Barkley as Suns GM???

[Azlen]

Bickley seems to like the idea. I'm not so sure. He could be great but he could also be a complete failure.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...ns-gm-would-give-relevance-hometown-team.html

 

[Sunshooter]

Joe Dumars or Isiah Thomas?

 

[JS22]

Sure, why not? As long as he has someone with experience beside him to guide him along. (Kind of like Griffin with Kerr.)

 

[Chaplin]

The alternative is Lance Blanks. There is only ONE answer to that question: A resounding YES.

 

[SirStefan32]

The alternative is Lance Blanks. There is only ONE answer to that question: A resounding YES.

That's exactly right. He could not possibly be worse than Blanks, so why not give him a chance? I'd keep Babby in some capacity though- I think he is very good with the financial side of things.

 

[HooverDam]

Arguing "Well he might be better than Blanks!" is a non starter. Lance Blanks isn't the standard we should be hoping for.

Anyone seriously wanting Barkley as the Suns GM strikes me as a bit touched in the head. The guy only mildly follows the NBA for crying out loud (remember, boxing is his favorite sport, not basketball). How many years did you watch him fail at playing "Who he play for?". The guy knows the stars, and the big story lines, but thats about it. I'd be horrified to have him filling out details of trade, consider complex cap room situations, plan long term, et cetera.

What about Charles Barkley ever made anyone think "well here's a real smart guy"? Nothing. He was a great player, and he's got a fun and funny personality, but thats it. At least when Kerr was hired and had no direct qualifications you at least knew he was intelligent and well informed about the league, Barkley is neither.

I mean good God, watch this, you want this guy as your GM? Its not as if he used to not really follow the league and is now taking things seriously, he's just a clown (which is good for TV, not for a GM):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awKP7xjqWPs

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Anyone seriously wanting Barkley as the Suns GM strikes me as a bit touched in the head.

Yeah, I mean all the guy does is follow basketball all the time, and not sure how much you watch his takes on TNT, but he's usually right.

“They’re not competitive. Even the really bad teams like Cleveland and Sacramento have players to build around. The Suns? Their best players are Goran Dragic and Marcin Gortat.”

Barkley would be by far the most interesting thing that has happened to the team in awhile, and his main focus is to:

A- focus more on player contribution than stats
B- learn from Jordan's mistakes and hire the best people around
C- build a team that rebounds and defends

What a crazy plan! Anyone who wants these things is clearly affected!

 

[Chaplin]

Arguing "Well he might be better than Blanks!" is a non starter. Lance Blanks isn't the standard we should be hoping for.

No, the "standard" is something BETTER than Blanks. And right now, a trained monkey could be better than Blanks.

Anyone seriously wanting Barkley as the Suns GM strikes me as a bit touched in the head. The guy only mildly follows the NBA for crying out loud (remember, boxing is his favorite sport, not basketball). How many years did you watch him fail at playing "Who he play for?". The guy knows the stars, and the big story lines, but thats about it. I'd be horrified to have him filling out details of trade, consider complex cap room situations, plan long term, et cetera.

What about Charles Barkley ever made anyone think "well here's a real smart guy"? Nothing. He was a great player, and he's got a fun and funny personality, but thats it. At least when Kerr was hired and had no direct qualifications you at least knew he was intelligent and well informed about the league, Barkley is neither.

I mean good God, watch this, you want this guy as your GM? Its not as if he used to not really follow the league and is now taking things seriously, he's just a clown (which is good for TV, not for a GM):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awKP7xjqWPs

First of all, being a television personality has some "extracurricular activities" that goes along with it. Would he make a good GM? I don't know. But to think that Blanks is blindly a better GM than Barkley is plain nuts because 1) You have no idea how Barkley would be--and you base it on him being a television personality and 2) Blanks is plain awful. He has no clue at how to be a good GM. He is proving that before your very eyes.

Sure, we'd all love to have Phil Jackson or Jerry West as our GM. Who wouldn't? But right now, MATT freaking Barkley would be a better GM than Lance Blanks. And he does know the Suns, no matter how much you base his entire breadth of knowledge on his pranks with Kenny Smith.

 

[HooverDam]

^Like I said, if you actually watch the NBA on TNT you know Barkley only mildly follows the NBA. He likely could tell you less about each team, its players, coaches and playing style than the average person on this (or any) NBA message board.

