Defensive assistant coach candidates dwindling for Suns

[Mainstreet]

It appears some top candidates for the Suns defensive assistant coach position are not interested. Below is a link to the article from Paul Coro at azcentral dated 7-8-11.

Houston assistant coach Elston Turner and Chicago scout Pete Myers appear to be the top candidates now. It would seem Turner might be more qualified.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/133962

 

[Griffin]

It appears some top candidates for the Suns defensive assistant coach position are not interested. Below is a link to the article from Paul Coro at azcentral dated 7-8-11.

Houston assistant coach Elston Turner and Chicago scout Pete Myers appear to be the top candidates now. It would seem Turner might be more qualified.

I was wondering why some of these assistant coaches targeted by the Suns, such as the Spurs assistant, would want to come here to be an assistant coach. I doubt the Suns are offering significantly higher pay. So I am not surprised that one by one they are all passing on the offer.

There is no "defensive coordinator" position in the NBA like in football, so even though the Suns want to make it seem like the new guy will have some greater importance in the coaching staff hierarchy, in the end it is still just an assistant coaching job.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I love it, all these coaches telling the Suns to beat it...never would have happened with JC.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think top assistants want to go to a stable FO environment including a coach who is on solid footing. I wonder who can be on solid footing with Sarver? I'm surprised the Suns are even trying to recruit some of the better name assistants when such a situation does not presently exist with the Suns. I think the only thing that would make the Suns a player for some of these assistants is if the Suns overpaid and they thought they might eventually end up as head coach.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I think the only thing that would make the Suns a player for some of these assistants is if the Suns overpaid and they thought they might eventually end up as head coach.

I think this is the crux of the issue. If Kerr and company can't get raises after taking the team to the WCF, these guys sure as hell aren't. (which is why all of them are saying thanks but no thanks...)

 

[BC867]

I think this is the crux of the issue. If Kerr and company can't get raises after taking the team to the WCF, these guys sure as hell aren't. (which is why all of them are saying thanks but no thanks...)

Good assessment. Sarver made his bed and now he has to sleep in it.

Or look for a different hotel. That would be nice!

 

[Superbone]

Did you guys see this?

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214641/Bucks_Extend_Asssistant_Coach_Jim_Boylan

The scuttlebutt is that after negotiations dragged on and the parties couldn't come to an agreement, Boylan decided to sign a new one-year contract with the Bucks.

Get used to this in the Sarver regime.

 

[Mainstreet]

Did you guys see this?

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214641/Bucks_Extend_Asssistant_Coach_Jim_Boylan

Get used to this in the Sarver regime.

I think most fans who have more than a passive interest in the Suns already know where the buck stops. Perhaps the Suns should be looking in the NBADL or colleges for a defensive minded assistant coach who is trying to climb the ladder.

I hope the Houston assistant feels differently.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Perhaps the Suns should be looking in the NBADL or colleges for a defensive minded assistant coach who is trying to climb the ladder.

Why stop there? There is coaching talent everywhere! Maybe check out some middle schools and YMCA leagues?

 

[Mainstreet]

Why stop there? There is coaching talent everywhere! Maybe check out some middle schools and YMCA leagues?

Absolutely.

Do they play defense in the WNBA or in Europe?

 

[leclerc]

Sell the team Saver. Just do it.

 

[mojorizen7]

If i'm an up & coming defensive assistant i'm not touching this team either.....not until Nashball is put to death.

Only then can you install an offense that doesn't wreck your defense....then you've got to go get the players to run that offense. They dont grow on trees unfortunately.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If i'm an up & coming assistant i'm not touching this team either.....not until they add some decent talent under the age of 30.

FTFY.

Steve

 

[mojorizen7]

FTFY.

Steve

You should've just added to it because thats part of it too my friend.

Nash-lead teams have led the league in offense(scoring) something ridiculous like 7 of the last 8 years or something. Thats great....but it automatically puts your defense somewhere either in the middle of the pack or the cellar.

As a defensive assistant trying to make a name for myself i'll pass.

 

[Mainstreet]

You should've just added to it because thats part of it too my friend.

