Should the Suns keep Ryan McDonough as GM

[Covert Rain]

Mike D'antoni.

Some fans may boo but it's true.

He was not a big time coach when the Suns hired him. I am talking an experience NBA coach with a great reputation or a highly sought after coach everybody wants (assistant or college coach). Not that they come along that often.

The closest IMO is Cotton. The Suns have taken lots of chances with inexperienced guys or guys nobody really went after but a truly hot or big name coach?

It's the one thing I don't recall the Suns ever being very competitive in.

 

[Mainstreet]

He was not a big time coach when the Suns hired him. I am talking an experience NBA coach with a great reputation or a highly sought after coach everybody wants (assistant or college coach). Not that they come along that often.

The closest IMO is Cotton.

It's the one thing I don't recall the Suns ever being very competitive in.

Your call. I wouldn't dismiss D'Antoni as a big time coach.

 

[BC867]

Your call. I wouldn't dismiss D'Antoni as a big time coach.

Big time coaches, even if they make their reputation here, don't announce to the Press (and public) that playing defense is a joke.

'Antoni (no D) was a one-trick pony. And the way he ran Nash into the ground before the playoffs. He put on a big show, but was not the one for the long run.

 

[pokerface]

Mike D'antoni.

Some fans may boo but it's true.

I'll never forget when D'antoni first started and we played the Jazz. Jerry Sloan said "They run like deer...They took away our will to win". Man that was like something out of a movie hearing that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Big time coaches, even if they make their reputation here, don't announce to the Press (and public) that playing defense is a joke.

'Antoni (no D) was a one-trick pony. And the way he ran Nash into the ground before the playoffs. He put on a big show, but was not the one for the long run.

By winning percentage the Suns best head coaches respectively were Westhphal, Cotton, D'Antoni and Ainge with Westphal having the best winning percentage

 

[Covert Rain]

Your call. I wouldn't dismiss D'Antoni as a big time coach.

It's not like the entire NBA was clamoring for him. When the Suns hired him many people were who? They also thought it was a risk. It's not a me thing. He was not a big name coach unless you lived in Europe.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'll never forget when D'antoni first started and we played the Jazz. Jerry Sloan said "They run like deer...They took away our will to win". Man that was like something out of a movie hearing that.

Even the Warriors give D'Antoni credit for creating their style of play.

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/alvin-gentry-steve-kerr-give-mike-dantoni-credit/264658

 

[Mainstreet]

It's not like the entire NBA was clamoring for him. When the Suns hired him many people were who? They also thought it was a risk. It's not a me thing. He was not a big name coach unless you lived in Europe.

D'Antoni is a big time head coach. Every coach starts somewhere. Apparently you have your mind made up.

 

[Covert Rain]

D'Antoni is a big time head coach. Every coach starts somewhere. Apparently you have your mind made up.

I don't think you understand what I am saying. I am not talking about Post D'Antoni Suns. I just checked several articles from the time D'Antoni was hired.

Can you point to a single one that considered him HOT across the NBA or a big name coach at the time? I can't find one that refers to him that way.

So no. It's not that my mind is made up. I found one that said he was an unknown. Another that talked about the Suns wiling to take a risk. I can't find anything else that remotely mentions him as a big time coach prior to the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'll never forget when D'antoni first started and we played the Jazz. Jerry Sloan said "They run like deer...They took away our will to win". Man that was like something out of a movie hearing that.

Those were some good times. All people remember is not winning a championship like every other Suns head coach has failed to do.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think you understand what I am saying. I am not talking about Post D'Antoni Suns. I just checked several articles from the time D'Antoni was hired.

Can you point to a single one that considered him HOT or a big name coach at the time? I can't find one that refers to him that way.

No, D'Antoni was not a big name head coach when he was hired in Phoenix but he was when he left.

Cotton was well know when he came to the Suns.

 

[pokerface]

Those were some good times. All people remember is not winning a championship like every other Suns head coach has failed to do.

That's sad because those were some VERY entertaining days. Entertainment comes before a championship IMO because only one team wins a championship.

