The Coaching Thread

[Revived]

If Hunter is let go after the season (which is what seems to be the likely scenario) who takes over for him?

Do you want a retread, a current NBA assistant or a college coach to be the next Suns HC?

My two favorite choices are Lester Connor, who even a few Hawks fans say is the only reason that the Hawks aren't a lottery team and Mike Budenholzer who in my opinion can be a great HC in this league considering his resume and experience learning from the best in the business.

I just don't want another "defensive specialist" type HC. I'm just tired of it. Terry Porter, Lindsay Hunter...eh. I want a guy who has the potential to coach both sides of the court extremely well.

BTW here's a list of possible HC candidates in case anyone was interested..the one's that are already taken have been marked off.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_ ... candidates

[Cutter]

I like the thought of a Tom Thibedeau type coach. Tough, intense, defense oriented but able to run a very good offense as well. Not sure who that would be though......

[Revived]

I like the thought of a Tom Thibedeau type coach. Tough, intense, defense oriented but able to run a very good offense as well. Not sure who that would be though......

Dean Demopoulos He coaches defenses, and his arrival in Los Angeles coincided with a notable Clipper improvement at that end. Not a bad reputation, in the year everyone wants to hire the next Thibodeau.

[MarcoPolo]

I would put my hands on Stan Van Gundy

Why:
- work ethic (no more players uniterested in putting effort, he damanded from guys to put their skills in a game, they worked much harder in training at Orlando then here in Phx, all the clowns like Beasley and Brown would work their ass and if not they won't see the basketball court).

He'd bring commanding leadership to this team, something they don't seem to have under Gentry and now Hunter(who isn't actually coaching using mostly Igor Kokoskov to run the team)

He was in NBA finals so he has got an expirience and I think he knows how to deal with a pressure and IMO he is one of the best available.

Also (not my words but i agree)

He's got a demanding style about his game that is sometimes stubborn but has constantly allowed him to demand respect from his players and to overachieve.

Aside from that, no coach has used the stretch-four quite as well as Van Gundy did with Rashard Lewis.(Frye, Morris Blues Brothers)

[DRK]

Donnie Walsh may be availiable? Make it happen!

As an assistant**

[ShawnBronald]

Most Suns fans are wondering if (and hoping that) Lindsey Hunter will be gone at the end of the year. Looking at his record and the way the team has played (or not played) under him would lead most to believe he's already gone. Of course, knowing who's in charge and what their motives have been, one could assume Lindsey is safe.

This morning, an 'insider' of sorts seems to believe Lindsey will, in fact, be fired at the end of the year. On Twitter, our own Mr. ORNG said this:

Cannot wait for the #Suns to let Lindsey go! Then we really can focus on the future.

A fan replied to him saying, "Not gonna happen," to which Mr. ORNG said, "Oh yes it is." The fan shot back, "Ehh I hope so. Only thing that makes me not think so is Babby always defends him on Doug and Wolf. Seems like he is 'their guy'," to which Mr. ORNG stated, "it is their guy, but he will b gone."

Poor grammar and spelling aside, the ORNG one seems certain Hunter will be terminated at the conclusion of the season. He was one of the first to report that Hunter had been hired as the Interim Head Coach and was the first to report that Shannon Brown had been re-signed in the offseason to a 2-year contract.

So I ask all of you (and Mr. ORNG, if you're reading), is this just wishful thinking or is there some inside knowledge at work?

Update: Mr. ORNG added this morning:

personally don't think he deserves it, but my sources tell me we are not keeping him

my sources tell me that. I don't think he us a fit at all. That would be a good look with SVG

[Kerrsed]

Im sticking with my original answer (after the Gentry firing). Mike Malone.

Chris Mannix ‏@ChrisMannixSI
The name of Warriors assistant Mike Malone mentioned often by rival execs in connection w/Suns job. Strong candidate this summer

https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixSI/statu ... 2340222976

He is a very defense minded coach and is a Blanks guy (from their time together in Cleveland). He was originally a top contender to take over after we gave Gentry the axe, but we gave the interim job to Hunter, im guessing so Malone could have a fresh slate with a fresh squad starting off with a fresh season after a fresh summer training camp.

From Brightside back in January:

Mike Malone

Though he might have the least recognizable name on this list, Mike Malone may be a prominent candidate to take over the Suns this summer. According to CNNSI’s Ian Thomsen, the Warriors’ assistant coach is on a short list of candidates due in small part to his previous relationship with Suns’ GM Lance Blanks. Malone was lead assistant in Cleveland when Blanks worked in the Cavaliers front office. The fact that a source has proffered that the Suns might hire externally this summer points to the front office promoting an assistant like Hunter or Turner to interim head coach for the rest of the season. In addition to working for the Cavs and Warriors, Malone was also lead assistant under Monty Williams in New Orleans. He has been a coach at the NBA level for 10 years. Working under Mark Jackson at Golden State, Malone is getting a great deal of experience developing young players like Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green. Young player development as well as integration with established veterans will be key for the Suns moving forward. Malone might not be the flashiest name available, but with Phoenix staring down the barrel of a sub-30 win season, substance and experience will be far more important that name recognition and flash.

