Phoenix Suns Coaching Search

[Reddog]

My picks: Porter as Head coach but has to have Silas as an assistant.

Gentry has a good relationship with management and was instrumental in getting Hill here so I could see him being kept on for some experience, wisdom and continuity to the fast paced game they have thrived in over the past few years. If he wasn't holding out to see who would coach the team and if they want him he would already be in NY. He would be a good complement to these two.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gentry has a good relationship with management and was instrumental in getting Hill here so I could see him being kept on for some experience, wisdom and continuity to the fast paced game they have thrived in over the past few years. If he wasn't holding out to see who would coach the team and if they want him he would already be in NY. He would be a good complement to these two.

I agree, it would be great for the Suns to keep Gentry as the team transitions.

 

[Irish]

Common, George. You know that the Marbury trades both in and out were good trades for us. And Penny's was a gamble gone bad. And Goog's was pure bad luck, triggered by Dice's diss.

IMHO, It turned out to be an awful trade for the Suns.

The problem with Marbury was that he was not a true point guard. He was just another AI who was great on isolation plays and coming off picks to get to the basket. If cut off getting to the basket, he would kick the ball out to a shooer which generated some assists. But if he couldn't get into the lane, he'd just keep dribbling on the wing and wait to pass until the clock had about run out..

Marbury would not, or could not, run the break. If he had the ball on the break, he'd either brick a three or stand around waiting for everyone else to get down into the offense so he could get a pick to clear to the basket. The Suns averaged 93.4 ppg on 44.3% shooting during their 2002-03 season.

But look at what happened with Kidd in New Jersey. They were better before and after Marbury

New Jersey
1997-98 43-39
1998-99 16-34 (Marbury's first season)
1999-00 31-51
2000-01 (Marbury's last season) 26-56
2001-02 52-30
2002-03 49-33
2003-04 47-35

Phoenix

1997-98 56-26
1998-99 27-23
1999-00 53-29
2000-01 51-31
2001-02 36-46 (Marbury's first year in Phoenix)
2002-03 44-38
2003-04 29-53 (Marbury traded in mid season)
2004-05 62-20

The Knicks were bad before Marbury came, but the record of his team is:

2003-04 39-43
2004-05 33-49
2005-06 23-59
2006-07 33-49
2007-08 23-59 (injured)

Marury has had two seasons over 500 in his entire career. In the case of the Wolves, they went from 25-25 in his last season 1998-99 to 50-32 the first year he was gone. To make this even more troubling, his only 500 plus season in the last decade was during his contract year.

D'Antoni has his work cut out for him.

 

[nashman]

Marbury will likely NOT be playing for Dantoni, I am sure Mike will get him out asap whether trade or straight buyout.

 

[BC867]

Out of curiosity, how many Suns coaches besides Frank Johnson were true busts?

For example, Ainge went 56-26 in 1997-98, 27-23 in strike shortened 1998-99 and was 13-7 early in the 1999-2000. Skiles took over and took the team to 53-29.

In Skiles first full season 2000-01, the team went 51-31. The team did not play well in 2001-02 after Kidd was traded for Marbury, but Skiles was 25-26. Frank Johnson finished out the season at 11-20.

FJ generated a fools gold season in 2002-03 when the Suns went 44-38, but went 8-13 in early 2003-04 when he was replaced by D'Antoni.

What a Guard oriented history of Head Coaches. And before that Cotton Fitzsimmons, Paul Westphal, John MacLeod, etc.

I'm accepting that our next Head Coach will be a former Guard. I just hope that Paul Silas will have significant input regarding the minutes that big men will be on the court and at the end of games, in particular.

 

[Mainstreet]

IMO Chicago has the inside position on whoever they want as coach with their securing the #1 pick.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Just head on Fox local that Jeff Hornacek is coming in to interview, possible for an assistant position.

 

[Griffin]

From East Valley Tribune:

League sources said two names that had been kicked around over the last week, New Orleans coach and former ASU star Byron Scott and Detroit head coach Flip Saunders, would not be candidates in Phoenix even if they became available.

And why not? Why does it seem like the Suns are purposely looking for someone with little or no head-coaching experience?

 

[HooverDam]

From East Valley Tribune:

And why not? Why does it seem like the Suns are purposely looking for someone with little or no head-coaching experience?

Because they have better jobs? Why would they leave their teams to come here?

 

[Griffin]

Because they have better jobs? Why would they leave their teams to come here?

That's not what I meant. The article stated that the Suns would not be interested in them even if they were available (i.e. willing to come here).

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

It's a loaded question he didnt want to get sucked into, so he just said no.

