be a negative but i still believe that if there is an opportunity to improve the team without hurting our general plan of "building around the youth" he would go for it. He is trying hard to bring good free agents to the Suns but hasn't managed to score one yet but i still want to give him some time about that. He also makes good trades, i'm not saying that he has perfect history but well nobody has. We can bring a new gm and he could overpay for average vets and mediocre players. Do you really want a team that going to be a first round exit every year without having any assets.

Getting a solid coach should be a priority this summer, it is our biggest need. I like the candidates in the poll (Messina,Blatt,Budenholzer) but if i were in McD's shoes i would target assistant coach of Utah Jazz, Igor Kokoskov. I liked his rotation and decision making in the Eurocup with Slovenia. Also if we draft Doncic, having him as the coach would be perfect.

Stark wrote:I still like McD as our GM because he gives reasonable and solid contract to the players which is the most common mistake that almost every gm fall for in the NBA. He drafts well and he is not scared of taking risks which is sometimes could be a negative but i still believe that if there is an opportunity to improve the team without hurting our general plan of "building around the youth" he would go for it. He is trying hard to bring good free agents to the Suns but hasn't managed to score one yet but i still want to give him some time about that. He also makes good trades, i'm not saying that he has perfect history but well nobody has. We can bring a new gm and he could overpay for average vets and mediocre players. Do you really want a team that going to be a first round exit every year without having any assets.

Getting a solid coach should be a priority this summer, it is our biggest need. I like the candidates in the poll (Messina,Blatt,Budenholzer) but if i were in McD's shoes i would target assistant coach of Utah Jazz, Igor Kokoskov. I liked his rotation and decision making in the Eurocup with Slovenia. Also if we draft Doncic, having him as the coach would be perfect.

I've heard a lot of good things about Kokoskov.

I wonder if Jasikevicius would like to coach in the NBA. He was a heck of a floor general and now doing great things as a young coach with a limited roster. Great basketball mind.

Stark wrote:I still like McD as our GM because he gives reasonable and solid contract to the players which is the most common mistake that almost every gm fall for in the NBA. He drafts well and he is not scared of taking risks which is sometimes could be a negative but i still believe that if there is an opportunity to improve the team without hurting our general plan of "building around the youth" he would go for it. He is trying hard to bring good free agents to the Suns but hasn't managed to score one yet but i still want to give him some time about that. He also makes good trades, i'm not saying that he has perfect history but well nobody has. We can bring a new gm and he could overpay for average vets and mediocre players. Do you really want a team that going to be a first round exit every year without having any assets.

Getting a solid coach should be a priority this summer, it is our biggest need. I like the candidates in the poll (Messina,Blatt,Budenholzer) but if i were in McD's shoes i would target assistant coach of Utah Jazz, Igor Kokoskov. I liked his rotation and decision making in the Eurocup with Slovenia. Also if we draft Doncic, having him as the coach would be perfect.

I agree with most of this. Especially with the fact that at least we have a direction right now, where we seem committed to the rebuild. In terms of the good trades though, McD made some very iffy ones as well - and you could argue that he's directly contributed to tanking the value of some of our key players due to mismanaging personalities. All in all, I would continue the course with McD, at least for another offseason or two to really see what he can do in the free agent market as well as to see what we really have in players like Jackson, Bender, and Chriss.

I forgot about Kokoskov, but i like him as a candidate. Certainly more attainable than Messina. Does anyone remember anything about his stint with the Suns as an assistant?

Mr Puddles wrote:

Stark wrote:I still like McD as our GM because he gives reasonable and solid contract to the players which is the most common mistake that almost every gm fall for in the NBA. He drafts well and he is not scared of taking risks which is sometimes could be a negative but i still believe that if there is an opportunity to improve the team without hurting our general plan of "building around the youth" he would go for it. He is trying hard to bring good free agents to the Suns but hasn't managed to score one yet but i still want to give him some time about that. He also makes good trades, i'm not saying that he has perfect history but well nobody has. We can bring a new gm and he could overpay for average vets and mediocre players. Do you really want a team that going to be a first round exit every year without having any assets.

Getting a solid coach should be a priority this summer, it is our biggest need. I like the candidates in the poll (Messina,Blatt,Budenholzer) but if i were in McD's shoes i would target assistant coach of Utah Jazz, Igor Kokoskov. I liked his rotation and decision making in the Eurocup with Slovenia. Also if we draft Doncic, having him as the coach would be perfect.

I agree with most of this. Especially with the fact that at least we have a direction right now, where we seem committed to the rebuild. In terms of the good trades though, McD made some very iffy ones as well - and you could argue that he's directly contributed to tanking the value of some of our key players due to mismanaging personalities. All in all, I would continue the course with McD, at least for another offseason or two to really see what he can do in the free agent market as well as to see what we really have in players like Jackson, Bender, and Chriss.

I forgot about Kokoskov, but i like him as a candidate. Certainly more attainable than Messina. Does anyone remember anything about his stint with the Suns as an assistant?

I don't, but I do recall that

Thespianoid wrote:.

was a fan and had some insight on him. Care to repeat that Thespianoid?

