Who do you want the Suns to replace Hunter with?

[sunsfan88]

If Hunter is let go after the season (which is what seems to be the likely scenario) who takes over for him?

Do you want a retread, a current NBA assistant or a college coach to be the next Suns HC?

My two favorite choices are Lester Connor, who even a few Hawks fans say is the only reason that the Hawks aren't a lottery team and Mike Budenholzer who in my opinion can be a great HC in this league considering his resume and experience learning from the best in the business.

I just don't want another "defensive specialist" type HC. I'm just tired of it. Terry Porter, Lindsay Hunter...eh. I want a guy who has the potential to coach both sides of the court extremely well.

BTW here's a list of possible HC candidates in case anyone was interested..the one's that are already taken have been marked off.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/28165/the-list-nba-head-coaching-candidates

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Well, since Hunter's reign has been the equivilent to a flaming bag of pooh, just putting the fire out next season would be an improvement.

 

[slinslin]

Someone who can work with and develop young players.

Bill Self would be ideal.

 

[Mainstreet]

I like Mike Budenholzer because he is from the San Antonio organization and he was born in Arizona.

 

[Folster]

Jeff Van Gundy

 

[AzStevenCal]

Someone who can work with and develop young players.

Bill Self would be ideal.

Coaching at the college level requires a far different skill set than coaching in the NBA. I've seen nothing from Self to make me think he will be one of the rare exceptions to succeed in the NBA. I think the coach from that 4 letter word university in North Carolina is one of the very few that could do it but he's too old and has passed up every offer to stay at his expletive deleted school.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

If Hunter is let go after the season (which is what seems to be the likely scenario) who takes over for him?

Do you want a retread, a current NBA assistant or a college coach to be the next Suns HC?

My two favorite choices are Lester Connor, who even a few Hawks fans say is the only reason that the Hawks aren't a lottery team and Mike Budenholzer who in my opinion can be a great HC in this league considering his resume and experience learning from the best in the business.

I just don't want another "defensive specialist" type HC. I'm just tired of it. Terry Porter, Lindsay Hunter...eh. I want a guy who has the potential to coach both sides of the court extremely well.

BTW here's a list of possible HC candidates in case anyone was interested..the one's that are already taken have been marked off.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/28165/the-list-nba-head-coaching-candidates

You say retread, I say experienced. When did we start viewing Head Coaches as retreads simply because they've done the job before? As for defensive specialist, I'd be fine with one of them. But, just saying "I want them to play defense" is not the same as actually being a defensive specialist. And, you can't fill the roster with average and below average athletes and expect them to excel defensively when they are playing against NBA athletes. It works at the lower levels but becomes less effective as you go up the ladder and it doesn't work at all at the NBA level.

Steve

 

[Ronin]

Someone who can work with and develop young players.

Bill Self would be ideal.

Since we're throwing wacky scenarios that will never happen, I'm going throw Geno Auriemma name in the mix. Does the dude even know the word defeat?

 

[t0rchy]

Grant Hill

 

[HooverDam]

Alvin Gentry is a pretty damned good coach...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Jerry Sloan would probably top my list.

 

[Chaplin]

Aaron Nelson would be a better choice than Hunter...

 

[JS22]

Alvin Gentry is a pretty damned good coach...

This.

 

[SirStefan32]

Jeff Van Gundy

 

[sunsfan88]

There's a good chance Mike D'Antoni will be available after the season

 

[mojorizen7]

Jerry Sloan would probably top my list.

Jeff Van Gundy

+1
Never gonna happen unfortunately.
We'll get some yahoo that will be brought in to cater to the culture of fanbase that screams for high tempo basketball. Its the only thing that will put butts in the seats in Phx.

 

[BC867]

There's a good chance Mike D'Antoni will be available after the season

Please, don't say that even in jest. Dragic would look 60 by the All Star game. SPOL = seven players or less.

 

[sunsfan88]

I like Mike Budenholzer because he is from the San Antonio organization and he was born in Arizona.

Exactly. The Spurs are like the Patriots....stealing from their usually pays huge dividends.

 

[HooverDam]

Jeff Van Gundy

Voting no only because then I wouldnt be able to enjoy him on TV

 

[BC867]

I have to ask. Was one of the two "Keep Hunter" options on the poll meant to be something else?

 

[HooverDam]

Doug Collins is quitting (likely being forced out) in Philly. I wouldn't mind him as the next Suns coach, he's a class act. He wears himself out and can never make it longer than 3 years, but thats fine. He seems to be more of a teacher than a Coach, and that might be exactly what a young Suns team needs.

Plus Doug lives here in the Valley, so maybe its an ideal fit.

 

[SO91]

Exactly. The Spurs are like the Patriots....stealing from their usually pays huge dividends.

I get what you're saying in regards to the Spurs (see Sam Presti), but I don't think you thought about your comparison properly.

 

[Mainstreet]

Doug Collins is quitting (likely being forced out) in Philly. I wouldn't mind him as the next Suns coach, he's a class act. He wears himself out and can never make it longer than 3 years, but thats fine. He seems to be more of a teacher than a Coach, and that might be exactly what a young Suns team needs.

Plus Doug lives here in the Valley, so maybe its an ideal fit.

So much better than what the Suns have.

 

[crisper57]

Anyone with the last name "Van Gundy"



I'm not picky.

 

[Errntknght]

I like Doug Collins as an analyst. Liked him as player, too, and always thought he'd make a good coach but he's never sustained any degree of success beyond two years. From what I've read it was his FO that did him this past year (Bynum, in case you don't remember) but who knows whether he was complicit in that or not. I guess if we hired him for two years and, for example, Igor K. stayed on to learn from him then took over. (He might have a protege already instead of Igor.) Anyway, he's always taken years off between coaching gigs so he might not be interested now.

I'm not fond of the van Gundy's slow tempo game but they usually have good defensive teams so I wouldn't piss and moan too much.

Riley would be an experience and he likes uptempo well enough plus his teams defend. This would be another case where him tutoring some one to take over after a couple years might work - which he seemed to do in Miami.

Budenholzer... like his 'pedigree'. But wasn't Blanks from Pops organization, too? If thats right, I'm a trifle worried were just getting the guys that didn't cut it.