 

[mack2323]

I think the Suns will end up hiring Eric Musselman, then fire him when Reggie Theus is availabele. Ha hah hah......

 

[bigfoot]

So what's the latest news? Porter still seems to be the favorite, right?
Is Chicago interested in him, too? After winning the lottery, Chicago may lure him away from us.

 

[Mainstreet]

I listened to Tom Chambers on the radio yesterday, I believe 1060 AM Phoenix. He threw his cap into the ring for one of the Suns coaching positions and he has already been interviewed. TC did mention the names of a lot of the candidates already mentioned, however, he really sounded like he was focused on Tyronne Corbin. He mentioned his name several times.

 

[zett]

I really like Silas as a head coach, but I think he and Amare would get into it.
He is into doing it his way and if Amare keeps his bad habits of not boxing out, Silas would simply bench him, and that will create alot of controversy.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Silas doesnt want the head coaching position.

 

[carey]

Silas doesnt want the head coaching position.

You sure? I thought it said he wouldn't mind joining as an assistant but wanted to be considered for the HC position.

 

[Irish]

You sure? I thought it said he wouldn't mind joining as an assistant but wanted to be considered for the HC position.

That's my understanding as well. Silas grew up in Arizona and lives in the Valley. He's supposedly especially interested in working with Amare.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Umm, the moment you say you'd be happy with an assistant position, means you don't get the head position.

What kind of hiring goes on at your work places?

Come on folks...

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I really like Silas as a head coach, but I think he and Amare would get into it.
He is into doing it his way and if Amare keeps his bad habits of not boxing out, Silas would simply bench him, and that will create alot of controversy.

Silas: Amare you are scoring 25 points per game and pulling down 9 boards but you don't pass or box out as well the basketball experts over at ASFN network would like, so I am going to have to bench you for a player with much lower expectations and lesser results. Sorry I just can't get enough of career suicide.

 

[BC867]

Silas: Amare you are scoring 25 points per game and pulling down 9 boards but you don't pass or box out as well the basketball experts over at ASFN network would like, so I am going to have to bench you for a player with much lower expectations and lesser results. Sorry I just can't get enough of career suicide.

Any coach or manager could bench someone. It's their responsibility to develop them.

Paul Silas could do that for Amare and the Suns, as either Head Coach or Sr. Assistant Coach.

 

[Irish]

We don't really know how much the D'Antoni coaches stressed Amare passing out of double teams. I'd guess there was more emphasis on pulling up for a shot, but even that was not done often enough.

If somehow you could combine Amare's assertiveness with Boris' passing, you'd have a super offensive player.

 

[nowagimp]

We don't really know how much the D'Antoni coaches stressed Amare passing out of double teams. I'd guess there was more emphasis on pulling up for a shot, but even that was not done often enough.

If somehow you could combine Amare's assertiveness with Boris' passing, you'd have a super offensive player.

Cmon, they have been telling amare he needed to be a "point forward" for 2years. Where have you been? Amare SHOULD take the shot if open. Problem is, that in the playoffs, they switch up the defense, let him get off and then shut the shot down or make it tough by not defending our shooters. Amare needs to make the adjustment, and his coach and his mama cant help him there. It would be alot easier for amare if the suns 3pt shooters were more feared, but outside Nash and bell no one cares to even defend them. House, JR, and TT were 40% 3 shooters that could stretch the floor. Now only Raja, outside Nash can be counted on, 1 off ball shooter in the half court. When your biggest threat from 3 is running the P&R, the help can come fast from the wings. This makes it tougher for amare to operate in the lane as the double comes alot faster. The spurs can arrange 3 40% shooters on the floor, the hornets have 3, the lakers have 3. The suns have only one 40% shooter outside nash. When bell goes to the bench, most opposing defenses dont even have to guard the 3 pt line, just the PG(nash).

 

[joshstmarie]

Silas: Amare you are scoring 25 points per game and pulling down 9 boards but you don't pass or box out as well the basketball experts over at ASFN network would like, so I am going to have to bench you for a player with much lower expectations and lesser results. Sorry I just can't get enough of career suicide.

 

[Griffin]

When asked why he wouldn't coach the Suns himself, Kerr named lack of experience as one of the reasons:

I don't have the experience. I really believe coaching in the NBA is a job that requires training, and I haven't coached at any level

That obviously implies that he is looking to hire an experienced coach. Yet, of the seven or so candidates that have interviewed so far, only one has head coaching experience (Porter, only 2 years) and three (Jackson, Hornacek, Del Negro) have no coaching experience at all. Most of the other people supposedly considered are at best assistant coaches too.