Suns sign Watson to 3 year deal

[AzStevenCal]

I don't know if Earl Watson was a good hire or a bad hire however I would have liked for Ryan McDonough to give at least another interview or two before they hired him.

Why? It's not like there's any secrets out there. If you're satisfied with the job Watson has done and you like him why screw around and risk losing him to someone else. Or why risk souring his attitude from the start? This has happened many times before and I can't think of a single time when the interim still got the job if the team felt the need to continue the process after having seen what the interim could do. This is standard practice IMO and I can't for the life of me figure out why it's now being made into such a big deal.

The players (unless it's players like Durant or LeBron) should not have a primary say as to the next head coach should be.

I wouldn't even let Durant or Lebron pick my next coach. I'd weigh all the factors and reach a decision and a superstar liking him would have little to do with my choice. But part of what you're looking for, a very BIG part of what you're looking for, is someone that the players respect and respond to. That's all their endorsement would have meant to me if I were doing the hiring. If i wasn't satisfied with the other areas of his performance, that endorsement would mean nothing.

 

[Mainstreet]

Why? It's not like there's any secrets out there. If you're satisfied with the job Watson has done and you like him why screw around and risk losing him to someone else. Or why risk souring his attitude from the start? This has happened many times before and I can't think of a single time when the interim still got the job if the team felt the need to continue the process after having seen what the interim could do. This is standard practice IMO and I can't for the life of me figure out why it's now being made into such a big deal.

So interviewing other head coaching candidates would sour Earl Watson's attitude? I don't think I would like this quality from a head coaching candidate.

I wouldn't even let Durant or Lebron pick my next coach. I'd weigh all the factors and reach a decision and a superstar liking him would have little to do with my choice. But part of what you're looking for, a very BIG part of what you're looking for, is someone that the players respect and respond to. That's all their endorsement would have meant to me if I were doing the hiring. If i wasn't satisfied with the other areas of his performance, that endorsement would mean nothing.

Wow. I'd take into account who a superstar like Durant or Lebron might want as the next head coach when they will or can become a free agent. IMO, it would be naive if management didn't consider their input.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So interviewing other head coaching candidates would sour Earl Watson's attitude? I don't think I would like this quality from a head coaching candidate.

Can you think of an example where they gave an interim the chance to coach and after the season, they then went through an exhaustive search process only to return to the interim? Perhaps I'm misremembering how it's always gone but I can't think of one single time where that happened. So yes, if I'm right and if it's the standard, it would very probably start the relationship off on the wrong foot.

Wow. I'd take into account who a superstar like Durant or Lebron might want as the next head coach when they will or can become a free agent. IMO, it would be naive if management didn't consider their input.

Sure, I'd take it into account too but it would just be one of the factors.

 

[Mainstreet]

Can you think of an example where they gave an interim the chance to coach and after the season, they then went through an exhaustive search process only to return to the interim? Perhaps I'm misremembering how it's always gone but I can't think of one single time where that happened. So yes, if I'm right and if it's the standard, it would very probably start the relationship off on the wrong foot.

I thought this was about Earl Watson's attitude souring from the start if the Suns conducted other interviews. IMO, you go through the process. Earl Watson should not be controlling the process.

Sure, I'd take it into account too but it would just be one of the factors.

And I thought a superstar liking a particular head coach would have little to do with your choice.

Although it's not likely going to happen for the Wizards, if the Suns could have hired Scott Brooks and he indeed could have attracted Durant to the Suns, I think you do it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I thought this was about Earl Watson's attitude souring from the start if the Suns conducted other interviews. IMO, you go through the process. Earl Watson should not be controlling the process.

No, that was my point all along. I could be wrong about this process, like I said, but from what I've seen this is the way it's typically handled. You give the interim a chance and if they are truly a candidate, you know by the end of the season whether he's your selection. If he's not, you open it up to interviews. I really cannot remember one single time where it's opened up to interviews with other candidates, only to return to the interim (NFL minority hiring rules notwithstanding). IMO that is the process.

And I thought a superstar liking a particular head coach would have little to do with your choice.

Although it's not likely going to happen for the Wizards, if the Suns could have hired Scott Brooks and he indeed could have attracted Durant to the Suns, I think you do it.