He's not "usually right" either. It doesn't take a genius to say the Suns are in a bad way and that they're best players are Gortat and Dragic, and that those aren't great building pieces. Barkley mostly speaks in platitudes and well worn stereotypes about basketball (i.e. "fast tempo can't work", "defense wins championships"--then why didn't you play any Chuck?).

The #1 qualification I want from a GM is someone who is smart. What makes you think Charles Barkley is a person of above average intelligence?

This is a guy who's excuse for driving too fast while drunk was that he was hurrying to a girls house because she gives great ********.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah, I mean all the guy does is follow basketball all the time, and not sure how much you watch his takes on TNT, but he's usually right.

“They’re not competitive. Even the really bad teams like Cleveland and Sacramento have players to build around. The Suns? Their best players are Goran Dragic and Marcin Gortat.”

Barkley would be by far the most interesting thing that has happened to the team in awhile, and his main focus is to:

A- focus more on player contribution than stats
B- learn from Jordan's mistakes and hire the best people around
C- build a team that rebounds and defends

What a crazy plan! Anyone who wants these things is clearly affected!

BOOM!

 

[HooverDam]

BOOM!

Hahah yep him speaking in generic platitudes about the team, that anyone who even barely follows basketball could spout, makes him a well qualified GM candidate.

Good heavens, this message board never ceases to amaze.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The man is undisciplined and Hoover's right, he hasn't seriously followed the NBA since he left it. He talks about defense but if he had a clue how to play defense we wouldn't be sitting around waiting for our first ring. He talks about doing things the right way but if he'd done things the right way, again, we wouldn't be sitting here waiting for our first ring. He talks about wanting to be a GM but he's never shown any willingness to put in the time to learn that job. He wants it handed to him just like Deion Sanders wanted to start at the top in the NFL. He's lazy and his idea's crazy.

Charles would make us the laughing stock of the NBA, we already have Sarver to do that for us. The man cannot keep his mouth shut and he thinks he's a lot smarter than he really is. I have every confidence he'd embarrass himself several times before finally crossing some uncrossable line. He's walked right up to that line several times on TNT and I don't think he's smart enough to realize the line will move once he's no longer paid to be an outspoken clown.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

Hahah yep him speaking in generic platitudes about the team, that anyone who even barely follows basketball could spout, makes him a well qualified GM candidate.

Exactly. It's the same reason Eddie Johnson would make a good head coach.

Shouldn't the Suns pursue leaders who know more than the typical message board poster -- a lot more -- instead of the same amount or less? Saying "Heck, Barkley knows almost as much about the NBA as I do, let's hire him!" seems pretty cynical.

 

[Mainstreet]

Arguing "Well he might be better than Blanks!" is a non starter. Lance Blanks isn't the standard we should be hoping for.

Anyone seriously wanting Barkley as the Suns GM strikes me as a bit touched in the head. The guy only mildly follows the NBA for crying out loud (remember, boxing is his favorite sport, not basketball). How many years did you watch him fail at playing "Who he play for?". The guy knows the stars, and the big story lines, but thats about it. I'd be horrified to have him filling out details of trade, consider complex cap room situations, plan long term, et cetera.

What about Charles Barkley ever made anyone think "well here's a real smart guy"? Nothing. He was a great player, and he's got a fun and funny personality, but thats it. At least when Kerr was hired and had no direct qualifications you at least knew he was intelligent and well informed about the league, Barkley is neither.

I mean good God, watch this, you want this guy as your GM? Its not as if he used to not really follow the league and is now taking things seriously, he's just a clown (which is good for TV, not for a GM):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awKP7xjqWPs

I've got your back on this one HooverDam. Being better than Lance Blanks is a very low criteria. The Suns should aspire to greater goals. Charles was fun to watch as a player and entertaining as a commentator but that's about it. Besides didn't he want to run for Governor of Alabama?

 

[Chaplin]

The man is undisciplined and Hoover's right, he hasn't seriously followed the NBA since he left it. He talks about defense but if he had a clue how to play defense we wouldn't be sitting around waiting for our first ring. He talks about doing things the right way but if he'd done things the right way, again, we wouldn't be sitting here waiting for our first ring. He talks about wanting to be a GM but he's never shown any willingness to put in the time to learn that job. He wants it handed to him just like Deion Sanders wanted to start at the top in the NFL. He's lazy and his idea's crazy.

