Suns fire McD

[JCSunsfan]

It's not exactly the opposite of what you're saying. If you believe in the GM enough to let him handle the draft and coaching search, firing him now could be seen as "early".

Not early as in "too early." It takes a full year to prepare for the draft and free agency. If you want a new GM, you want him on board now, not in May. He can watch a full year of college ball, travel overseas, evaluate potential free agents and then go into the summer ready for bear. You cannot do that with only a few weeks of prep.

That is all I am saying. Not so much to you Steve, but to Cheese.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wanted and expected us to trade the Miami pick. But I expected us to trade it to fill our holes at the 1 or the 4. I didn't expect him to add another 3.

If McDonough wanted to add a 3, I didn't mind the idea but not at the cost of the future Miami pick. Use that pick towards a point guard. I think we are basically agreeing here.

 

[SunsTzu]

totally agree. The worst time to get a new GM is when... GM's might be available and you're facing a cross-roads for the future, with a bunch of picks and a new coach needed?

This just screams of what Mao was talking about where people just keep fluffing the franchise no matter what moves they make.

Reading some of this stuff is like hearing someone talk about an abusive partner. "He's changed, you don't know him like I do, it wasn't his fault"

I feel the same about this move as I did when the Suns lost D'Antoni after much criticism. I can understand why people are frustrated with him and would want him fired but I doubt whoever replaces him will do any better, and in fact I'm pretty sure they will be worse even if the record doesn't reflect it.

I'm expecting some Billy Knight type moves in the next 12 months.

 

[Yuma]

From my perspective, the irony is this:

Where things started to go south with McDonough was his over-collection of point guards during the summer of 2014.

The last straw for him, in my opinion, was the complete lack of point guards (and over-collection of wings) after the summer of 2018.

Now this is true!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This is not a LATE firing, it is an early one. I know that many here wanted McD gone long ago. It is clear that Sarver came to that conclusion only recently. Once he did, he acted.

That is the way I see it anyway. I do not think he had lost faith last spring.

If a bunch of fans knew he should be fired before the owner that’s the very definition of a “late firing.”

 

[hcsilla]

Yeah it is. Maybe we should be further along, maybe even much further along but we were as low as a franchise can get when Ryan was hired.

Yes, that's exactly my point.

We were so low that being better than this after 5 years can hardly be considered as a significant accomplishment.

 

[Yuma]

OK. I am looking at the glass half full here. Usually when a GM gets fired he has already used up all cap space, traded away all picks, and the team sucks, too. That we still have our picks, plus one from Milwaukee, and we are not in cap hell for several seasons is a good thing. It allows the next guy some space to work. I think the GM will be James Jones after the dust settles. Too early to announce a guy on the same day the current guy is fired.

 

[hcsilla]

I mean don't get me wrong, if the opportunity to get Zion presents itself after a bad first half of the season, I will be all in favor of tanking cause I think he will be worth it.

Yes, Williamson defnitely looks like someone who might bring the Suns one (final) step closer to the end of rebuilding and that's why you still need to keep searching for young talents as your priority.

 

[Mainstreet]

Reading some of this stuff is like hearing someone talk about an abusive partner. "He's changed, you don't know him like I do, it wasn't his fault"

I feel the same about this move as I did when the Suns lost D'Antoni after much criticism. I can understand why people are frustrated with him and would want him fired but I doubt whoever replaces him will do any better, and in fact I'm pretty sure they will be worse even if the record doesn't reflect it.

I'm expecting some Billy Knight type moves in the next 12 months.

I think there is a tangible reason for the firing of McDonough and we will find out soon enough. Whether this is good or bad, we are going to find out.

 

[Yuma]

I am also looking at the GM performance from a broader view. To make the playoffs, we have to leap frog a bunch of teams in the Western Conference. Looking at our roster versus the other WC teams, who did we pass up this summer? Ayton and Booker give us a chance to be competitive, but those two alone don't jump us past anyone. I keep saying, I don't expect this team to make the playoffs. Maybe Sarver saw the same thing.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yes, that's exactly my point.

We were so low that being better than this after 5 years can hardly be considered as a significant accomplishment.

It's hard to argue against this. I would have made the effort up through the Ayton selection but the rest of this offseason has left a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

If a bunch of fans knew he should be fired before the owner that’s the very definition of a “late firing.”

The fans also don't have access to the in depth plans that the front office had going into the off season. Some of the fans that were on board with firing McD earlier may have been willing to give him a shot if they had heard his plans for the off season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

OK. I am looking at the glass half full here. Usually when a GM gets fired he has already used up all cap space, traded away all picks, and the team sucks, too. That we still have our picks, plus one from Milwaukee, and we are not in cap hell for several seasons is a good thing. It allows the next guy some space to work. I think the GM will be James Jones after the dust settles. Too early to announce a guy on the same day the current guy is fired.