Nash-lead teams have led the league in offense(scoring) something ridiculous like 7 of the last 8 years or something. Thats great....but it automatically puts your defense somewhere either in the middle of the pack or the cellar.

As a defensive assistant trying to make a name for myself i'll pass.

I know you must have noticed the Suns are no longer running SSOL. There is nothing that prevents the Suns from playing good defense except a lack of defensive personnel and a focus on playing defense. Why you have this dislike for Steve Nash as a PG (that you call Nashball) is beyond my comprehension. I agree the Suns need to turn the page and rebuild the team (I thought the Suns should have traded Nash by the trading deadline last season to get some value) but Nash is not the problem. He may not be the Suns best defensive player but there are four other players on the court besides Nash.

 

[SirStefan32]

I know you must have noticed the Suns are no longer running SSOL. There is nothing that prevents the Suns from playing good defense except a lack of defensive personnel and a focus on playing defense. Why you have this dislike for Steve Nash as a PG (that you call Nashball) is beyond my comprehension. I agree the Suns need to turn the page and rebuild the team (I thought the Suns should have traded Nash by the trading deadline last season to get some value) but Nash is not the problem. He may not be the Suns best defensive player but there are four other players on the court besides Nash.

I am sorry, but Nash IS the problem, or at least A major problem.
I love Nash, and I think he's earned to right to ask to NOT be traded, but he is a HORRIBLE defender. As long as he is on the team, the team is going to be a bad defensive team.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am sorry, but Nash IS the problem, or at least A major problem.
I love Nash, and I think he's earned to right to ask to NOT be traded, but he is a HORRIBLE defender. As long as he is on the team, the team is going to be a bad defensive team.

One player does not make a bad defensive team especially Nash who gives the effort on defense. Most teams put players on the court who are defensively challenged but if they are surrounded by good defensive players, they can still get the job done.

I think moving Nash is a separate issue. I do believe the Suns should turn the page and trade Nash to an environment that appreciates him. However, I will not blame Nash for all the Suns woes. How about Sarver letting Amare walk for nothing as a major culprit in their decline and all the bad signings made by Sarver?

 

[Errntknght]

Nashball is fine when Nash is on the floor - the problems with it happen when someone else is at PG. Surely you've noticed that every guy that has backed up Steve has played the worst ball of his career. The only exception has been Dragic when the second unit was an entity that consistently played together. Needless to say they didn't play Nashball but the good thing was they didn't even have to try - who knows, its possible the coaches aided it. You don't have to be a genius at X's & O's to figure out a group should not attempt to run an offense for which it lacks the most important component.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nashball is fine when Nash is on the floor - the problems with it happen when someone else is at PG. Surely you've noticed that every guy that has backed up Steve has played the worst ball of his career. The only exception has been Dragic when the second unit was an entity that consistently played together. Needless to say they didn't play Nashball but the good thing was they didn't even have to try - who knows, its possible the coaches aided it. You don't have to be a genius at X's & O's to figure out a group should not attempt to run an offense for which it lacks the most important component.

I think this whole concept of "Nashball" is a fallacy. Nash is a pure PG. Unfortunately the Suns have never found a pass first PG to back him up.

 

[Covert Rain]

One player does not make a bad defensive team especially Nash who gives the effort on defense. Most teams put players on the court who are defensively challenged but if they are surrounded by good defensive players, they can still get the job done.

I think moving Nash is a separate issue. I do believe the Suns should turn the page and trade Nash to an environment that appreciates him. However, I will not blame Nash for all the Suns woes. How about Sarver letting Amare walk for nothing as a major culprit in their decline and all the bad signings made by Sarver?

One player by himself does not. However, Nash is a HUGE problem. It doesn't matter how much effort the guy gives he just can't keep in front of guys. That causes your entire defense to collapse, forced into bad rotations, forces zone or forces the Suns to put Grant or our SG to cover guys they have no business guarding.

Nash not covering the opposing teams PG (the good ones) has become a staple. The Suns do that because they also know how bad he is. You simply cannot build a great defense with Nash as your PG IMO.

However, I do agree with you that if the team is solid 2-5 on defense, you could probably get by. The question then becomes is getting by enough.