Charles would make us the laughing stock of the NBA, we already have Sarver to do that for us. The man cannot keep his mouth shut and he thinks he's a lot smarter than he really is. I have every confidence he'd embarrass himself several times before finally crossing some uncrossable line. He's walked right up to that line several times on TNT and I don't think he's smart enough to realize the line will move once he's no longer paid to be an outspoken clown.

Steve

Seriously, can it get any worse??

 

[AzStevenCal]

Seriously, can it get any worse??

History shows that if you can ask this question the answer is usually a scary YES.

Steve

 

[Chaplin]

History shows that if you can ask this question the answer is usually a scary YES.

Steve

One thing Barkley could conceivably do is frustrate Sarver so much that he gets fed up and sells the team. So there's that.

I'm not saying Barkley would be a good, or even average, GM. I'm saying that it is a risk that is worth taking with this group of clowns.

 

[Chaz]

Seriously, can it get any worse??

It was worse in the 3+ months between Kerr and Blanks.

I still don't understand what huge missteps Blanks has made since he has been here that makes everyone think he is an unqualified idiot.

Rebuilding isn't easy or quick unless you get extremely lucky.

As for the idea of Barkley as GM I would laugh if it wasn't such a scary proposition.

 

[Chaplin]

It was worse in the 3+ months between Kerr and Blanks.

I still don't understand what huge missteps Blanks has made since he has been here that makes everyone think he is an unqualified idiot.

Rebuilding isn't easy or quick unless you get extremely lucky.

As for the idea of Barkley as GM I would laugh if it wasn't such a scary proposition.

Cue Phrazbit. From signing Michael Beasley to hiring Lindsey Hunter and alienating Majerle and Turner, he has made bad move after bad move.

 

[Chaz]

Cue Phrazbit. From signing Michael Beasley to hiring Lindsey Hunter and alienating Majerle and Turner, he has made bad move after bad move.

OK, so you have a difference of opinion and therefore he is an idiot.

Got it.

Thanks.

 

[AzStevenCal]

One thing Barkley could conceivably do is frustrate Sarver so much that he gets fed up and sells the team. So there's that.

I'm not saying Barkley would be a good, or even average, GM. I'm saying that it is a risk that is worth taking with this group of clowns.

The thing is, if a week ago someone had asked me to pick the worst possible choice from the basketball world to be our new GM, I'd have nominated Charles. I just don't see how it would be a step up.

Steve

 

[Chaplin]

The thing is, if a week ago someone had asked me to pick the worst possible choice from the basketball world to be our new GM, I'd have nominated Charles. I just don't see how it would be a step up.

Steve

That's valid, of course. I disagree, I think it would be a step up in many ways. Maybe not a big step, but a step nonetheless.

 

[Chaplin]

OK, so you have a difference of opinion and therefore he is an idiot.

Got it.

Thanks.

Wow, that's constructive.

Thanks.

 

[HooverDam]

Do you want this guy as your GM?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XixBwzJ4KTk

He could pick ANY player in the history of the NBA and he took Allen Iverson because he didn't pay enough attention to the rules.

You want him running your war room? That sounds terrifying to me. Our only hope would that he'd be so stuffed on Chris Bianco's pizza that he slept through the draft and let the scouts handle it.

Seriously, can it get any worse??

Maybe! I mean look at the Knicks during the Isiah years, that was probably worse. Lets not risk it.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Charles would make us the laughing stock of the NBA

Uh, too late.

The man cannot keep his mouth shut

Well, that kind of is his job.

and he thinks he's a lot smarter than he really is.

He may be, but he also is smart enough to emphasize that his success would be largely dependent on the people around him. It may be just talk, but it's hard to criticize that philosophy.

I have every confidence he'd embarrass himself several times before finally crossing some uncrossable line.

And I think it's ridiculous to speculate that his current role as a talking head would spill over into his role as a GM.

Barkley would be the most interesting thing to happen to this team in a long time, and philosophically, I agree with most of what he believes in terms of building a championship team.

Further, who the hell else would want to come here as a GM? I imagine after the Kerr debacle, the best and brightest aren't lining up their resumes for ol Bobby Sarver. Barkley is a far more interesting choice, and star players may give us a sniff, whereas with the Lance Blanks of the world get no attention.

Is it a risk? Of course, but when you're in our position now, there is no reason not to take some risks.