so IF the Suns lose this series...

[Cicart]

Is a change of coaching staff in order? And if so, will it happen?

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

I've always thought a championship will be out of reach with D'Antoni at the reigns. The peices are all there, but Mike never seems to be able to put them together to make a whole picture. Maybe it's just me, but that's the impression that I get.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Not sure how Sarver will feel about paying two coaches for the next 3 years. (thats how much longer D'Antoni has left after his extension, right) I think he stays long term.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

IMO, it will be Kerr's call, I think Sarver trusts Kerr.

Eitherway I do not see D'Antoni being here after next season, I see the Mavs and Suns dropping off next season being replaced by LA, Portland and NO...the Clippers will be better as will Sacramento and the Suns will need to rebuild the entire team in 09-10, I expect some pretty massive changes, coaching included.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Also it wouldn't completely shock me to see Kerr take the reins as coach either, not sure why.

 

[Cicart]

You think Kerr would make a good coach? Maybe he could teach Shaq how to shoot FT's.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Also it wouldn't completely shock me to see Kerr take the reins as coach either, not sure why.

Now I could see that, if they had to fire D'Antoni, and making Kerr do them both, so he doesn't have to pay another coach.

I love run-on sentences.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

You think Kerr would make a good coach? Maybe he could teach Shaq how to shoot FT's.

I know this Kerr would never have Boris Diaw take the last shot in a playoff game by design.

 

[Cicart]

He seems like good coaching material.

 

[Rab]

I don't see how there could be too many changes. D'Antoni probably bought himself another year after the Shaq trade. It's that idea of "Let's give him a full year now that he has _________". That's pretty much what it comes down to.

I think the team pretty much has to run it's course. No one is taking on a contract like Boris', or Shaq's. The team will never trade Nash, and after the season Amare has had, he'll never be leaving. The one guy I can see possibly being shopped is LB. Since Shaq's arrival, he's kind of been the odd man out. I don't think he knows how to play with a big man like Shaq. He has a very moveable contract, however, with the money he makes, it's going to be hard to get equal value in return.

 

[Cicart]

That is if Shaq even has another good year in him. He's no spring chicken. I think the rest of this series will be very telling in whether or not Shaq even belongs on this team.

 

[Phade]

i think next year would be phoenix's last shot to win it all..

 

[Chris_Sanders]

You think Kerr would make a good coach? Maybe he could teach Shaq how to shoot FT's.

Shaq is a long term vet. You aren't teaching him how to shoot free throws.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Shaq is a long term vet. You aren't teaching him how to shoot free throws.

I think we have already seen improvement from Shaq this year. He will never be able to shoot 80%, but you can improve.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I think we have already seen improvement from Shaq this year. He will never be able to shoot 80%, but you can improve.

Shaq is a career 52% free throw shooter. Since becoming a Sun, he is shooting 51%.

The only improvement you have seen is the effort that Shaq puts in. As a 15 year pro no one will teach him things he has refused to learn for 15 years. Just like no one is changing Marion's ugly shot.

 

[Maligzar]

Shaq is a long term vet. You aren't teaching him how to shoot free throws.

There have been a number of reports on Phil Weber working with Shaq and his free throws. I agree that you're not going to take him from 50% to 80%, but you can help him make that 50% more like 55%...

 

[Cicart]

For the record, I was joking about Shaq shooting FT's better.

 

[cobbler]

There have been a number of reports on Phil Weber working with Shaq and his free throws. I agree that you're not going to take him from 50% to 80%, but you can help him make that 50% more like 55%...

I've been to some practices where i have seen Shaq shoot 50 and make 40-45. Although there are definite mechanical problems, a lot of it is mental. Of course, shooting 50 in a row is much different than 2 as you can develop a rythm.

 

[Highpointer]

Is a change of coaching staff in order? And if so, will it happen?

Just curious to hear your thoughts.

I've always thought a championship will be out of reach with D'Antoni at the reigns. The peices are all there, but Mike never seems to be able to put them together to make a whole picture. Maybe it's just me, but that's the impression that I get.

Is there any way to pry away Phil Jackson (9 championships) from the Lakers, or Greg Popovich (3 championships) from the Spurs? We need to have a coach who has championship experience.