 

[Covert Rain]

No, D'Antoni was not a big name head coach when he was hired in Phoenix but he was when he left.

OK. That's what I was referring to. I was referring to when the Suns had an open vacancy have they really been that competitive with big names. I am saying I don't really recall the Suns being that competitive. They have done well in other areas like free agency (in the past), trades and the draft.

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't think you understand what I am saying. I am not talking about Post D'Antoni Suns. I just checked several articles from the time D'Antoni was hired.

Can you point to a single one that considered him HOT or a big name coach at the time? I can't find one that refers to him that way.

D'Antoni failed miserably in Denver, long before he was hired by the Suns. Much like he failed with the Lakers and the Knicks.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's sad because those were some VERY entertaining days. Entertainment comes before a championship IMO because only one team wins a championship.

Yes. A team builds a winning foundation and then waits for the next step to happen. Hopefully that window opens.

 

[Mainstreet]

D'Antoni failed miserably in Denver, long before he was hired by the Suns. Much like he failed with the Lakers and the Knicks.

D'Antoni was 14-36 in a shortened season at Denver before he came to the Suns.

Might want to include his record with the Suns and Rockets.

 

[SirStefan32]

For me, the sad part of the D'Antoni era was that he only needed to change a couple of things to win the championship or two. If only he extended his rotation by one or two players, if only he paid just a little bit of attention to defense, if only he didn't refuse to play rookies...

 

[SirStefan32]

D'Antoni was 14-36 in a shortened season at Denver before he came to the Suns.

Might want to include his record with the Suns and Rockets.

Right, that's what I said. He was by no means a hot commodity when the Suns signed him. He was a nobody as far as the NBA is concerned.

 

[Mainstreet]

Right, that's what I said. He was by no means a hot commodity when the Suns signed him. He was a nobody as far as the NBA is concerned.

Why do you go there other than it fits your argument?

A coach should be judged by his body of work.

 

[Covert Rain]

D'Antoni failed miserably in Denver, long before he was hired by the Suns. Much like he failed with the Lakers and the Knicks.

He is a one trick PONY IMO. He is great for building entertaining teams but definitely not built for a championship team. He reminds me a bit of Marty Shottenheimer of the NFL. Would come in, make a team exciting but ultimately always disappoint in the end.

Right, that's what I said. He was by no means a hot commodity when the Suns signed him. He was a nobody as far as the NBA is concerned.

Which is what I was saying too. When the Suns hired him not post Suns era.

 

[Mainstreet]

He is a one trick PONY IMO. He is great for building entertaining teams but definitely not built for a championship team. He reminds me a bit of Marty Shottenheimer of the NFL. Would come in, make a team exciting but ultimately always disappoint in the end.

How long has it been since the Suns were exciting and relevant?

Perhaps one year under Gentry when Nash was still here.

 

[Covert Rain]

How long has it been since the Suns were exciting and relevant?

How does that invalidate my point? Did they win a title? That is the goal of any NBA team. How many titles has D'Antoni accumulated in that time?

Nobody is arguing he can't make a team exciting but that isn't the goal. Especially with a team with 50+ years and zero titles.

 

[Mainstreet]

How does that invalidate my point? Did the win a title? That is the goal of any NBA team. How many titles has D'Antoni accumulated in that time?

What is your point exactly other than to trash D'Antoni?

 

[SirStefan32]

Why do you go there other than it fits your argument?

A coach should be judged by his body of work.

Mainstreet, I think you are missing the context. Someone started the discussion centering around the last time Phoenix hired an established NBA coach. Someone else brough up D'Antoni. I was pointing out that when the Suns hired him, he was NOT an established coach. He was a nobody- a dude with one coaching job in which he failed miserably.

While I do believe he is the most overrated coach in the NBA and that he will never win a championship, that's not a part of this discussion. I was providing historical context to the debate around the question of the last time Phoenix hired an established head coach.

 

[pokerface]

How long has it been since the Suns were exciting and relevant?

Perhaps one year under Gentry when Nash was still here.

Yeah we'd give anything for D'ANTONI's non championship team right now.