Wonder if Ryan McD knows he is going to be fired....

[Carolinacacti]

I think that McD could be fired this season but it's unlikely.

WTF he is not getting caned.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

WTF he is not getting caned.

Yeah. That would be an overreaction for sure. We're not in Singapore!

 

[Dr. Jones]

How many rebuilds does the guy get? How many years?

No possibility he doesn't get fired? I gotta disagree.

 

[Krangodnzr]

WTF he is not getting caned.

Yeah. That would be an overreaction for sure. We're not in Singapore!

Agreed. It's the National Basketball Association, not the National **** Association.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Agreed. It's the National Basketball Association, not the National **** Association.

As a Suns fan, I'd say the biggest difference between the two is the NBA doesn't allow for "safe words".

 

[Hoop Head]

WTF he is not getting caned.

It would help if you read all that I said. The only way he's getting fired this season is if the Suns can't win 30 games. If that happens, fine, fire him. I don't believe that will happen though. Way to cherry pick.

 

[JCSunsfan]

How many rebuilds does the guy get? How many years?

No possibility he doesn't get fired? I gotta disagree.

He just got extended. Why would he get fired?

 

[Errntknght]

He just got extended. Why would he get fired?

He got the extension as a vote of confidense, but it also means his boss is thinking about the job he's doing. In this league, lots of people get fired before the ink in dry on their extensions if they don't justify it right away.

 

[Hoop Head]

I thought I'd check how long his extension was for. It will keep him with the team throughout the 2019-2020 season. That sounds about right, IMO. If we can't break our playoff drought by then, he should be let go. I don't think the playoffs will happen this year but the following season they should be the goal.

Here's an article on his extension that also mentions James Jones being hired as the VP of Basketball Relations. I think if McD is fired, Jones will step into the GM role. I could be wrong there but I think that's the most likely thing to happen. I don't believe it will happen this year unless the Suns are absolutely terrible though.

http://www.nba.com/article/2017/07/19/phoenix-suns-extend-gm-mcdonough-hire-jones

 

[BC867]

I thought I'd check how long his extension was for. It will keep him with the team throughout the 2019-2020 season. That sounds about right, IMO. If we can't break our playoff drought by then, he should be let go. I don't think the playoffs will happen this year but the following season they should be the goal.

Here's an article on his extension that also mentions James Jones being hired as the VP of Basketball Relations. I think if McD is fired, Jones will step into the GM role. I could be wrong there but I think that's the most likely thing to happen. I don't believe it will happen this year unless the Suns are absolutely terrible though.

http://www.nba.com/article/2017/07/19/phoenix-suns-extend-gm-mcdonough-hire-jones

Isn't Jones one of McDonough's bosses, both involved in the decision making? If the current administration is inadequate, doesn't that include Jones?

 

[Errntknght]

I just read that Jones reports directly to McD... I don't know if it came right from the horse's mouth

 

[Hoop Head]

Isn't Jones one of McDonough's bosses, both involved in the decision making? If the current administration is inadequate, doesn't that include Jones?

I believe Jones falls below McD in the pecking order but I could be wrong. The labels that teams assign to front office personnel can be confusing sometimes as far as who falls where. McD is the General Manager and Jones is the Vice President of Basketball Operations.

Found this interview with Jones and he talks about the draft some, specifically saying his job isn't so much scouting players or making decisions on who they'll pick. He says that McD and the Assistant GM are handling the draft decisions for the team. I don't believe that's something he delegated though, just explaining how thinks are run. It would be odd for him to be hired above McD but I guess it's possible.

I think the GM handles just about everything related to the team while someone in "Basketball Operations" handles managing the team and players, helping make some decisions when it comes to hirings, firings, and extensions but they are tasked with making sure everything runs smoothly and players conduct themselves appropriately. I believe the buck stops with McD as far as any sort of moves go with him being just a step below Sarver. I'll see if I can find more on what the responsibilities of the VP of BB Operations are though.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...es-jones-devin-booker-lebron-james/493875002/

 

[Mainstreet]

Ryan McDonough was hired by the Suns in 2013.

James Jones was brought in when McDonough was extended in July of 2017. Jones might be in a good position to take over the GM role if things do not work out with McDonough. He would already be familiar with the inside workings of the Suns.

He may have a different approach.

 

[Hoop Head]

Here's a note on James Jones being hired, at the same time as he was hired McD also had his contract extended. It specifically states that Jones will report to McD and some of the duties he'll handle in that position. I googled to see if I could find more on what exactly the "VP of Basketball Operations" does but it seems it's different with each organization. It's similar to being the GM but with a fancier title. Some teams don't have anyone in that role while others do. Some make the GM the President of Basketball Operations like Phil Jackson was in New York while Bryan Colangelo was both the General Manager and President of Basketball Operations when he was in Toronto. It varies quite a bit though and it doesn't seem it's something that can be solved by googling.

To really understand what the roles with each team do you'd need to contact each team, it seems. It varies quite a bit from team to team and it doesn't seem it's something that can be solved by googling unless you're trying to figure out if one of them is viewed as being above or below another person within a team's hierarchy. However in the case of the Suns it's noted that Jones reports to McD so it's safe to say he's below McD in the pecking order.


https://www.nba.com/suns/suns-exten...nes-vice-president-basketball-operations#gref


Here's another article, it says the position Jones has with the Suns was created for him, it's not something they had before. It is common around the league though so it's not entirely new in it's concept, just new for the Suns to employ someone in that capacity.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-suns-robert-sarver-ryan-mcdonough/491759001/

 

[Bob M]

I think I have read many people saying that it is playoffs or bust this year for the Suns. If not, we could be in for another house-cleaning.