Read more: http://valleyofthesuns.com/2013/01/18/a ... uns-coach/

He is currently an assistant with the Warriors, and if you cant tell, they have really stepped up their Defense this year (tied with Miami for 4th place in opponent team FG%).

According to NBA.com:

Michael Malone brings 10 years of NBA coaching experience to the Warriors, having most recently served as the lead assistant coach for the New Orleans Hornets this past season. In New Orleans, under Head Coach Monty Williams, Malone helped lead the Hornets to a 46-36 record and a trip to the 2011 NBA Playoffs. The Hornets were the most improved defensive team in the NBA last season, allowing a league-best 8.7 fewer points per game than in the previous campaign (94.0 points per contest, after giving up 102.7 in 2009-10.) Additionally, the Hornets limited their opponents to 45.7% shooting from the field in 2010-11 compared to 48.3% the previous season.

Prior to joining the Hornets, Malone served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers for the previous five seasons. During his time in Cleveland, the Cavs posted a 272-138 (.663) record, which was the third-best mark in the NBA over that span. The Cavaliers made five consecutive playoff appearances during Malone’s time on the bench, reaching the NBA Finals in 2007 and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. In 2008-09, the Cavs notched a franchise record and NBA-best 66 wins.

Malone’s NBA coaching career began with a four-season stint with the New York Knicks, where he originally joined the team as a coaching associate in the summer of 2001, and was promoted to assistant coach in May 2003. Prior to joining the Knicks, Malone spent seven years coaching in the college ranks.

Also here is the SI article briefly mentioning the Blanks/Cleveland connection and how we were looking at him for head coach duty's: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/ne ... &eref=sihp

He is also being talked about with regards to being a possible replacement for Doug Collins in Philly.

Mike Malone: An assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, Malone also held that position for the Cleveland Cavaliers and New Orleans Hornets. He was on the bench with Brown in Cleveland when it made its run to the NBA Finals in 2007. He is considered one of the hot assistant coaches whose name will be mentioned with most coaching vacancies.

http://articles.philly.com/2013-04-16/s ... arry-brown

[HOPPZ]

Bring in Phil Jackson to oversee basketball ops and bring in SVG to coach. Boom!

[Bulk]

Right now, almost any new coach is an upgrade of the current one. Same goes for the GM position.

The recent news with PJax itching to get back to work are teasing me...

[ShawnBronald]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/ken-berger/22097385/coaching-changes-lindsey-hunter-could-be-in-trouble-in-phoenix

Just saw this article, not sure it's been posted anywhere yet.

The Suns conducted their exit interviews a week ago, and a person familiar with the process told CBSSports.com that interim coach Lindsey Hunter did not fare well in his player evaluations. The Suns went 12-29 under Hunter -- one game worse than the first half of the season under Alvin Gentry -- and there's a feeling among some players that the team regressed. "Players don't want him back," one league source said. President Lon Babby received a two-year extension earlier this month. GM Lance Blanks, who was instrumental in appointing Hunter as interim coach, has one year left on his contract.

[rsavaj]

I'm all for Malone or Budenholzer, but Budenholzer will never leave Pop

[Revived]

Anyone else notice that we haven't hired a white HC since firing D'Antoni? Not that I really care too much, just an observation.

[Kerrsed]

Anyone else notice that we haven't hired a white HC since firing D'Antoni? Not that I really care too much, just an observation.

Its because the league has become about hiring ex-players as coaches, and, well.......yeah.

[toucansma]

What about Igor Kokoskov? Players respect him and he has learned under Larry Brown (fundamentals and defense). Granted he has been involved a lot now, but may flourish without Hunter

[Frank Lee]

Given the Blank's penchant for hiring familiar faces, I'd put Malone as the front runner. Good read up there Kerrsed.... I am with you on this one.

[TASTIC]

yeah Malone gets my vote - has the credentials to coach a young team.

Another name I saw the other day - Fred Hoiberg:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab--nba ... 00359.html

[ShawnBronald]

My vote is for anyone not named Lindsey Hunter.

I like Malone as well as many other potential candidates. Babby needs to first decide whether or not he's sticking with Blanks or not. As far as I'm concerned, they know what they can expect from Blanks at this point. Either extend his contract or fire him now.... no need to have him stick around as a lame duck GM. If you fire him, they need to hire a new GM before conducting coaching interviews (obviously). If they extend him, he needs to do a thorough interview of all candidates and make a wise, well thought out decision, not just hire a buddy of his (think: Kerr with Porter and Blanks with Hunter).

[DirtyDez]

Someone with patience who is strong in player development = Marc Iavaroni

[Revived]

Its a bit alarming that so many teams have already fired their HCs while the Suns stand PAT...

I surely hope they don't plan on going with Hunter as HC for next season unless their goal is to try and get Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker...

[Revived]

Anyone else notice that we haven't hired a white HC since firing D'Antoni? Not that I really care too much, just an observation.

Its because the league has become about hiring ex-players as coaches, and, well.......yeah.

Yea but if you think about it, only Doc Rivers and Lionel Hollins have fared well lately among the African American coaches.

I guess one could also make a case for Mike Woodson.