I wouldn't mind giving Triano a full season so he can have a training camp and bring the players he wants that would fit his system and also maybe bring in Nash as an assistant coach since they are good friends. Nash could definitely help with player development especially whoever the hell is our new PG next season.

Tom Izzo

Fire McD, hire David Griffin. You just cannot have a guy who's as bad with people as McD is as a GM. The NBA is a people business.

coach: Messina > Bud > maybe Fizdale > who knows

Head Coach
Tony Bennett - Most intriguing
Dan Marjerle - fan favourite
David Fizdale - safe choice


GM
Wouldn't have a clue

I'm fine with McD as the GM. The vast majority of the trade/signings he's done have been praised by the vast majority of the board at the time. So faulting him for failures that most of us would have done seems wrong. Yes, you can sight some bad moves, but compared to most of the league he has fared decently.

My interest is a coach. This franchise has a LONG history of following a pattern and it needs to stop. Just because you can pay a HC less than the market for a vet, it doesnt mean you should do it.

Ainge - 96-99 - Rookie
Skiles - 99-02 - Rookie w/1 year Assistant (internal promotion)
Johnson - 02-03 - Rookie
D'Antoni - 03-08 - Multiple years (internal promotion)
Porter - 08-09 - Rookie
Gentry - 09-13 - Multiple years HC/Assistant (internal promotion)
Hunter - 2013 - Rookie w/1 year Assistant (internal promotion)
Horny - 13-16 - Rookie w/1 year Assistant (internal promotion)
Watson - 16-17 - Rookie w/1 year Assistant (internal promotion)
Triano - 17 - Multiple years HC/Assistant (internal promotion)

20 years and 10 head coaches. Of the 10, three have been rookies with no experience. And the other 7, 4 were first time head coaches, promoted within, with 1 year of assistant experience. The other 3 were internal promotions, with multiple years of head coach experience.

This team hasnt had a veteran external hire in 20+ years. I find it crazy that 7/10 head coaches we've had have been promoted after the HC got canned or left.

DaleyBlind wrote:Head Coach
Tony Bennett - Most intriguing
Dan Marjerle - fan favourite
David Fizdale - safe choice


GM
Wouldn't have a clue

I'll say it again. There is NO CHANCE Marjerle even considers. The suns hired Watson over him, and didnt even grant him an interview for the job. He was so pissed he quit, and landed himself the perfect job as GCU.

Honestly, he would be a great fit, but that bridge has been burned IMO.

asudevil wrote:

DaleyBlind wrote:Head Coach
Tony Bennett - Most intriguing
Dan Marjerle - fan favourite
David Fizdale - safe choice


GM
Wouldn't have a clue

I'll say it again. There is NO CHANCE Marjerle even considers. The suns hired Watson over him, and didnt even grant him an interview for the job. He was so pissed he quit, and landed himself the perfect job as GCU.

Honestly, he would be a great fit, but that bridge has been burned IMO.

Naaaaah. There are very few opportunities for every coach to be a head coach in the NBA. He's coaching GC **** U, not Duke or UNC. I'm sure even lowest paid coaches in NBA are making significantly more money than Majerle is making at GCU. IMO it wouldn't be hard at all to convince him to be the Suns head coach, if we really want him.

And BTW, we hired Lindsey Hunter over him, not Watson.

gaspar wrote:

asudevil wrote:

DaleyBlind wrote:Head Coach
Tony Bennett - Most intriguing
Dan Marjerle - fan favourite
David Fizdale - safe choice


GM
Wouldn't have a clue

I'll say it again. There is NO CHANCE Marjerle even considers. The suns hired Watson over him, and didnt even grant him an interview for the job. He was so pissed he quit, and landed himself the perfect job as GCU.

Honestly, he would be a great fit, but that bridge has been burned IMO.

Naaaaah. There are very few opportunities for every coach to be a head coach in the NBA. He's coaching GC **** U, not Duke or UNC. I'm sure even lowest paid coaches in NBA are making significantly more money than Majerle is making at GCU. IMO it wouldn't be hard at all to convince him to be the Suns head coach, if we really want him.

And BTW, we hired Lindsey Hunter over him, not Watson.

You are right...my bad. Even WORSE. Who wouldnt turn their head at a franchise who already tossed aside him, a fan favorite (and didnt even give an interview to), for a guy with less experience as an assisant with the franchise (5 years vs 1 year)?

Watson was the LOWEST paid HC in the NBA last year. So i'm pretty sure any move from GCU to the NBA for Majerle would be a step up. The point is, if Dan wants to coach in the NBA i'm pretty sure there is a better opportunity than:

a.) choosing a coach who lasted 1/2 a season and had a 29% record over him
b.) being offered the lowest paid contract in the NBA from a team that has established themselves as already doing so.
c.) coaching for the fan base turned on Horney out after 3 years (he was also a fan favorite at the time)

Majerle is establishing himself as at least a good head coach at the NCAA level. Beyond GCU, if he wanted, he could easily find himself making more than Watson did with another university. And if the NBA is his next step, then he's better off choosing anywhere else for the money. The Suns honestly should be at the bottom of his list for the money.