Who will survive this season?

[darealjuice]

I think you have a better chance of getting a good coach if you get a first time head coach though, unless a solid one is let go. Most of the ex head coaches are ex head coaches for a good reason. And most ex head coaches would not want to coach a really young team.

And to be honest, I am not entirely sure people would be excited to coach Booker and Ayton. More likely a guy like Ayton, though at the same time, bigs don't seem to have the importance they used to. My guess is that Booker would frustrate most head coaches, despite his talent. I know Pop has said good things about him but he hasn't had to coach him as a guy who is or thinks he is the best guy on a team either.

I don't really think that's the case. There may be some big hits as first time coaches, but there are far more misses. We might not hit an out-of-nowhere home run with an ex-head coach, but there's a far better chance of us not completely whiffing it like we have for basically every coach in the past decade. Obviously that's not a guarantee with all ex-coaches, but we've seen first hand that there are no guarantees with first timers either.

I don't really get why you'd think that. Booker and Ayton are still some of the most talented young players in the league regardless of their faults. It hasn't translated to wins, but this team isn't built to win games no matter what lip service we got last offseason. Even LeBron can barely drag a young and poorly constructed roster into the playoff race, and we're younger and built even worse.

[Saberestar]

I was listening to Gambo today, and he seems to think Igor could get fired if we lose tonight because we have a long break until our next game Friday for the interim coach to get the team together, and they can play damage control by calling it McDonough's hire. It might just be them spitballing but it wouldn't surprise me given how this franchise operates.

Knowing Sarver, I kind of expect him to fire Igor, but I don't see a real reason in doing it in the season (not that Sarver operates with much reasoning)....Prunty isn't head coaching material.

Igor should finish out the season, and imo get at least one more season, but who knows? I can't imagine who would consider coming to coach Phx if he is fired. It would have to be an assistant and likely not a big name one who would be a prime candidate for a bigger better job. I mentioned Bret Brielmaier just because I think the Nets have done well, he was also with the Cavs and Jones and with Pop in SA and with Lute Olson at UofA so I think he would probably be a good consideration that would likely be the type of guy that would be up for it and have some nice experience.

But it would be starting over again, which I don't think is good.

Every season there is a good HC available.

Last year was Budenholzer, and he gave Sarver an opportunity to sign him and come back to Arizona.
Clifford was another good veteran coach available. He is making a great job for the young Orlando Magic.

This summer someone like Alvin Gentry can be available if the Pelicans want to start rebuilding. And some other coachs for sure.

I am torn about Kokoskov...

[Qwigglez]

If for some reason the Pelicans let go of Alvin Gentry, I'd like to give him a go-round again. He did a very good job taking over in 2008-09, and then we had some of our best rotations in 2009-10 season. I really feel like he got the most out of our players in 09-10, and utilizes players correctly to their strengths. Even now with the Pelicans, I don't think E'Twaun Moore would have been solid without Gentry utilizing him correctly, and with Rondo last year. Okafor, Randle, and Payton all look good too. I doubt he is let go, but if for some reason they decide to move on from him and go in a new direction, we should definitely call him up. He also helped Kerr a lot with rotations when the Warriors won their first title in 2014-15.

[Qwigglez]

Every season there is a good HC available.

Last year was Budenholzer, and he gave Sarver an opportunity to sign him and come back to Arizona.
Clifford was another good veteran coach available. He is making a great job for the young Orlando Magic.

This summer someone like Alvin Gentry can be available if the Pelicans want to start rebuilding. And some other coachs for sure.

I am torn about Kokoskov...

Looks like we are on the same page here.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I really like Gentry as a coach. But should be noted for all those 'we need to pound the post with Ayton' people that Gentry is absolutely not that kind of coach. He wants to play fast fast fast. Now I like the run and gun system myself and if they would happen to hire him I would absolutely sniff around Lonzo Ball again because I think he would be a really good fit for how Gentry wants to play.

[RunDogGun]

I think many forgot a lot of Genty's issues. He lucked out having one of the best team chemistry teams the Suns have had. The hockey rotation worked ok, but the players had a huge impact on that. He often would just take out the hot hand for no reason other than to rotate players. Guys would look back at him asking if he was sure he wanted them to sub in. Many players just walk back to the bench. After we lost that great team of 2010, Gentry had a difficult time trying to reproduce it.

Overall, I feel its not smart to put spoiled milk back in the fridge in hopes that it will be good tomorrow.

Hard no on Gentry.

[bwgood77]

I was listening to Gambo today, and he seems to think Igor could get fired if we lose tonight because we have a long break until our next game Friday for the interim coach to get the team together, and they can play damage control by calling it McDonough's hire. It might just be them spitballing but it wouldn't surprise me given how this franchise operates.

Knowing Sarver, I kind of expect him to fire Igor, but I don't see a real reason in doing it in the season (not that Sarver operates with much reasoning)....Prunty isn't head coaching material.

Igor should finish out the season, and imo get at least one more season, but who knows? I can't imagine who would consider coming to coach Phx if he is fired. It would have to be an assistant and likely not a big name one who would be a prime candidate for a bigger better job. I mentioned Bret Brielmaier just because I think the Nets have done well, he was also with the Cavs and Jones and with Pop in SA and with Lute Olson at UofA so I think he would probably be a good consideration that would likely be the type of guy that would be up for it and have some nice experience.