It would have little to do with it although it could certainly end up being the tie breaker. If the person meets your approval in other areas, yes, you would love buy in from your main player. But no matter how much Durant likes Brooks, I wouldn't give him the job if I found him lacking overall as a coach. And I wouldn't hire Watson solely because a collection of players like him. But having the entire team speak highly of him is a very big deal and if you're satisfied with him in the other areas, it's enough to seal the deal IMO.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I don't know if Earl Watson was a good hire or a bad hire however I would have liked for Ryan McDonough to give at least another interview or two before they hired him. The players (unless it's players like Durant or LeBron) should not have a primary say as to the next head coach should be. Also the issue of salary was brought up by McDonough... that it wasn't an issue. I hope it was not an issue but it's the process and the appearance that I question.

IMO, Robert Sarver has let Suns fans down in the past that's why his comments bothered me a bit. After this happens a number of times I question any move that wreaks of saving money for the sake of saving money. The Suns were not trapped unless they allowed themselves to be trapped. I don't want the Suns to be run like a bank where the bottom line is to save some money by cutting a corner in the process. IMO, the two most important places an owner should not save money is on the GM and the coach because it all trickles down to the team.

How do you know how many interviews he did in the first place? Or how many interviews he at least attempted to set up?

 

[Mainstreet]

How do you know how many interviews he did in the first place? Or how many interviews he at least attempted to set up?

My understanding is that Watson was the only candidate interviewed for the Suns head coaching position but I suspect there was a number of informal or 3rd party discussions by Ryan McDonough. There seemed to be some rumored interest from the Suns in Villanova head coach Jay Wright. Obviously everything is not aired in public.

 

[Mainstreet]

I enjoyed the discussion AzStevenCal. You made some good points.

 

[Mainstreet]

There were some interesting comments from a Paul Coro article dated 4-23-16 at azcentral about the Suns.

I will post a couple of quotes from the article.

When Suns coach Earl Watson became Phoenix's interim head coach in February, he borrowed “embrace the process” from San Antonio, made team rules for “no excuses” and changed the NBA lexicon of a franchise to a “program” for a communal feel. One term did not survive into the offseason.

“The process is over,” Watson said. “Moving forward throughout the summer, whatever happens with this program has to be done with purpose. You have to rise out of the process. No excuses. So our program can right the wrongs and turn it into a positive.”

The Suns already leaned more on Bledsoe at point guard when he was healthy and appear poised to get farther away from the idea of a two-playmaker system. That plan was in place to try to make a Bledsoe/Goran Dragic/Isaiah Thomas situation work in 2014-15 and continued to some extent with Knight over the past season and a half.

“We really value guys at different sizes who can play multiple positions, who can create good shots for themselves and have some versatility,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said. “That’s the hardest thing to find. I think we have a few of those guys on our roster already and hopefully we’ll be able to add one or two more in the draft.”

The Suns also will get away from a lineup pairing 7-footers Chandler and Len, used out of necessity after trading Markieff Morris. Lineups pairing Chandler and Len were outscored by 13.7 points per 48 minutes.

I like what I am hearing from Earl Watson and Ryan McDonough. IMO, the Suns were too locked in to a two playmaker system.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-end-process-pursue-2016-17-purpose/83412486/

 

[AzStevenCal]

I like what I am hearing from Earl Watson and Ryan McDonough. IMO, the Suns were too locked in to a two playmaker system.

I do too. I think it was in the interview he did with Burns and Gambo where he talked about wanting the ball to not stick, specifically in Knight's hands. He seemed confident that he can make that happen, it sure would improve Knight's play and it would help Bledsoe and the rest of the team immeasurably too.

 

[Errntknght]

Quote from Coro: "The Suns already leaned more on Bledsoe at point guard when he was healthy and appear poised to get farther away from the idea of a two-playmaker system. That plan was in place to try to make a Bledsoe/Goran Dragic/Isaiah Thomas situation work in 2014-15 and continued to some extent with Knight over the past season and a half."

