Igor Fired

[AzStevenCal]

Whether the players had a role in the firing of Kokoskov remains to be seen.

From what I've read and heard I think the players genuinely like Koko but you can be a nice guy and still not be the right guy. I can't think of another mundane reason that would warrant his firing at this point. I know I saw things I liked and things that bothered me during his brief tenure but the players would have a far better grasp of how responsible Koko was for both the good and the bad.

 

[slinslin]

FIFY. I love what Ayton might be some day when he realizes what he could be. Saying he is what you said, now (you know, when Igor was coach), seems disingenuous to me. How many times during the year did Ayton tell us what he was going to do - and then never did any of it?

I mean it is hard to do when you are simply not part of the offensive game plan after the first 6 minutes of the game.

He is a team player first of all and due to his position relies on others getting him the ball first of all.

 

[slinslin]

One thing I would like to know from the crowd that is pro Igor.

Can you give me a list of clear "pro arguments" for keeping Igor other than "stability" which is basically saying "my argument to keep Igor is to not fire him".

I couldn't name one positive from Igor's year. Sure they made mild improvements in March and April but that is a ridiculous argument considering they were at absolute rock bottom in franchise history in January and February.

 

[Mainstreet]

From what I've read and heard I think the players genuinely like Koko but you can be a nice guy and still not be the right guy. I can't think of another mundane reason that would warrant his firing at this point. I know I saw things I liked and things that bothered me during his brief tenure but the players would have a far better grasp of how responsible Koko was for both the good and the bad.

This is my take as well except for the time Bridges tried to brush off Igor during a game. However, I think this was just a momentary type thing. It would probably take someone of the stature of Booker to push the Suns this direction. As far as I know Booker and Igor were on good terms.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns do have a lot to offer a new coach. A trio of Booker, Oubre, Ayton is pretty good.

Also the Suns have a high draft pick in the upcoming draft.

I think a lot may depend upon the relationships Bower and Jones have cultivated around the league.

 

[95pro]

We didn't hear anything from the front office but Woj said we had been intending to give Koko another year. So, something must have changed and the safe pick IMO is that feedback from players tipped the scales. I was against firing him because I don't believe he's had a fair shake and I wanted to avoid adding to our leading status in the coach firing industry - but player dissatisfaction (assuming it existed) is a good reason to move on.

Hard to say whether players had something to do with it, but for the most part the players seemed to like him. Maybe the writing was on the wall already, even before the hiring of Bower. There were no comments saying Igor was safe once the season ended. Bower probably just put the nail in the coffin.

This is my take as well except for the time Bridges tried to brush off Igor during a game. However, I think this was just a momentary type thing. It would probably take someone of the stature of Booker to push the Suns this direction. As far as I know Booker and Igor were on good terms.

Early in the season I mentioned Booker walking off from Igor, Igor went after Booker. Its very difficult to get a sense of how the players really feel. Post season interviews, players had good things to say but we all know they're just trying to be as professional as they can.

 

[sunsfan88]

Matt Barnes is a joke, he is the oppostite of credible.

I'll take Larry Fitzgerald's word for it over Matt Barnes any day of the week.

Lmao it’s not just Matt Barnes, the whole world except a very select few realize that Sarver is awful at his job.

And Fitzgerald didn’t say he wasn’t a terrible owner, he may be a good rich friend to have and still the worst owner in professional sports.

 

[sunsfan88]

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Josh Jackson is not happy. I hope Booker chimes in soon.

 

[slinslin]

Lmao it’s not just Matt Barnes, the whole world except a very select few realize that Sarver is awful at his job.

And Fitzgerald didn’t say he wasn’t a terrible owner, he may be a good rich friend to have and still the worst owner in professional sports.

The whole world?

ESPN I guess, most of our former players have a great relationship with Sarver.. Nash, Amare, Tucker, Dudley, Dragic to name a few.

 

[slinslin]

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Josh Jackson is not happy. I hope Booker chimes in soon.