But it would be starting over again, which I don't think is good.

Every season there is a good HC available.

Last year was Budenholzer, and he gave Sarver an opportunity to sign him and come back to Arizona.
Clifford was another good veteran coach available. He is making a great job for the young Orlando Magic.

This summer someone like Alvin Gentry can be available if the Pelicans want to start rebuilding. And some other coachs for sure.

I am torn about Kokoskov...

I think if there are good ones, it will depend on what other jobs are out there. Hopefully we don't have to start over again though. Our players deserve at least a little continuity to continue to grow and play together and move the ball.

[bwgood77]

I think many forgot a lot of Genty's issues. He lucked out having one of the best team chemistry teams the Suns have had. The hockey rotation worked ok, but the players had a huge impact on that. He often would just take out the hot hand for no reason other than to rotate players. Guys would look back at him asking if he was sure he wanted them to sub in. Many players just walk back to the bench. After we lost that great team of 2010, Gentry had a difficult time trying to reproduce it.

Overall, I feel its not smart to put spoiled milk back in the fridge in hopes that it will be good tomorrow.

Hard no on Gentry.

He was definitely good with D'Antoni's system and Nash, Amare, Hill, J-Rich and a backup unit of Dragic, Barbosa, Dudley, Tucker and Frye and is pretty good with AD, Jrue some Boogie or Mirotic, etc.....but with a team like ours, I don't know. I mean he has been underachieving with a top 5 player for awhile.

He wasn't great once he lost Amare and really dropped off when he lost Nash and lost his job.

[RunDogGun]

I think many forgot a lot of Genty's issues. He lucked out having one of the best team chemistry teams the Suns have had. The hockey rotation worked ok, but the players had a huge impact on that. He often would just take out the hot hand for no reason other than to rotate players. Guys would look back at him asking if he was sure he wanted them to sub in. Many players just walk back to the bench. After we lost that great team of 2010, Gentry had a difficult time trying to reproduce it.

Overall, I feel its not smart to put spoiled milk back in the fridge in hopes that it will be good tomorrow.

Hard no on Gentry.

He was definitely good with D'Antoni's system and Nash, Amare, Hill, J-Rich and a backup unit of Dragic, Barbosa, Dudley, Tucker and Frye and is pretty good with AD, Jrue some Boogie or Mirotic, etc.....but with a team like ours, I don't know. I mean he has been underachieving with a top 5 player for awhile.

He wasn't great once he lost Amare and really dropped off when he lost Nash and lost his job.

I think it was the players that made the coach, not the other way around. Gentry is a good guy, and ok coach. I didnt like many things he did, but we are usually over critical of coaches and players around here sometimes.

I think we should stick with Koko for at least another year. I think Bridges is coming along well, and other players are showing flashes of doing the right things. If we can rangle in Booker and Ayton, add the right pieces at the point and power forward position, while retaining guys like Holmes, I think we might have a decent group for Koko to lead next year. But this season should not be a reflection of what Koko can do.

[lilfishi22]

Knowing Sarver, I kind of expect him to fire Igor, but I don't see a real reason in doing it in the season (not that Sarver operates with much reasoning)....Prunty isn't head coaching material.

Igor should finish out the season, and imo get at least one more season, but who knows? I can't imagine who would consider coming to coach Phx if he is fired. It would have to be an assistant and likely not a big name one who would be a prime candidate for a bigger better job. I mentioned Bret Brielmaier just because I think the Nets have done well, he was also with the Cavs and Jones and with Pop in SA and with Lute Olson at UofA so I think he would probably be a good consideration that would likely be the type of guy that would be up for it and have some nice experience.

But it would be starting over again, which I don't think is good.

Every season there is a good HC available.

Last year was Budenholzer, and he gave Sarver an opportunity to sign him and come back to Arizona.
Clifford was another good veteran coach available. He is making a great job for the young Orlando Magic.

This summer someone like Alvin Gentry can be available if the Pelicans want to start rebuilding. And some other coachs for sure.

I am torn about Kokoskov...

I think if there are good ones, it will depend on what other jobs are out there. Hopefully we don't have to start over again though. Our players deserve at least a little continuity to continue to grow and play together and move the ball.

Yeah there were a number of good opportunities out there last offseason with us probably being one of the worst and it was pretty clear the Milwaukee job was by far the most coveted so they would have their pick of the best coaches.

[lilfishi22]

I want us to stick with Igor considering the improving Ayton defense but if he was let go for some reason, I think Luke Walton has to be my #1 on the list of potentially available coaches. I loved what he did with a very young Laker team before Lebron came onboard and if he was to be fired, it's less because of his coaching or development ability and more about his fit with Lebron.

[oligo]

There is still 20 games left in this season. Currently, the Suns are 12-50. With a tanking mode in a full swing across the league, I would not be surprised if the Suns somehow manage to climb at 18-19 wins. Still a bad record, but much better than it looks now. You'll play Nola three times with AD on minute restriction, and then you have a set of home games: Wizards, Grizzlies, Cavs. So that's 6 games where you can compete for that W. But honestly in last 10 games I would slowly put Booker to minute restriction and give him a rest to prevent any unnecessary injuries.

Maybe later I will write a bit longer text about my thoughts for offseason.