The reason I like Van Gundy is that, even though he's a hardass, he exudes a passion for the game and an enthusiasm for what he's doing. Brown and Skiles, by contrast, always just seem grim, like they've been saddled with an unpleasant responsibility. Being a demanding leader is a much easier sell if your troops believe that you respect them and will share in their triumphs.
Van Gundy is the guy, but not with this nucleus. The Suns need to get out from under O'Neal's contract, and we all know there's only one way to do that.