Suns fire Jeff Hornacek

[Mainstreet]

My choice was Corey Gaines. Head coaching experience within the Suns family at the highest quality part of the organization. Not just because they've won championships in their league. But because quality people (such as Ann Meyers Drysdale) have had hands-on. As well as Corey Gaines.

Would you have been pleased if Ann Meyers Drysdale was hired as the Suns interim head coach?

And this is why. A Head Coach (even Interim) WITH EXPERIENCE doesn't have to learn how to do it. Sarver again has chosen someone without experience in his job. Someone without the credentials to stand up to him.

Same ol' sh--!

I think the interim label means acting head coach. My guess is the Suns will hire a coach with more experience in the off season unless Watson does something spectacular.

 

[BC867]

Would you have been pleased if Ann Meyers Drysdale was hired as the Suns interim head coach?

Of course not. My reference to her was that the Mercury is a quality organization, a lot more respected than the Suns.

Sarver certainly hasn't gotten his paws all over it in public as with the Suns.

I think the interim label means acting head coach. My guess is the Suns will hire a coach with more experience in the off season unless Watson does something spectacular.

Of course. But wouldn't an interim Head Coach who would not have to learn on the job be better equipped to deal with the negativity on the team between now and the end of the season? Especially where the young players are concerned?

That is why I was hoping to see someone with pro experience as an interim Head Coach be, perhaps, the buffer before the next training camp begins.

 

[nashman]

Don't get it at this time, should've let horny finish tanking the season! The last damn thing we need is to win any games for a new coach and screw up our draft, knowing the Suns that's exactly what will happen!

 

[elindholm]

That is why I was hoping to see someone with pro experience as an interim Head Coach be, perhaps, the buffer before the next training camp begins.

So you were expecting an experienced, quality coach to accept a three-month gig with a team that will struggle to win 20% of its games? I don't think that qualified candidates would be exactly barging through the door for that opportunity.

 

[BC867]

So you were expecting an experienced, quality coach to accept a three-month gig with a team that will struggle to win 20% of its games? I don't think that qualified candidates would be exactly barging through the door for that opportunity.

Corey Gaines was the candidate I had in mind as buffer. He knows the in's and out's of being a day-to-day Head Coach in a pro league. He could concentrate on removing the negatives rather than learning the routine of the job.

The expectations are indeed low. He'd have nothing to lose. And he wouldn't have to barge through the door. He's right here. Already part of Sarver's dysfunctional family.

All of which would give him a head start in positively influencing the young guys.

 

[Hoop Head]

https://twitter.com/TheVertical/status/694349566100033538

My mistake, I read that wrong. Apparently he's just being brought in as an assistant.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

This mgmt team is not very good at communication. Thats on McD. And I like McD.

When he was on last summer after trading Marcus, it was weeks later and he said that he had not talked to Kieff yet, I thought, "wow" how can you let that happen." Yeah, its going to be a tough conversation, but you have to talk to him, even if you have to fly to him and talk.

Well, it takes 2 to have a conversation...Do we know McD didn't reach out to Kieff? I seem to recall Kieff not wanting to do anything with the organization that didn't result in him being traded, as well.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Don't get it at this time, should've let horny finish tanking the season! The last damn thing we need is to win any games for a new coach and screw up our draft, knowing the Suns that's exactly what will happen!

Horny most likely didn't want to finish the season. He was a lame duck entering this season... and once he finally realized he lost the team AND it was abundantly clear that he was not going to be brought back next year, why would anyone want to continue to subject themselves to this?? I would not at all be surprised to learn that he tapped out!

 

[Errntknght]

I'm thinking exactly the same thing, 82Cards. Or maybe he got an ultimatum from his wife... imagine what she's had to put up with...

 

[Catlover]

Well, it takes 2 to have a conversation...Do we know McD didn't reach out to Kieff? I seem to recall Kieff not wanting to do anything with the organization that didn't result in him being traded, as well.

Everybody that was anybody reached out to Markieff, he ignored them all including supposedly his friends on the team. His complaint was always that the communication should have occurred before the trade and he didn't care to hear what anyone had to say after the fact.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe it has already been covered but Paul Coro offered some interesting insight about the Suns in his article today at azcentral about the coaching turnover.

The following in particular caught my eye:

At one point in December, the team had a chance to reward Hornacek with his 100th win but left him sitting on 99 for 19 days and nine consecutive games, pushing him past 100 losses first. Even before that, the players privately were unsure about Hornacek’s future. When assistant coaches Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi were fired, player meetings revealed a backing of a larger role for Watson.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-watson-signals-change-setting-suns/79671656/

 

[Mainstreet]

Also from the same article:

The Suns roster is still built for Hornacek’s two-playmaker system with the highest-paid players being Bledsoe and Knight, who are worth 40 missing points and 11 missing assists per game. The good intentions of a dual-point guard system attacking mismatches did not take hold and a coaching change puts its future in question, especially with turnover issues and the emergence of a traditional shooting guard and fan favorite, Devin Booker.

