Choose The Suns Next Head Coach?

Who would you like to see the Suns hire as head coach this summer?

  • David Fizdale

    Votes: 13 19.1%
  • Jay Wright

    Votes: 23 33.8%
  • Monty Williams

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Jeff Van Gundy

    Votes: 4 5.9%
  • Mark Jackson

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jason Kidd

    Votes: 8 11.8%
  • Jay Triano

    Votes: 5 7.4%
  • Dan Majerle

    Votes: 6 8.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 13 19.1%
  • Mike Budenholzer

    Votes: 12 17.6%

  • Total voters
    68

elindholm

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I'd like to keep Triano in the Suns organization if the Suns can find a suitable role for him. It need not be as an assistant coach. I thought the idea of him coaching the NAZ Suns was a good idea.

Maybe it's an okay idea for the organization, but I doubt that it would be for him. It sounds dreary. I strongly suspect he'd rather be unemployed for a while and wait for a call to be an NBA assistant somewhere else.

It's kind of a bummer for him that agreeing to step in as Interim pretty much sealed his fate with the Suns, but on the other hand NBA coaches rarely stick around in one place for more than a few years regardless.
 

Mainstreet

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Maybe it's an okay idea for the organization, but I doubt that it would be for him. It sounds dreary. I strongly suspect he'd rather be unemployed for a while and wait for a call to be an NBA assistant somewhere else.

It's kind of a bummer for him that agreeing to step in as Interim pretty much sealed his fate with the Suns, but on the other hand NBA coaches rarely stick around in one place for more than a few years regardless.

This may well be the case.

My thoughts were I'd like to keep him around in some capacity. I thought he did a good job of keeping the young players focused.
 

Chaplin

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I'd like to keep Triano in the Suns organization if the Suns can find a suitable role for him. It need not be as an assistant coach. I liked the idea of him coaching the NAZ Suns.
Again, why? You have been pushing this idea of Triano staying on after he is no longer the head coach, and I can’t understand why. When has that ever happened in the NBA?

And that doesn’t take into account the fact that he wasn’t more than average at best this year.
 

Mainstreet

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Again, why? You have been pushing this idea of Triano staying on after he is no longer the head coach, and I can’t understand why. When has that ever happened in the NBA?

And that doesn’t take into account the fact that he wasn’t more than average at best this year.

I already answered this question in post #172.
 

BC867

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I'd like to keep Triano in the Suns organization if the Suns can find a suitable role for him. It need not be as an assistant coach. I liked the idea of him coaching the NAZ Suns.
I would rather hear, "It should not be as an assistant coach." than "It need not be ..." It is not fair to the new Head Coach. And the idea of him coaching the NAZ Suns might be do-able.

But with Triano having been the figurehead for the Suns second worst season in their 50 years (for whatever reason), wouldn't it just be better to let him do his thing with a different organization? A clean break. You can't move the whole team. Or, unfortunately, the ownership group or baby faced General Manager.

Every Head Coach knows that, when you accept a position (even if you cry that you don't really want it), and it turns out badly, it's the top guy on the court who takes the fall.

Moving on would make a positive statement for the Suns. The beginning of a winning attitude. Clinging to the past causes confusion.
 

Cheesebeef

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I would rather hear, "It should not be as an assistant coach." than "It need not be ..." It is not fair to the new Head Coach. And the idea of him coaching the NAZ Suns might be do-able.

But with Triano having been the figurehead for the Suns second worst season in their 50 years (for whatever reason), wouldn't it just be better to let him do his thing with a different organization? A clean break. You can't move the whole team. Or, unfortunately, the ownership group or baby faced General Manager.

Every Head Coach knows that, when you accept a position (even if you cry that you don't really want it), and it turns out badly, it's the top guy on the court who takes the fall.

Moving on would make a positive statement for the Suns. The beginning of a winning attitude. Clinging to the past causes confusion.

I just can't understand why some people keep hoping for major change... while keeping the same coaches/GM who got us in this mess.

They should be cleaning house across the board in the FO/Coaching staff, but since that ain't happening, they should at the very minimum bring in a completely new set of coaches. Major change doesn't happen unless major changes happens folks.
 

Errntknght

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Give Bud carte blanche with his assistants - he merits that, for sure. If Triano wants to coach NAZ, i'd run that by Bud before I made the move - he may have someone he'd prefer in that slot, too. I'd like to see the Suns make better use of their minor league team, especially now when we're likely to have so many young players - we want to facilitate good communication up and down.
 

Folster

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I think Triano is a career assistant and I think he prefers it. He seemed to begrudgingly accept the interim tag as he didn't really have aspirations to become the head coach and recall him admitting as much in interviews.
 

Mainstreet

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Fizdale may interview with the Suns?

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CardsSunsDbacks

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I think Triano is a career assistant and I think he prefers it. He seemed to begrudgingly accept the interim tag as he didn't really have aspirations to become the head coach and recall him admitting as much in interviews.
He has changed his tune on that and clearly wants the job, but the previous comment should at least be seen as a reason for caution. I think he has simply gotten attached to some of the players and that is simply why he wants to stay.
 