 

[Mainstreet]

One player by himself does not. However, Nash is a HUGE problem. It doesn't matter how much effort the guy gives he just can't keep in front of guys. That causes your entire defense to collapse, forced into bad rotations, forces zone or forces the Suns to put Grant or our SG to cover guys they have no business guarding.

Nash not covering the opposing teams PG (the good ones) has become a staple. The Suns do that because they also know how bad he is. You simply cannot build a great defense with Nash as your PG IMO.

However, I do agree with you that if the team is solid 2-5 on defense, you could probably get by. The question then becomes is getting by enough.

Nash has slowed down a bit but he has never been a good defensive player. Sometimes I wonder how he was ever voted a MVP twice and he probably should have been voted a MVP three times in a row. It's amazing how rats abandon a ship. DarenG, I do not put you in this category.

Again for the record, I think Nash should have been traded before the trading deadline last season after the departure of Amare. The Suns definitely should have gone into rebuilding mode then. Nash is not the problem, it's the lack of talent surrounding him. It's amazing just two seasons back the Suns were in the WCFs.

The Suns have no stars besides an aging Steve Nash. It is not his fault the Suns ownership and FO has mismanaged the team.

 

[Covert Rain]

It's amazing how rats abandon a ship. DarenG, I do not put you in this category.

That's good. I have been one of the very vocal even during his MVP years that Nash is too huge a liability on defense and blasted him for it. I was crucified for some on this board for daring to talk bad about Nash.

I always commended Nash for being one of the best offensive PG I have ever seen. I just don't believe he should get a pass on the other end because of it. The same went for Amare.

It's just not very popular to do on this site sometimes.

 

[Griffin]

Nashball is fine when Nash is on the floor - the problems with it happen when someone else is at PG. Surely you've noticed that every guy that has backed up Steve has played the worst ball of his career. The only exception has been Dragic when the second unit was an entity that consistently played together. Needless to say they didn't play Nashball but the good thing was they didn't even have to try - who knows, its possible the coaches aided it. You don't have to be a genius at X's & O's to figure out a group should not attempt to run an offense for which it lacks the most important component.

The problem is not the PG position though, at least not so much. The Suns have gotten away with playing "Nashball", whatever that implies, because he can create offense for anyone, including players who aren't capable of creating their own shots. When Nash sits, last year our offense sat with him. Without Stoudemire who often stayed on the floor with the second unit the season before, there was no PG on the floor to spoon-feed offensively-challenged players and there was no player to create his own shot. The Suns surrounded Dragic and later Brooks with four players who didn't know how to score without Nash on the floor. Hence while the team was routinely outscoring their opponents by double digits when Nash was on the floor, they were giving it all back in the few minutes that he sat.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's good. I have been one of the very vocal even during his MVP years that Nash is too huge a liability on defense and blasted him for it. I was crucified for some on this board for daring to talk bad about Nash.

I always commended Nash for being one of the best offensive PG I have ever seen. I just don't believe he should get a pass on the other end because of it. The same went for Amare.

It's just not very popular to do on this site sometimes.

I guess your position is the Suns should have not signed Nash as a FA nor drafted Amare. I don't think so. I was unaware of your previous position on these two players. It sounds like you were never on their ship which is unfortunate, because these two players not only elevated the Suns from mediocrity but more likely, much, much worse.

 

[mojorizen7]

That's good. I have been one of the very vocal even during his MVP years that Nash is too huge a liability on defense and blasted him for it. I was crucified for some on this board for daring to talk bad about Nash.

I always commended Nash for being one of the best offensive PG I have ever seen. I just don't believe he should get a pass on the other end because of it. The same went for Amare.

It's just not very popular to do on this site sometimes.

Its not popular to do that anywhere in this town.

Most Suns fans i have discussions with at work,in sports bars around town etc seem to give the entire team a pass for being piss poor defensively over the years.
I really dont understand that mentality...but it certainly explains one of the reasons why the organization continues to focus on exciting offensive basketball > Its what the vast majority of the fanbase accepts as "the norm" and its what they want to see.