The Suns announced Earl Watson as their new head coach

[Gorilla Warfare]

I like Watson, and I know the players love him, but I just don't like the call. Not expecting us to win any championships until Curry and Klay retire anyways, but still.

[letsgosuns]

Earl Watson played with Kevin Durant for two years. Just saying. Hahaha.

[Son of Ra]

Once Monster Mirza said he'd only come back if Watson stayed the FO had no other choice really...

[NavLDO]

I'm OK with this move, we didn't have a ton of great options out there. We are a rebuilding team without All-Stars players, hard to sell that to experienced coaches.

Watson knows how to motivate players to play hard and that is a really important skill in a head coach. He connects with players and he is pretty clear about their roles and expectations.

Hopefully this is the first step on the right direction for our team and we can see in he next few years a successful team.

I agree, I like the hiring. That said, I also agree with rsavaj's point about interviewing a couple of different candidates to at least see their vision for the team; it's possible another candidate may have a different 'pulse' on how to approach the Draft and FA that our current core has not thought about.

But what's done is done, and I actually like Watson for two very important reasons: perception of loyalty and respect. The Suns have been viewed, as of late, as not being 'faithful' or showing 'loyalty' to the staff and players. Maybe this helps to build up our reputation, at lest a smidgen.

Also, the player's supported him and in exit interviews, gave their support to Watson. These players interact with other players on other teams quite often, and if the 'reputation' for playing for Watson is really good.,.MAYBE, just MAYBE, that gets a couple more FAs, or players looking for a trade, to think long and hard about coming here. And if the team (Sarver/McDonough) have shown faith in giving him a 3 year deal (though I know that means little other than they think he's the guy for the long haul), maybe that also helps to 'repair' our FO reputation around the league by sticking with the guy they gave the interim slot to.

IDK, I could be way off-base, but it's a possibility, I think.

[Maystack]

I think next season is all about development, so going out and spending big cash to get a big name coach isn't something I would have liked to see. I'm okay with this decision.

Why not though? Spending money on coaches, GMs, etc. doesn't impact the salary cap at all. There's essentially no reason to cheap out on that part of your franchise unless you're more concerned with your bottom line than the product on the court.

Oh I didn't realise that wasn't included in the cap.

[Walt_Uoob]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/2/22/11081676/phoenix-suns-give-credit-to-earl-watson-for-markieff-morris-trade-to

Watson's willingness to make Kieff the focus of the team in order to build up his trade value has to play in here too. If you're McDonough, it must be nice to have a coach who will work with you to do things like that even if it means sacrificing wins AND sacrificing development of other players. Hornacek seemed too stubborn to do something like that.

[rsavaj]

Gambo says they didn't interview anybody else.

Again, I refuse to believe that McDonough is the type of dude who doesn't interview other candidates for a job opening. I'm doubly skeptical that he willingly chooses to tie his future to Earl Watson when he himself is already on the hot seat. This has got Sarver's fingerprints all over it.

Not saying Earl couldn't end up being the right dude...but this is just odd.

[Gorilla Warfare]

Chris Broussard just tweeted saying he liked the Suns' decision. Way to throw gas on this dumpster fire, ya jerk.

[kennydorglas]

This is sad.
I'm not happy with this decision at all but let's hope for the best.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Lets be real. Fans are in such a state that no matter what the FO does, it's wrong.

[Saberestar]

Had a Suns player tell me the team all wanted Earl Watson back, said he knows the game, doesn't BS guys and is real direct.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gambo987/status/722524219750264836

“One of the things that stood out was this: Every single player on the roster came to us at the end of the season and said that this is the guy we want as head coach,” McDonough told The Vertical.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--earl-watson-agrees-to-three-year-deal-to-coach-suns-192519784.html

Good to hear that everyone it's on the same page about Watson.

[jcsunsfan]

Had a Suns player tell me the team all wanted Earl Watson back, said he knows the game, doesn't BS guys and is real direct.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gambo987/status/722524219750264836

“One of the things that stood out was this: Every single player on the roster came to us at the end of the season and said that this is the guy we want as head coach,” McDonough told The Vertical.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--earl-watson-agrees-to-three-year-deal-to-coach-suns-192519784.html

Good to hear that everyone it's on the same page about Watson.

The whole quote is amazing. The entire team came one by one to support Watson. But not just that. They said he was the right guy AND it would be a mistake to hire anyone else. I do not know if I have ever heard of that happening.

Here it is. Watson is clearly a teacher, motivator, philosopher and psychologist. I am not so sure about the x's and o's. But Phil Jackson was just like that too. Jackson kept Tex Winter along with him whereever he went to be the x's and o's guy. Maybe Watson can hire a seasoned basketball mind to provide the tactical portion of the coaching.

Jim Boylen? I could see him leaving the Bulls.

[SunsFanSSOL]

Price, Teletovic, Knight and Booker all showed up at the press conference.

[RunDogGun]

I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's great that the players all wanted Watson, but I was hoping for a more established coach with a solid system.

[jcsunsfan]

I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's great that the players all wanted Watson, but I was hoping for a more established coach with a solid system.

There is a rule of thumb in business, "if you cannot hire the best, hire someone who will become the best." Who knows? Maybe.

[RunDogGun]

I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's great that the players all wanted Watson, but I was hoping for a more established coach with a solid system.

There is a rule of thumb in business, "if you cannot hire the best, hire someone who will become the best." Who knows? Maybe.

Hopefully, but I just didn't see a huge improvement in the offense. Now it's totally possible that he just didn't want to introduce a new offense to finish the season, but I'll wait to see. The real issue is all our players were inconsistent throughout the year, and it didn't seem to matter who was coach for that.

Good news is Watson loved giving Tucker huge minutes, so it will be fun to watch so many fans go crazy for most of next season.

[batsmasher]

Well then.... well then.

Ugh, not a fan.

But tbh I'm not a fan of many of the options out there. So this might be okay.

[Jdiddy701]

Says a lot that some players were at the news conference. Eric Bledsoe posted on his Instagram congratulating Earl Watson. What is more surprising is Mirza Teletivic being there! He doesn't even play for the Suns right now.

Very happy the Suns made the right decision.


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[Damkac]

Good news is Watson loved giving Tucker huge minutes, so it will be fun to watch so many fans go crazy for most of next season.

It's not like he has somebody else who can play instead of Tucker with Warren's injury.

[MathiasPW]

If we assume this year we will suck, we can give Watson a couple of seasons to develop our whole youth core. I hope the third year is a team option