I'm ready for a more traditional PG and SG combination not that a two PG type offense can't work in the right circumstances.

 

[FArting]

This is like Lindsey Hunter 2.0.

 

[JerkFace]

This is like Lindsey Hunter 2.0.

Lindsey Hunter was a snake in the grass. From all reports Watson is a classy, highly respected person.

 

[slinslin]

https://twitter.com/TheVertical/status/694349566100033538

My mistake, I read that wrong. Apparently he's just being brought in as an assistant.

Bob Hill was a good coach imo.

Bob Hill coached Earl Watson in Seattle.

Earl Watson will be a rookie coach but he will have headcoaching experience on the bench to guide him so that is good. Bob Hill should be the coach from the shadows initially.

This indicates that this was in the planning. The Suns were on the road all of january. Maybe they did not want to do a HC coaching change while constantly travelling.
In february they plays most of their games at home.

Hopefully these changes are in line with tanking and developing the rest of the season.

 

[leclerc]

In my opinion Horny should be allowed to tank out the year. Then start with a top 5 draft pick and an experienced coach next year.

What on earth is Quief still doing on the team? I don't have high regard for our management. Yuck.

 

[slinslin]

In my opinion Horny should be allowed to tank out the year. Then start with a top 5 draft pick and an experienced coach next year.

What on earth is Quief still doing on the team? I don't have high regard for our management. Yuck.

Tell me how many trades have gone down yet, trades don't happen until a day or two before the trade deadline.

And we are rightfully not attaching assets to Markieff to move him just so that another team gets a 6th man of the year type player for free with a cherry on top.

You know teams will lowball us until the deadline.

 

[slinslin]

There is just a lot speaking against Hornacek.

For instance the system HE chose to run. I can't understand how people blame McDonough on how the roster is constructed. By all accounts they worked closely together on all decisions.

The 2-PG lineup was Hornacek's choice clearly. No GM tells the coach what lineup he should run.

The entire fallout with the Morris twins has started with Hornacek not being able to control the locker room or get respect of his players.

Now people blame McDonough for the Isaiah Thomas trade, but nobody knows exactly why he had to go. It might just as well have been Hornacek telling McD that he can't make it work with Thomas and that Thomas wants to start.

Hornacek has been here for 3 years and we see no structure in offense or defense. There is nothing in terms of player and team development that we can point to and say that this is an achievement of Horny.
We run an AAU style offense, we regularly fail plays after timeouts and players shift in and out of the lineups every other game.

Hornacek is just not a leader who can take control of a locker room, he is not inspirational. He is usually sarcastic or cynic.

 

[slinslin]

And let me add.

Brandon Knight is likely a player that Hornacek also wanted.

The Utah Jazz were extremely high on Knight on draft day in the 2011 draft. Hornacek was a full time assistant coach with the Jazz at that point.

 

[sunsfan88]

That is why I was hoping to see someone with pro experience as an interim Head Coach be, perhaps, the buffer before the next training camp begins.

Yea I'm a little surprised they choose Watson from the three.

https://twitter.com/sethpo/status/694328882779025408

https://twitter.com/sethpo/status/694329064300085248

 

[sunsfan88]

Chris Haynes ✔ @ChrisBHaynes
Earl Watson, new interim coach of Phoenix Suns, will hire agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group, league sources inform @clevelanddotcom.
4:11 PM - 1 Feb 2016

Okay, I'm lost. The first thing you do after being named interim coach is hire an agent?

https://twitter.com/KBergCBS/status/694304688569749505

 

[chickenhead]

Love Hornacek, but seems like too much damage could be done be keeping him in place to tank. The tanking is happening. Even despite the long home stretch, is there any way the Suns come out of the next 10 games with more than 2 wins at most?


Toronto
Houston
Utah
OKC
Golden State
Houston
San Antonio
@LA Clippers
Brooklyn
Memphis

IIRC Houston and Brooklyn are the only other teams with interim head coaches at present. Clearly Houston is a more attractive job. At least this way the Suns can be above board about a coaching search.

 

[Carolinacacti]

I listened to the suns on the radio 30 years ago. Always a fan for life. never have I wanted them to lose until this year. I have hope for next year with the draft, lets hope they don't f it up-...

 

[chickenhead]

I could never cheer for them to lose during an actual game. But if I'm checking the scores and I see they lost - the reality is that losing is gaining ground right now.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't want them to lose per say. However, if you don't let your team bottom out, you lost an opportunity to draft the future of your franchise with a top pick. If the Suns could recruit FA and pull of blockbuster trades that would be one thing. So the only thing left is to draft as high as possible for that franchise guy.

This team has pushed winning at all costs for so long that drafting in the teens has become a staple. They treat the top picks like a Vampire avoiding garlic....Blah Blah blah.

There is no guarantee drafting that low will net a thing but man.....we have to do something. Maybe getting a new big name GM or Coach is the better direction. At least then it may start to heal the teams FO reputation and we can start making moves.