Fire D'Antoni!

[Griffin]

Yeah, I do think it was high. What? I can't have an opinion now? His numbers were inflated for two reasons, #1 Amare wasn't there, #2 Marion sucks in the playoffs and someone has to pick up the slack #3, Doris was playing for a new contract.

Leandro was a good signing. Also, I am not so sure that LB would be less of a player with a different coach.

Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. But did you think, at the time, that the Suns should not have extended Boris? If so, then you might be just about the only person here who thought so. Diaw obviously would have never taken a 4mil/year extension; his market value was much higher at that time. And given what happened with JJ, almost everyone would be calling for Sarver's head (if they weren't already) had he not made every effort to lock up Diaw. At the time, I think that was the right move to make. In hindsight, Barbosa's deal looks a lot better now, but you know what they say about hindsight.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm curious to hear who you think is a great coach, considering you dismiss DA's success b/c of the players he has.

The coaches who come to mind are Phil, LB, Pops, and Riley (Did anybody else win a championship lately?) And for everyone of those you could make the argument their success came from the players they coached.

I'd say Jerry Sloan is a great coach and would have said LB was a great coach before he finally won a title because they get everything out of squads that they possibly can, including Finals runs, not to mention, both of them have done it multiple times, over the course of their careers.

Bottom line - there aren't a lot of GREAT coaches. That's very rarified air in my opinion - and somewhere DA has yet to reach. It doesn't make him a bad coach... far from it. I think he's a very good HC. Hopefully one that grows into great in the key fourth year that gets us to a title.

 

[TucsonDevil]

I'm curious to hear who you think is a great coach...

Great Coaches in History:

Basketball
Red Auerbach
Phil Jackson
Pat Riley
Chuck Daly
Gregg Poppovich
Larry Brown
Lenny Wilkens

Football
Don Shula
Tom Laundry
Vince Lombardy
George Halas
Bill Walsh
Joe Gibbs
John Madden
Bill Parcells
Joe Paterno
Bobby Bowden
Bear Bryant
etc...

Each of those are GREAT Coaches. Why do we have to label everyone 'GREAT'... there are a select few that are GREAT.

 

[ryanshaug]

All I have to say to this post is wow...

D'Antoni took this team and made it what it is today, without his system and his work we probably would not have anything close to the exciting brand of basketball I enjoy watching game in and game out. He posts 50+ wins every season and he knows how to get the most out of his players.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but a coaching change is not going to help this team. This team is very much dependant on its identity as a high octane, "controlled chaos" team and another coach may strip away that identity - leaving us with the boring old NBA crap that I can't stand to watch every night. I will personally live or die with this team. I wish Arizona fans would have some damn loyalty, jumping on and off bandwagons is really starting to piss me off.

 

[Mainstreet]

his teams consistently over-achieve and he's not married to one system/player like DA. He's gotten one team to back to back Finals (something DA hasn't come close to) and he's gotten another completely different team to the Conference Finals, completely overachieving. So, really, no, Sloan shouldn't be fired.

Next?

Perhaps you should consider how long Sloan has been coaching at Utah and this is what, D'Antoni's 4th year in Phoenix? I think it took Kobe and Shaq 4 years to win their first Championship (although I could be thinking of Chicago).

Also I don't why a coach who had two greats on his team like Stockton and Malone for many years in their prime they should be considered overachievers.

 

[SO91]

Cheese, I'm right there with you on Sloan and LB and the ability they have to maximize their talent. I also agree labeling somebody GREAT happens much too often in sports. But TucsonDevil, if you dismiss D'Antoni's success because of the players he's had, don't you have to do the same with some of those great bball coaches you mentioned?

 

[SunsTzu]

Did someone just list Lenny Wilkens as a great coach? Well he's available so I guess if the Suns do fire D'Antoni they could bring him in. It would almost be worth the tank job that would ensue just s oeveryone could realise how good the Suns had it with D'Antoni.

D'Antoni may not be the greatest coach but he is by far the best available option for the team the Suns have and could very easily be a championship coach barring last years suspensions.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Perhaps you should consider how long Sloan has been coaching at Utah and this is what, D'Antoni's 4th year in Phoenix? I think it took Kobe and Shaq 4 years to win their first Championship (although I could be thinking of Chicago).

that's why I'm not advocating firing him NOW. But after year 4, 60 wins and no title (if that's what transpires) I don't know how anyone couldn't at least entertain the idea of change.

Also I don't why a coach who had two greats on his team like Stockton and Malone for many years in their prime they should be considered overachievers.

a) the above completely ignores the job Sloan did last year, now doesn't it. I'm sure you thought the Jazz were going to make it to the WCF and b) considering the absolute DREK Stockton and Malone had on the team around them? Yeah, I'd say they overachieved - they always got the absolute most of those teams as possible, and to argue otherwise is folly IMO.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Let me ask y'all a question. Is Rick Adelmen a great coach?

 

[Mulli]

Let me ask y'all a question. Is Rick Adelmen a GREAT coach?

I have never thought of him that way.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I have never thought of him that way.

What's your opinion of DA Mulli? Great or very good?

 

[Mulli]

What's your opinion of DA Mulli? Great or very good?

Very good, but frustrating.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

What's your opinion of DA Mulli? Great or very good?

This is semantics.

Fine DA is just a "very good" coach. What "great" coach do you want to replace him with?

Sloan (first of all he has no titles and took 2 times as long to get to the WCF - plus he is a TERRIBLE fit for this team)

LB ( Great Idea! - We can get a defensive minded coach who every player will despise within 2 months so he can take off for his next dream job after a year!)

