620 KTAR breaking news

[Rab]

Just heard from Dave Byrnes that Thunder Dan has locked down an assistant coaching postition.

Weird.

 

[Covert Rain]

Just heard from Dave Byrnes that Thunder Dan has locked down an assistant coaching postition.

Weird.

I think he is brought in to relate to the younger guys. I am not so sure about Dan's actually ability to coach.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

He will be playing the role of the team's equivalent of Farmer Fran

You must be registered for see images

 

[Nash2Amare]

Nooooooooooooooo

Bender AND EJ at the same time? EJ isn't bad, but Bender is awful. Majerle was great, good laugh.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think he is brought in to relate to the younger guys. I am not so sure about Dan's actually ability to coach.

This would be my take as well. However, I worry that Dan Majerle might behave like some of the younger guys. He will have a difficult line to walk.

Majerle was a great all around player for the Suns in his younger years. He could really lighten up the attitude of the team as I think the Suns were wound too tight this past season.

 

[O]

He will be playing the role of the team's equivalent of Farmer Fran

You must be registered for see images

That was an image I didn't really need.

 

[Bigdez22]

When did Thunder become Van Wilder????????

I might have to jog my memory but Dan was a great shooter and a heck of a defender.

To think they only brought Dan in because he will relate to the younger guys?(what does that mean anyways? they are going to bring him in because the core of our team is over 30?) Is just naive.

I am glad they brought Thunder into the fold. unlike some people, I am proud of the Suns history and how this franchise is littered with stars from suns teams of the past.

On a side note. If EJ gets an asst job, who will be doing TV?

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

From RealGM boards:

Beat me to it man; I was just about to post that I talked to Coach Gentry a couple hours ago at the team shop after the DBacks game. I don't know why he was just chillin at the team shop, but nobody was really paying any attention to him so I thought I'd try and talk to him; calling him "Coach Gentry" instead of just "hey" or "Coach" seemed to work, and I took a picture with him and asked him if he was going to stay. He said that he was, and that he definitely wasn't a NY kinda guy. I asked him if Phil and Dan were gone and he said "Yeah, we're hiring Dan Majerle and Bill Cartwright." I really, REALLY wanted to ask him his thoughts on A)the Shaq trade, B)Mike leaving or C)Whether or not Barbosa or Diaw would be here after draft day, but I thought that would be pushing my luck as a fan.

So, the coaching staff as of now(if he wasn't lying to me) is
Porter, Gentry, Majerle and Cartwright.

 

[HooverDam]

I have a hard time believing Gentry would just blab to a fan about who the coaching staff is going to be, before contracts and things have been signed, but I suppose anything is possible.

I think Majerle is a fine hire, though I would've preferred Eddie Johnson (also because it gets him off the air) or Jeff Hornacek as a shooting/offense coach type of guy.

 

[Bigdez22]

Thanks YJGS. just some random thoughts.

I thought Silas was going to be part of this staff.

I wish we could have kept Weber.

Not sure how i feel about Gentry being on the staff.

I wonder what kind of relationship Porter and Thunder have? Did they play together in Miami?( Porter did play in Miami......right?)

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Yes they played together in Miami, as seen here.


Maybe Majerle can teach them that move.

 

[Nash2Amare]

Thanks YJGS. just some random thoughts.

I thought Silas was going to be part of this staff.

I wish we could have kept Weber.

Not sure how i feel about Gentry being on the staff.

I wonder what kind of relationship Porter and Thunder have? Did they play together in Miami?( Porter did play in Miami......right?)

Yes, they did.

Porter 98-99

Majerle 98-99

 

[Bigdez22]

Yes they played together in Miami, as seen here.


Maybe Majerle can teach them that move.

hahahahahahaha. How was that not called?

 

[TheHopToad]

Maybe Majerle can teach them that move.

Well, he doesn't have to teach Diaw, he's already a premier traveller...

 

[mojorizen7]

I have a hard time believing Gentry would just blab to a fan about who the coaching staff is going to be, before contracts and things have been signed, but I suppose anything is possible.

I think Majerle is a fine hire, though I would've preferred Eddie Johnson (also because it gets him off the air) or Jeff Hornacek as a shooting/offense coach type of guy.