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Hoop Head

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The only thing I don't like about Budenholzer is how he let his team fall apart in Atlanta. I don't follow Atlanta close enough to know if it was ownership pushing him to save money or something but he lost 3 of his starters to free agency for nothing in return, 2 of them were All-Stars. He also traded away their 2 other All-Stars in Korver and Teague but they traded Teague to make room for Schroeder and Korver was traded for a future pick, the Cavs 1st in the 2019 draft but it's top 10 protected. I know that Hawks team didn't stand much of a chance against the Cavs out East but that's not enough of an excuse to let 3 starters walk for nothing in return. He's not being hired to make roster moves here though, although I'm sure he'll have input on the roster.
 

JCSunsfan

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It just doesn't make any sense to me. When a head coach comes in he should have the ability to fill in his assistants as he wishes. If he wants Triano than great, but it shouldn't be something that the team tries to force upon the new head coach.
No. It shouldn’t be.
 

JCSunsfan

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The only thing I don't like about Budenholzer is how he let his team fall apart in Atlanta. I don't follow Atlanta close enough to know if it was ownership pushing him to save money or something but he lost 3 of his starters to free agency for nothing in return, 2 of them were All-Stars. He also traded away their 2 other All-Stars in Korver and Teague but they traded Teague to make room for Schroeder and Korver was traded for a future pick, the Cavs 1st in the 2019 draft but it's top 10 protected. I know that Hawks team didn't stand much of a chance against the Cavs out East but that's not enough of an excuse to let 3 starters walk for nothing in return. He's not being hired to make roster moves here though, although I'm sure he'll have input on the roster.
His record as a GM is less than stellar. But he is a great coach.
 

JCSunsfan

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The wording of the announcement is interesting. Atlanta is giving Bud permission to talk to the Suns, not the Suns permission to talk to Bud. Sounds like Bud is asking out.

If he is getting paid $7 mil a year (which was his salary for coaching and his front office job) and now is demoted to just coaching, there would be a salary dump aspect to this on Atlanta’s part. There may be no compensation at all.
 

sunsfan88

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The wording of the announcement is interesting. Atlanta is giving Bud permission to talk to the Suns, not the Suns permission to talk to Bud. Sounds like Bud is asking out.
That’s not how Gambo reported it

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The wording of the announcement is interesting. Atlanta is giving Bud permission to talk to the Suns, not the Suns permission to talk to Bud. Sounds like Bud is asking out.

If he is getting paid $7 mil a year (which was his salary for coaching and his front office job) and now is demoted to just coaching, there would be a salary dump aspect to this on Atlanta’s part. There may be no compensation at all.

I wouldn't read too much into how it's worded unless it's something released directly by the Hawks organization. I think you'll see a discrepancy amongst a few different sites in the wording.

I didn't realize that Budenholzer came from the Popovich coaching tree. He was an assistant in San Antonio for 4 of their titles from 1996-2013, only missing the last run in 2014. Knowing that I like the idea of hiring him more.
 
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Hoop Head

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Read the article AZSports put up with excerpts from Kidd talking about the Suns job and I didn't think I could want him as the Suns coach any less. I haven't heard Kidd's coaching style referred to as old school anywhere else but apparently he was asked about being old school and said...

“I think it’s not so much old school, it’s just about work,” he said. “Getting better at your craft.”

Here is another piece that I didn't like coming from him...

“Going into that situation, it’s about developing the young talent, helping them understand what it takes to win and putting them in a position to be successful,” he said.

Other than Giannis, he's alienated all of the young talent he's had. I know he was one of the main people who pushed Knight out of Milwaukee despite Knight being the leader on the Bucks that year and largely considered an All-Star snub. This year, Kidd kept starting Gary Payton Jr despite his lack of skill and it got to the point where management cut him so Kidd couldn't play him anymore. He pushed Brogdon out of the rotation even though he was the reigning Rookie of the Year last year because he wanted to start Bledsoe with Payton in the backcourt and use them and Giannis as his PG's. I know Bledsoe is a better player than Brogdon right now but Milwaukee had a good thing going with him and Brogdon is much better than Payton. Thon Maker hadn't really developed under Kidd's watch and Middleton seemed to regress.

Kidd has always come across as someone who couldn't handle the game passing him by. He got too old to play and moved right into a coaching position and since he's been a head coach he's kept his name in the headlines. He wants credit for whatever his team does but accepts no blame for their faults. I would rather see Hornacek given a 2nd shot at coaching the Suns than to suffer through seeing Kidd on the bench. I don't go to a lot of games anymore, only 2 or 3 a year now, but if Kidd were coach I would quit going altogether.




http://arizonasports.com/story/1498726/jason-kidd-says-hes-interested-in-phoenix-suns-coaching-job/
 
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I'd rather see Oliver Miller take over as our head trainer than see Kidd on the Suns bench as their coach. There isn't a worse choice out there. Since he's been mediocre at best as a head coach there is no reason to bring him in.
 

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