One thing I think I know for sure is that our playoff odds have to still be considered very low.

No way we beat:
Golden State
Houston

Still not good enough to contend with:
San Antonio
OKC
Utah
LA

That leaves:
Denver, New Orleans, Portland, the Timberwolves, and a deep Grizzlies squad all vying for the last two playoff seeds in the west.

That's before you look at the Clippers, Suns, Kings, & Mavs.

C'mon man...... Being realistic..... that guy is probably TOAST.

IMO this is still a 2 or 3 year project.

Thoughts?

I can see where you are coming from but I just have this odd feeling the Suns will make the playoffs in 2019. Call it stupid youthful enthusiasm or dumb luck I think we'll snag the 7 or 8 position. Giving Booker a max contract though I thought was premature by a year.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I still wonder if he sees the writing on the wall...... Maybe he can take Anderson with him.


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[Errntknght]

I still wonder if he sees the writing on the wall...... Maybe he can take Anderson with him.

A bit of luck involved but McD has had a good recent run. I think Kokoskov is going to work out well so that should extend his run. Sarver may dump him at years end if we don't make the playoffs - it's Sarver being unrealistic but that won't surprise me. If, against all odds, Bender turns into a player that might overcome failing to make the playoffs. Anderson wasn't a great trade but it rid us of BK and Chriss and maybe netted a decent rookie in Melton. Heck, it's not impossible that shedding Chriss will have a positive effect on Bender - I'm not saying there's a good reason for it but weird things happen.

 

[Phrazbit]

A bit of luck involved but McD has had a good recent run. I think Kokoskov is going to work out well so that should extend his run. Sarver may dump him at years end if we don't make the playoffs - it's Sarver being unrealistic but that won't surprise me. If, against all odds, Bender turns into a player that might overcome failing to make the playoffs. Anderson wasn't a great trade but it rid us of BK and Chriss and maybe netted a decent rookie in Melton. Heck, it's not impossible that shedding Chriss will have a positive effect on Bender - I'm not saying there's a good reason for it but weird things happen.

I think if the teams is contending more nights than not and on the upswing, 35ish wins, McD should be safe, even without the playoffs. But, if next summer Jackson hasn't progressed the other moves are not panning out and we're basically Booker, Ayton and... nothing else, then McD could and should be fired.

If we somehow make the playoffs... then McD will likely be a finalist for GM of the year.

I also don't think Chriss has anything to do with Bender's struggles. If Bender turns it around I think it will be because of coaching and more stability overall on the roster.

 

[taz02]

This is Bookers 4th season. assuming we start Ariza and Anderson we are no longer that young and we added the #1 overall pick.

IMO injuries and intentionally playing for a high lottery slot contributed to our record last season.

If the team wins 30 games this season It will be a disaster. My hope is that we finish near .500

 

[GatorAZ]

I still wonder if he sees the writing on the wall...... Maybe he can take Anderson with him.


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Sarver has no problem changing coaches every year but the GM seems to be untouchable. Odd dynamic.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This is Bookers 4th season. assuming we start Ariza and Anderson we are no longer that young and we added the #1 overall pick.

IMO injuries and intentionally playing for a high lottery slot contributed to our record last season.

If the team wins 30 games this season It will be a disaster. My hope is that we finish near .500

Oh man. You are setting yourself up for disappointment. 33 wins or better would be great.

 

[Mainstreet]

I still wonder if he sees the writing on the wall...... Maybe he can take Anderson with him.

Signing Ariza in free agency might be evidence of this. Then the Suns traded Chriss and Knight to clear away any possible attitude problems. Additionally the Suns traded the future Miami pick for Mikal Bridges. These all could be interpreted as win now moves.

 

[Hoop Head]

I would hope the only reason Sarver fires McD this year is if the Suns win under 30 games or if they open the season the same as last year, with 2 of the first 3 games being 40+ point blowouts. I wouldn't blame Kokoskov if that happened as much as I'd blame McD. At that point it's a symptom of the roster being incredibly lopsided and mismatched causing us to be so hopeless. Happening to 2 coaches, 3 if you want to count the big blowouts that Triano's team suffered last year, would be saying that McD sets his coaches up for failure.

 

[taz02]

Oh man. You are setting yourself up for disappointment. 33 wins or better would be great.

Yes, but aren't we used to it. I think 33 wins without injury should put McD in jeopardy.

Since drafting Booker the suns have drafted or traded on draft day for 5 players selected in the top 10: #1 Ayton, #4 Jackson, #4 Bender, #10 Bridges, #8 Chriss.

If you cannot break .500 adding 5 lottery picks to a star player in Booker then there is a serious problem.

 

[SirStefan32]

Yes, but aren't we used to it. I think 33 wins without injury should put McD in jeopardy.

Since drafting Booker the suns have drafted or traded on draft day for 5 players selected in the top 10: #1 Ayton, #4 Jackson, #4 Bender, #10 Bridges, #8 Chriss.

If you cannot break .500 adding 5 lottery picks to a star player in Booker then there is a serious problem.

To be fair, winning 41 games in the West is not easy when you are drafting a bunch of teenagers.