Most definately would STILL like to see EJ become involved in this coaching staff.. Did i miss the official anouncment of Bill Cartwright as an asst?
I'm not thrilled with the Majerle hiring buy i'm willing to cut him some slack. I just hope he can take this thing seriously ya know?

 

[TheHopToad]

They need to hire Tom Leander as an assistant coach. It gets him off the air and he can teach the young guys how to "elevate and detonate".

 

[HooverDam]

They need to hire Tom Leander as an assistant coach. It gets him off the air and he can teach the young guys how to "elevate and detonate".

Seconded. I wish they'd have McCoy do a radio-tv simulcast like they used to. I know he's slipping a bit in recent years, but he's still the greatest as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Andrew]

Interesting....lets see how it works out...

 

[Joe Mama]

Well, I'm not a big fan of this hire. if there is one that ex-Phoenix Suns player that has been mentioned as a possible coach that I really didn't want it was Dan Majerle. I guess I just don't really see what he brings to the table other than getting along well with the players. I can just see them all hanging out at his bar at night.

Joe

 

[Bigdez22]

Well, I'm not a big fan of this hire. if there is one that ex-Phoenix Suns player that has been mentioned as a possible coach that I really didn't want it was Dan Majerle. I guess I just don't really see what he brings to the table other than getting along well with the players. I can just see them all hanging out at his bar at night.

Joe

I dont understand this thinking. I know Thunder is looked at as a party person(for reasons i dont understand). last time I checked, Thunder was always in shape and always ready to play the game. Was one of the best shooters of the 90's and was a good defender. he might be a bit of a goof, but what is wrong with that?

so my question is.....What is it about Thunder Dan that makes you think will make him a bad coach?

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I dont understand this thinking. I know Thunder is looked at as a party person(for reasons i dont understand). last time I checked, Thunder was always in shape and always ready to play the game. Was one of the best shooters of the 90's and was a good defender. he might be a bit of a goof, but what is wrong with that?

so my question is.....What is it about Thunder Dan that makes you think will make him a bad coach?

Because he has spent the last few years chugging beers on air, chucking up pregame trick shots, and yelling out "Holla!" in random intervals along with "Anchorman" quotes. When he isnt doing that he is plugging his restaurants and partying with strippers.

I am absolutely jealous of his current lifestyle, and would love to be his best friend, but am apprehensive to see him lead or positively impact anyone on the team.

He was and still is one of my favorite players of all time.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Let's remove Dan Marjele's name, what do we have?

A former Olympian. A 3 time all star. #19 in 3 pt fgs made in the NBA. NBA defensive team 2nd teamer. One of Pat Riley's favorite players.

Sounds like a great assistant coach to me.

 

[Rab]

Remove Jordan's name and what do you have?

5 NBA MVP's
6 NBA Finals MVP's
2 NBA AS MVP's (I believe)
6 Time World Champion
Multiple All NBA Defense

How is he at evaluating talent? Not very good as I see it.

Not saying Dan can't be a good asst coach, however.

 

[HooverDam]

one of the best shooters of the 90's

I don't know about that. He didn't really become a 3 point specialist until 92-93 when Hornacek was gone and they needed someone to spread the floor. The year before he took 228 threes, whereas in 93 he took 438 (he did play more minutes, but not twice as many). Early on in his career especially he was more of a slasher. He was never, in my opinion, a 'pure' shooter like a Reggie Miller, Ray Allen or Larry Bird. He didn't have a particularly quick release (if I recall he usually did pretty poor in 3 point contests, which speaks to his somewhat slow release).

All that being said, he was a good, even very good 3 point shooter and he shot a ton of them from 93 on, but 'one of the best of the 90s' seems like a stretch.

 

[mojorizen7]

Majerle was OVERrated as an NBA player.
His defense was pretty good until he bulked up and became slow and very beatable off the dribble.
Yes he could shoot the 3(the deep 3) but he had zero mid-range game,and he stopped taking it to the hole after Barkley arrived.
Majerle hit some huge shots for the SUNS and his effort and hustle was never in question but Majerle's game IMO became very one-dimensional and his defense was HIGHLY overrated.
Maybe there's a side to Dan away from the camera that can take something seriously i don't know....i hope so. Can you hire an assistant coach with zero experience just to teach guys how to hustle? Hmmm