Josh Jackson not being happy is total leap on your part again, there is nothing there indicating that he is happy or unhappy.

And if so who cares, Josh Jackson being one of the worst offensive players in the league in each of the last 2 years is one of the reasons we suck.

If he wants less coaching change he needs to get better.

 

[Yuma]

I had been looking for comments after Bowers was hired that included Kokoskov in the Suns future.

I couldn't find any. Now we know why.

They picked Bower really fast. Then even if you are keeping Igor, there's usually a statement made that you are keeping him. I had a bad feeling the shoe was gonna drop for Igor the longer the silence continued.

 

[AzStevenCal]

One thing I would like to know from the crowd that is pro Igor.

Can you give me a list of clear "pro arguments" for keeping Igor other than "stability" which is basically saying "my argument to keep Igor is to not fire him".

I couldn't name one positive from Igor's year. Sure they made mild improvements in March and April but that is a ridiculous argument considering they were at absolute rock bottom in franchise history in January and February.

There's a pro Igor crowd? I didn't want him fired but not because I was pro Igor (I was neutral, leaning towards cautiously hopeful). We gave him no chance to succeed but that's not the same thing as saying he would have succeeded had we provided him with an actual NBA roster. I just don't know. I have to trust the front office that they saw enough behind the scenes to warrant his termination but trusting our front office is a real challenge these days.

 

[Yuma]

Gambo said on Twitter: In talking with players the one thing was that they all liked Igor but never felt like he was in charge. The felt like Joe Prunty the assistant coach was more in charge than Igor.

 

[1Sun]

Just heard John Gambadoro interviewed on Doug and Wolf. Here is some of what he reported:

The Suns' front office (including James Jones) inexplicably thought this was a veteran team heading into last season, and that Kokoskov as a tactician was a better fit for the veteran roster they somehow saw this being then than for a young developing roster, which is how they correctly characterize the roster now.

They want a coach who is more of a developer and who can communicate well with young players and build relationships, and they do not think Igor is that guy.

They felt that Igor misused Ayton last season and didn't develop him properly.

Booker is in Paris on vacation, so no idea as to what his reaction to this is, but he did NOT have any input on the firing (other than perhaps being indifferent on Igor one way or the other...see below).

They wanted Bower's input and to see what coaches might be available before firing Igor. Both pointed toward firing Igor.

The players didn't dislike Igor, but they didn't give him any ringing endorsements as a coach either. A lot of ambivalence in the exit interviews.

Their #1 target is Monty Williams, but Monty Williams is very close with Greg Popovich and is leaning on Popovich for direction as to which job to take. Popovich has already advised Williams to turn the Lakers down. Philadelphia and OKC might open up, and if either or both does/do, then that is his likely destination. (My comment: If either happens, then Brett Brown or Billy Donovan have to jump to the top of our wish list.)

Jason Kidd IS a candidate and WILL be interviewed for the position. (God help us all.)

 

[1Sun]

Gambo said on Twitter: In talking with players the one thing was that they all liked Igor but never felt like he was in charge. The felt like Joe Prunty the assistant coach was more in charge than Igor.

Part of the message of ambivalence. In the end, Igor was who we all thought he was: A good assistant coach.

 

[95pro]

Gambo said on Twitter: In talking with players the one thing was that they all liked Igor but never felt like he was in charge. The felt like Joe Prunty the assistant coach was more in charge than Igor.

Aside from Igor, are any assistants gone as well?

 

[Yuma]

If Bower is an old school NBA guy, then old school guys don't fire coaches unless they have already been talking to their replacements to see if there's any interest. If I was Bower, I don't fire Igor, unless I already have a verbal commitment from Monty Williams. Since the Suns seem to be intervieiwng multiple guys, it seems they are flying by the seat of their pants again.

 

[Town Drunk]

I’m going to laugh when Kidd gets the job. It’s the Suns way.

