Suns fire McD

[1Sun]

McD has had some big misses, but this is a terrible move that only helps to feed the (probably true) narrative that the Suns are dysfunctional at the top.

Horrible timing on this move.

I agree. Should have happened in May at the latest.

 

[Hoop Head]

the pick still was the right pick, nobody really worth mentioning picked behind him.

Trading up for that pick after taking Bender at #4 was not the right move and it didn't work out. He doubled down on PF's that draft and perhaps Chriss was right pick at that point in the draft but the Suns didn't own that pick. They traded away 2 other 1st round picks from that draft plus another former 1st round pick in Bogdan to move up to take Chriss, who was redundant since we just drafted a PF 4 spots before. One of those picks we dealt was #13 and a lottery pick on it's own. I know #13 isn't high but that's where McD has done his best, at the end of the lottery.

 

[95pro]

McD has had some big misses, but this is a terrible move that only helps to feed the (probably true) narrative that the Suns are dysfunctional at the top.

Horrible timing on this move.

Yeah Sarver should have waited. We're almost there but can't build a contender in one off season. I mean we haven't even played a regular season game with our current roster.

Must be something going on that we don't know about, some conflict of interest between Sarver and McD.

 

[slinslin]

McD Draft Record


3 good picks in Ayton ,Booker and warren and what looks like maybe 5 busts in the top 10 (Len, Bender, Chriss, Jackson, Bridges).. a bust in the top 20 in Ennis and a bunch of useless late picks first/early second picks (Goodwin, Ulis, Reed)

 

[Hoop Head]

I agree. Should have happened in May at the latest.

It should have been after the Ayton pick when he tried to trade up for Bridges, IMO. I wasn't a big fan of firing him this offseason and thought he deserved the chance to build a team to compete this year since he was part of the tank brigade. I know his failed plans put us in the tanking competition but since that was accepted, he should have had a chance to spend the pick he tanked for. Ayton was the clear choice there. I didn't mind the Bridges trade at the time but it was a high price that was a gamble. You need to gamble occasionally and I can live with that but signing Ariza without a trade in the works to undo the logjam on the wing that he created showed he was back in talent acquisition mode rather than team building. That wouldn't be too bad if Ariza was signed to a contract that could be dealt later or he was signed to a good deal but $15 million for one year isn't a bargain or something that is likely to be dealt later. It can be packaged in a trade but we have Chandler, and had Dudley's, contracts as expiring deals in that price range that could have been used for salary purposes in a deal for a star or a player that fits the team better.

 

[slinslin]

Trading up for that pick after taking Bender at #4 was not the right move and it didn't work out. He doubled down on PF's that draft and perhaps Chriss was right pick at that point in the draft but the Suns didn't own that pick. They traded away 2 other 1st round picks from that draft plus another former 1st round pick in Bogdan to move up to take Chriss, who was redundant since we just drafted a PF 4 spots before. One of those picks we dealt was #13 and a lottery pick on it's own. I know #13 isn't high but that's where McD has done his best, at the end of the lottery.

Skal and Papagiannis are both busts and Bogdan would have never come over since were were not sacrificing 10M$ capspace for him.

 

[TJ]

McD Draft Record


3 good picks in Ayton ,Booker and warren and what looks like maybe 5 busts in the top 10 (Len, Bender, Chriss, Jackson, Bridges).. a bust in the top 20 in Ennis and a bunch of useless late picks first/early second picks (Goodwin, Ulis, Reed)

Jackson is not a bust.

 

[slinslin]

Jackson is not a bust.

hopefully not but he could very well be one

 

[Shaggy]

McD has had some big misses, but this is a terrible move that only helps to feed the (probably true) narrative that the Suns are dysfunctional at the top.

Horrible timing on this move.

This!

 

[slinslin]

Anyway this forward situation is the same none-sense McDonough did a few years ago when he picked Ennis and signed Thomas.

Now he picks Bridges and signs Ariza.

Surely he could have dealt for Jeremy Lin when he was cheaply traded to Atlanta. Now we have 4 small forwards but no established PG.

 

[Proximo]

All you guys writing off Bridges already are crazy. He has played 2 preseason games, and this is a guy who did have success in college unlike Chris and Bender.

As for this move, the timing is very odd, and it does not help the teams reputation at all.