Maybe it is too early but it really seemed that Sarver was saying something else. But perhaps I read too much into it.

 

[BC867]

Yes, that's exactly my point.

We were so low that being better than this after 5 years can hardly be considered as a significant accomplishment.

Especially with our once-ever luck in drafting the #1 pick. Yes, we tanked, but there was no guarantee that we would get it.

There is now an expectation that with Booker and Ayton leading the way we will rise.

Other than the early addition of Connie Hawkins almost a half century ago and the addition of Charles Barkley (and, to a lesser degree, after the team's drug problem), expectations are high.

The Suns are in the position to take the next step. Can Robert Sarver? And his revolving door of low priced executives? It is certainly not a given.

 

[Yuma]

The Suns are in the position to take the next step. Can Robert Sarver? And his revolving door of low priced executives? It is certainly not a given.

I am not arguing this point, but I can't think of a high priced GM that's any good. I used to really like Jerry West. I don't know WHAT happened to Pat Riley. Golden State's GM you would have to throw a MOUNTAIN of money at. Why would he leave when they probably have another trophy coming to town? I am just saying, I plead ignorance on this one. No one pops to mind of, hey I want that guy! LOL!

 

[Yuma]

Also, should this whole thread be merged into the Does McD know he's fired thread?

 

[Mainstreet]

It's hard to argue against this. I would have made the effort up through the Ayton selection but the rest of this offseason has left a sour taste in my mouth.

This pretty much summarizes it. Finding a center (done) and a starting point guard would have made for a fine off season. I don't think this is asking too much. This is why we are talking about it today.

 

[Proximo]

I am also looking at the GM performance from a broader view. To make the playoffs, we have to leap frog a bunch of teams in the Western Conference. Looking at our roster versus the other WC teams, who did we pass up this summer? Ayton and Booker give us a chance to be competitive, but those two alone don't jump us past anyone. I keep saying, I don't expect this team to make the playoffs. Maybe Sarver saw the same thing.

He does. Gambo said internally the suns don’t believe the team is 10 wins better than last year.

With that said I really think the objective should be to try as hard as possible at this point to break those expectations.

Unlike some of you I could see this team getting close with a decent pg and a few of the young guys breaking out.

 

[Yuma]

Pretty sure Charles Barkley is not on the list for GM.

 

[Yuma]

He does. Gambo said internally the suns don’t believe the team is 10 wins better than last year.

With that said I really think the objective should be to try as hard as possible at this point to break those expectations.

Unlike some of you I could see this team getting close with a decent pg and a few of the young guys breaking out.

I could, too. A lot of that is dependent on the team getting Igor's system. So far every game I have seen a couple plays with guys moving off ball and the defense getting out of position for us to score easy baskets. If that could evolve into a game full of plays, we could do something.

 

[Proximo]

Yes, that's exactly my point.

We were so low that being better than this after 5 years can hardly be considered as a significant accomplishment.

Maybe I’m alone in this but I really think in 3 years Ayton and booker will be top 10 players in the nba.

To me this is light years ahead of 5 years ago.

 

[SunsTzu]

I think there is a tangible reason for the firing of McDonough and we will find out soon enough. Whether this is good or bad, we are going to find out.

Would not surprise me and would help to explain why the move was made at this time.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He does. Gambo said internally the suns don’t believe the team is 10 wins better than last year.

With that said I really think the objective should be to try as hard as possible at this point to break those expectations.

Unlike some of you I could see this team getting close with a decent pg and a few of the young guys breaking out.

I thought we had a chance until I saw that the new Bender was every bit as bad as the old Bender. So right now I see a 2 man team with no PG, no power forward, and a weak bench. Maybe Bridges plus Okobo (or Melton) comes around but even then we're probably looking at the weakest PF rotation in the league. That's difficult to overcome without a trade or a Bender miracle IMO.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe I’m alone in this but I really think in 3 years Ayton and booker will be top 10 players in the nba.

To me this is light years ahead of 5 years ago.

No, you're not alone in that. Maybe it won't happen in 3 years (maybe it will) but I'm confident it will happen at some point. Jackson (long shot) might also make the top 10 although right now we have to worry about him cracking the top 300.

 

[Mainstreet]

Would not surprise me and would help to explain why the move was made at this time.

I can only guess one point guard where McDonough might have a problem and that would be Dragic.

If Bledsoe came back this board would go into hysteria. LMAO