Red Auerbach (now your on to something)

Phil Jackson (the only one i would consider as a suitable replacement but he aint coming)

Chuck Daly (LMAO)

Pat Riley (not coming and terrible fit)

Lenny Wilkens (overatted as hell - has he even got a championship as a coach? Why not just hire Bill Fitch?)

Don Shula (I could see this....)

so while one section of the board is saying "Okay even if you are unimpressed with DA which i crazy in its own right - who are you bringing in thats better?" the other half is fighting over the definition of "great" and "very good"

Let me break it down for ya:

Yes DA needs to win this year. Yes it should be considered if we don't win what else is out there. No there is no one adequate ro replace him. And Yes DA is just "very good" right now.

But what you are failing to realize is this - "greatness" comes in time.

And DA is off to a hell of a start......

 

[Mainstreet]

that's why I'm not advocating firing him NOW. But after year 4, 60 wins and no title (if that's what transpires) I don't know how anyone couldn't at least entertain the idea of change.



a) the above completely ignores the job Sloan did last year, now doesn't it. I'm sure you thought the Jazz were going to make it to the WCF and b) considering the absolute DREK Stockton and Malone had on the team around them? Yeah, I'd say they overachieved - they always got the absolute most of those teams as possible, and to argue otherwise is folly IMO.

I like Sloan as a coach so I do not really want to go there. However, IMO, the Jazz team would be a much better team playing in D'Antoni's system. They have a very nice cast of players to get up and down the court and would be a formidable running team.

 

[TucsonDevil]

This is semantics.

Fine DA is just a "very good" coach. What "great" coach do you want to replace him with?

Sloan (first of all he has no titles and took 2 times as long to get to the WCF - plus he is a TERRIBLE fit for this team)

LB ( Great Idea! - We can get a defensive minded coach who every player will despise within 2 months so he can take off for his next dream job after a year!)

Red Auerbach (now your on to something)

Phil Jackson (the only one i would consider as a suitable replacement but he aint coming)

Chuck Daly (LMAO)

Pat Riley (not coming and terrible fit)

Lenny Wilkens (overatted as hell - has he even got a championship as a coach? Why not just hire Bill Fitch?)

Don Shula (I could see this....)

so while one section of the board is saying "Okay even if you are unimpressed with DA which i crazy in its own right - who are you bringing in thats better?" the other half is fighting over the definition of "great" and "very good"

Let me break it down for ya:

Yes DA needs to win this year. Yes it should be considered if we don't win what else is out there. No there is no one adequate ro replace him. And Yes DA is just "very good" right now.

But what you are failing to realize is this - "greatness" comes in time.

And DA is off to a hell of a start......

I was not advocated these names as replacements. Someone had asked who I considered to be 'great coaches', so I listed those that I could think of at that moment.

I'm not sure who I would want to replace DA with right now. I would have to think about it for awhile. It seems that those I would want, aren't available. For instance, Popp.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

For the OP,

Why do think that the last three years of Nash's career have been far away his best?

Why do you think the Suns win so much with three undersized max-contract players?

What makes you think Coach would employ this "system" if he didn't have the players to play it? What makes you think if he had a Tim Duncan he wouldn't win multiple championships?

What makes you think a different coach would improve THIS team?


For those complaining about Sarver,

What is THE goal of the franchise? Enough said.

 

[Black Jesus]

One game into the season with a win was pretty quick to abandon ship on this one. I think Grant Hill needs to start doing back door cuts so his game IS utilized. He can still spread the offense, but make a cut to the basket so he can finish at the rim. That was not D'Antoni yesterday that wasn't working... Marion wasn't running his normal self or playing any defense whatsoever, Stoudemire got into foul trouble, Nash made ALOT of bad decisions, Grant Hill isn't a three point shooter, Raja Bell didn't shoot well, Diaw had spurts where he was indecisive, Barbosa wasn't himself... The only positive I got out of the game was taht Banks played AWESOME.

All in all though, WE WON! Why abandon ship already when the team played poorly and Durant played out of his mind and we still won. SUNS 1-0.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I wish Arizona fans would have some damn loyalty, jumping on and off bandwagons is really starting to piss me off.

 

[da_suns_fan]

For the OP,

Why do think that the last three years of Nash's career have been far away his best?

Why do you think the Suns win so much with three undersized max-contract players?

What makes you think Coach would employ this "system" if he didn't have the players to play it? What makes you think if he had a Tim Duncan he wouldn't win multiple championships?

What makes you think a different coach would improve THIS team?


For those complaining about Sarver,

What is THE goal of the franchise? Enough said.

I can respect that, but he needs to stop being so disingenuous.

If he wants to live by his bottom line, then he should drop the whole "foam-finger/number-one-fan" routine.

Its annoying.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Phil Jackson (the only one i would consider as a suitable replacement but he aint coming)

why is that? His deal is up at the end of the year and the Lakers are an absolute mess. The guy's obviously not a builder, but he's the greatest closer in the game.

 

[BC867]

All in all though, WE WON! Why abandon ship already when the team played poorly and Durant played out of his mind and we still won. SUNS 1-0.

Is our goal to beat mediocre teams? Or to beat division leaders? Or to make the playoffs? Or to advance through the playoffs? Or to win our first ever Championship?

I know what mine is.

G o o d - e n o u g h - i s - n o t - g o o d - e n o u g h !

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Well clearly D'Antoni's goal isn't to win a championship. (sarcasm)

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well clearly D'Antoni's goal isn't to win a championship. (sarcasm)

i thought his goal was to "enjoy the ride!" (sarcasm).

 

[Mulli]

Between the first and second games of the season, I think good enough (1 win) is good enough.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

The level of bitching after a win is amazing. It's clear that fan expectations are to the point that I am not sure anyone will be "enjoying the ride".

Just wait until we actually lose a game.