I hope there was a good reason for doing this now. I used to be a diehard Suns fan till about 6 years ago, when at that point I said I was done till Sarver sold the team. I have only really started following them again in the last year or so, but this scares me that with Sarver in charge this team can never be successful, even if we do have Kobe & Shaq 2.0

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Zero problem with the timing of this move. Any time is a good time to fire McD. He couldnt land a decent PG to save his as$ or job it seems. As Slins said, his only good draft picks were Warren, Booker and Ayton. Booker was a luck pick because nobody knew he would blow up into the player he is today and Ayton was a no brainer #1 pick. Warren is a good player but the league is full of "good" players. I dont see him as an Allstar caliber player. The rest are just backup type role players at best.

 

[slinslin]

A lot of busts had success in college, Bridges was a red-shirt junior so basically a senior.

I am a bit scared what trade is coming now.

Certainly seems like trading a forward and picks for a PG is going to happen.

 

[Ronin]

Stunnah.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

This team has no future unless it gets a point guard.

They will also have a much better future if they don't massively overpay for a PG. There is absolutely a decent PG out there that can be had for a fair price. I hope they take the time needed to find that deal. Even if that means it doesn't happen for a few weeks.

 

[elindholm]

Dudley seems to be questioning the move.

Dudley needs to mind his own effing business. He didn't hold up to his end of the bargain in his second contract here.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

A lot of busts had success in college, Bridges was a red-shirt junior so basically a senior.

I am a bit scared what trade is coming now.

Certainly seems like trading a forward and picks for a PG is going to happen.

Don't think he is arguing otherwise, but how many players were good in the NBA without having any real success in college or overseas first? Neither Criss nor Bender had any real success prior to the NBA. At least in Bridges case he had the success in college that you would expect from someone that will make it at the NBA level. Doesn't mean that he will succeed at this level, but it is a lot more likely than if he hadn't played all that well at the previous level.

 

[Finito]

Apparently he said no to being a 3rd team in the Minnesota/ Miami deal we would of sent Chandler and ended up with Jeff Teague

 

[Finito]

Dude calling Bridges a bust after 2 pre season games is just a joke.

 

[elindholm]

Apparently he said no to being a 3rd team in the Minnesota/ Miami deal we would of sent Chandler and ended up with Jeff Teague

Wow, maybe it's not too late to resurrect that? Teague isn't a long-term answer, but I share the concern of some others that this season could end up being a huge step backward if the Suns don't establish a culture of credibility.

 

[TJ]

Anyway this forward situation is the same none-sense McDonough did a few years ago when he picked Ennis and signed Thomas.

Now he picks Bridges and signs Ariza.

Surely he could have dealt for Jeremy Lin when he was cheaply traded to Atlanta. Now we have 4 small forwards but no established PG.

Bridges and JJ are already busts? We should've gotten Lin?

My man, you're on a roll this morning.

 

[Dback Jon]

McD Draft Record


3 good picks in Ayton ,Booker and warren and what looks like maybe 5 busts in the top 10 (Len, Bender, Chriss, Jackson, Bridges).. a bust in the top 20 in Ennis and a bunch of useless late picks first/early second picks (Goodwin, Ulis, Reed)

Not sure how you can call Jackson and Bridges busts at this point. Jackson had a good second half, and Bridges hasn't even played a game.

 

[elindholm]

Bridges may turn out just fine, but getting him was the wrong move at the wrong time for the wrong price.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Apparently he said no to being a 3rd team in the Minnesota/ Miami deal we would of sent Chandler and ended up with Jeff Teague

Whoa. If this is true the firing makes a lot more sense. Not sure what the rest of the details on the deal look like but I'm not sure why we wouldn't do this. I guess it takes us out of the 2019 FA class but Teague is head and shoulders above who we have currently.

 

[Raindog]

Yeah, this is a shocking development, at least at this juncture of the season. There is no question that there HAS to be more going on than just McD's performance as GM. Something happened behind the scenes that we don't know about. And as many posters said, this is definitely not positive for public perception of the franchise.

I was largely supportive of McD during much of his tenure here, but have been growing disenchanted lately with the lack of clear direction on building the roster. I might have given him this season to see if there was any clear improvement, but overall, the honest assessment is that his work has been pretty hit-and-miss, and leaning largely to the "miss" side overall.