 

[Cicart]

Is there any way to pry away Phil Jackson (9 championships) from the Lakers, or Greg Popovich (3 championships) from the Spurs? We need to have a coach who has championship experience.

Um...no, there isn't any way. What's wrong with Kerr?

 

[Treesquid PhD]

i think next year would be phoenix's last shot to win it all..

I can easily see it going either way. Look at it realistically

Shaq, Nash, Hill, Bell, All are only going to get worse and at best case will be the same, because they are all going to be mid 30's.

Amare maybe gets incrementally better but I think what you see now is as good as he is going to get, he'll be a 25, 9.5 guy until he needs more work on the knee.

Barbosa and Diaw are what they are. They will be able to sustain their level of play as is for 3-5 more years. Diaw is not going to be moved, he has a bad deal, if we had a top 10 pick then I think people would bite, Barbosa is tradeable but I am not sure what you would get that's better than him at his money.

Girceck probably won't be here next season, I am sure the Suns will try to give him a 1 year deal but it's 50/50 IMO, Sarver isn't going to get into another Diaw.

Their pick will be 15, likely a project player. That isn't a guy that is going to crack the starting 7 or 8 next season on a championship team.

Strawberry and Tucker are ok but they are not going to get the PT until this team starts rebuilding. If DJ develops more consistency on his jumper he may see 12 mins a game at best.

The Suns could become the next Sacramento pretty fast, if Amare has any knee issues they are done. The west is going to be better next year, LA and NO will be the class.

 

[nashman]

Their pick will be 15, likely a project player. That isn't a guy that is going to crack the starting 7 or 8 next season on a championship team.

I like your thinking!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Their pick will be 15, likely a project player. That isn't a guy that is going to crack the starting 7 or 8 next season on a championship team.

I like your thinking!

I just don't get this line of thinking. Isn't Stuckey (the Pistons 1st rounder) a rotation player on a championship team? Isn't Big Baby a rotation player (2nd round for the Celtics) for a championship team? Wasn't Tony Parker (a late first round pick) a STARTER for a championship team? Wasn't Oliver Miller (a late first round pick) a rotation player for a championship team? Wasn't Sam Cassel (a late 1st rounder) a rotation player for a championship team? Most championship teams don't have picks that high. With the right coaching, expecting a number 15 pick on a team starved of depth, depending on a lot of old guys just doesn't make sense to me.

my issue with the above is that somehow all rotations are stopped at 7 or 8. Maybe on the Suns, but haven't we seen what a rotation like that has done the last three years - JJ goes down, suspensions, Grant Hill's injury... a championship teams NEEDS to be deeper than 7 or 8 people.

 

[Griffin]

I just don't get this line of thinking. Isn't Stuckey (the Pistons 1st rounder) a rotation player on a championship team? Isn't Big Baby a rotation player (2nd round for the Celtics) for a championship team? Wasn't Tony Parker (a late first round pick) a STARTER for a championship team? Wasn't Oliver Miller (a late first round pick) a rotation player for a championship team? Wasn't Sam Cassel (a late 1st rounder) a rotation player for a championship team? Most championship teams don't have picks that high. With the right coaching, expecting a number 15 pick on a team starved of depth, depending on a lot of old guys just doesn't make sense to me.

You have named a number of players who seem to be the exception, not the rule. But what it really boils down to is the right scouting, not so much coaching. Sure you can find a player at 15 that will immediately contribute, but it is more likely you'll get another Cabarkapa (17th pick) or similar project.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You have named a number of players who seem to be the exception, not the rule. But what it really boils down to is the right scouting, not so much coaching. Sure you can find a player at 15 that will immediately contribute, but it is more likely you'll get another Cabarkapa (17th pick) or similar project.

ah, but most "championship teams" don't get to pick at 15 either. I'm not even saying the guy should be a starter, but just a rotation guy to contribute and allow our big guns not to be worn out by the end of the year. And to dismiss the pick as ou... eh, who cares.

 

[Proteus]

If we lose this series, then I don't think we're gonna defeat the Spurs in a playoff series as long as Duncan is playing. So we would be reduced to hoping we don't draw them in the playoffs and hopes someone knocks them out for us.

And they're not even our toughest matchup anymore. Teams like the Lakers and Hornets are tougher matchups plus younger and almost certainly going to keep on getting better.