 

[1tinsoldier]

THE DAY OF RECKONING IS UPON US

people here tend to be in denial about a lot of things that don't seem that difficult to interpret. Never seemed like these guys took to him, IMO but any time I said so, I got an avalanche of "You don't know what you're talking about!" myopia so at a certain point, there's was no point starting up more war on the board.

exactly. i called it "bullying" and was ridiculed about that too. just last week, a couple of us were told to "leave" if we were unhappy. maybe they should leave now, because i'm very happy -- and i assume they're not, unless, of course, as predicted, they're now on board with Igor's firing because they're company-men and it's now front-office endorsed

main point is -- there was never a small "ILK" that wanted Igor replaced, our poll verified it was the clear majority -- but a couple of Thought Police'ers kept beating the critics back with batons

so far today, the 2 leaders of the suppression have been conspicuously quiet

 

[1tinsoldier]

he'll (1sun) probably crow about how he was right and that Igor deserved to be fired annoying the hell out of most of you same way he did when he was right about us being completely atrocious this season.

credit where credit is do. he took a lot of heat for being right (granted, more often than others were comfortable hearing)

And there goes another year down the drain. Why care about the draft, free agency, or trades?

i believe it's just the opposite -- more reason to care about the Suns moving forward because they care enough to correct their mistake rather than save money by keeping Igor

but i give you credit for sticking to your guns. unlike others...

Disappointed. Not so much that we fired him but that we didn't hire a guy that lasted more than a season
... but player dissatisfaction (assuming it existed) is a good reason to move on.
...There's a pro Igor crowd?
...I was neutral, leaning towards cautiously hopeful

don't make me pull up your past quotes

 

[1tinsoldier]

One thing I would like to know from the crowd that is pro Igor.

Can you give me a list of clear "pro arguments" for keeping Igor other than "stability" which is basically saying "my argument to keep Igor is to not fire him".

I couldn't name one positive from Igor's year. Sure they made mild improvements in March and April but that is a ridiculous argument considering they were at absolute rock bottom in franchise history in January and February.

no, you won't get any takers on that question today, i.e. "there's a pro Igor crowd?"

 

[Snoopdog323]

I disagree, Aytons shooting %, rebounds and passing skills makes him a perfect piece to center an offense around.

It will definitely help having a coach showing him how to establish position rather than having him float around the perimeter setting screens. Dude can't even buy a beer yet, and played only 1 year in college.

 

[AzStevenCal]

don't make me pull up your past quotes

Feel free to pull them up. I've been Koko supportive all along but I've consistently been closer to neutral on his overall performance. I saw things I didn't like but I also saw some good things, notably defense, and pointed them out. I also said, MANY TIMES, that I didn't know if he was a good coach. And yes, I did say that years down the road we might be talking about him as the best coach we've ever had. But I meant that literally, not as the prediction some seemed to take it as. And for the record I stand by the MANY statements I made on Koko about it being unfair to judge him without a workable roster. Young players do not typically make teams better, they do however help create Coaching turnovers.

 

[1tinsoldier]

5 coaches in 5 seasons for Devin Booker. He would be an idiot to not demand a trade in the near future and get the hell away from Robert Sarver imo.

Josh Jackson is not happy. I hope Booker chimes in soon.

a major assumption, and a major difference between being unhappy about being through a lot of coaches and GM's, perhaps being sad that a guy you liked was fired, and feeling good about him being replaced

...Josh Jackson was definitely not a fan of Igor's too quiet sideline demeanor on horrible refereeing. I heard Ayton say a few things about being confused with the strategies during the season as well.

Gambo said on Twitter: In talking with players the one thing was that they all liked Igor but never felt like he was in charge. The felt like Joe Prunty the assistant coach was more in charge than Igor.

 

[Cheesebeef]

this is why I railed against the team for not firing McD before last off-season began. Letting a lame-duck GM make the biggest decisions a franchise can make, with a lot of cap room, multiple first round picks, the first pick in the draft and decide the HC position made zero sense.