This is a revision of history. The Suns started the two guard system with Dragic and Bledsoe and said the idea was to have two outlet targets for the the fast break. It continued the next year with IT added and they even ran with three combo guards at times. Heck, the purpose of getting Knight was to continue it with he and Bled, and they did just that til Bled went down.

The real problem we had was not so much the concept but that Hornacek never got a buy in from the players in what he was trying to do. Part of that might have been due to McD, not making sure the players knew, clearly, what they were stepping into.

The best way, and perhaps the only way, to keep the ball from sticking in Knight's hands is to trade him. I have no problem with showcasing him for a while then trading him. Meanwhile we need to draft more of a playmaking guard, like Ulis, and start grooming him to be the lead guard.

Now, Watson may surprise us and blend Bledsoe and Knight into a smoothly operating backcourt, with well reduced turnovers - currently, it sure looks like he going to have that opportunity. I still don't believe that will be the optimum path as I'm convinced Bledsoe is more valuable coming off the bench. If nothing else it will reduce his playing time and maybe keeping him healthy longer.

 

[BC867]

Now, Watson may surprise us and blend Bledsoe and Knight into a smoothly operating backcourt, with well reduced turnovers - currently, it sure looks like he going to have that opportunity. I still don't believe that will be the optimum path as I'm convinced Bledsoe is more valuable coming off the bench. If nothing else it will reduce his playing time and maybe keeping him healthy longer.

I agree with all of the points in your post.

But regarding the portion I quoted, you cannot evaluate the Guard situation without including two names -- Booker and Bogdanovic -- both natural Shooting Guards. Knight as an undersized Shooting Guard and inconsistent shooter should not stand in the way of either of them, even for a minute.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Quote from Coro: "The Suns already leaned more on Bledsoe at point guard when he was healthy and appear poised to get farther away from the idea of a two-playmaker system. That plan was in place to try to make a Bledsoe/Goran Dragic/Isaiah Thomas situation work in 2014-15 and continued to some extent with Knight over the past season and a half."

This is a revision of history. The Suns started the two guard system with Dragic and Bledsoe and said the idea was to have two outlet targets for the the fast break. It continued the next year with IT added and they even ran with three combo guards at times. Heck, the purpose of getting Knight was to continue it with he and Bled, and they did just that til Bled went down.

The real problem we had was not so much the concept but that Hornacek never got a buy in from the players in what he was trying to do. Part of that might have been due to McD, not making sure the players knew, clearly, what they were stepping into.

The best way, and perhaps the only way, to keep the ball from sticking in Knight's hands is to trade him. I have no problem with showcasing him for a while then trading him. Meanwhile we need to draft more of a playmaking guard, like Ulis, and start grooming him to be the lead guard.

Now, Watson may surprise us and blend Bledsoe and Knight into a smoothly operating backcourt, with well reduced turnovers - currently, it sure looks like he going to have that opportunity. I still don't believe that will be the optimum path as I'm convinced Bledsoe is more valuable coming off the bench. If nothing else it will reduce his playing time and maybe keeping him healthy longer.

I think they thought that Goran was really more of a 2 than a 1. When Bledsoe went down with injury Goran filled in at the 1 and had his best season ever. Once he really got the taste for that, he did not want to go back.

 

[JCSunsfan]

“We really value guys at different sizes who can play multiple positions, who can create good shots for themselves and have some versatility,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said. “That’s the hardest thing to find. I think we have a few of those guys on our roster already and hopefully we’ll be able to add one or two more in the draft.”

Now THAT is an interesting statement regarding the draft. Versatile, multiposition big men (which we do not have but obviously covet.)

Simmons (pf/sf/pg) over Ingram (sf)
Murray (pg/sg) over Dunn (pg) but neither are bigger
Sabonis (pf/c) over Poetl (c)
Brown (sg/sf) over Rabb (pf)

??? Is that what he is saying?

 

[Chaz]

It is time for them to get a real point guard to pair with Booker. Knight or Bledsoe can be outstanding utility players, assuming they can stay on the court.

 

[Errntknght]

Now THAT is an interesting statement regarding the draft. Versatile, multiposition big men (which we do not have but obviously covet.)

Simmons (pf/sf/pg) over Ingram (sf)
Murray (pg/sg) over Dunn (pg) but neither are bigger
Sabonis (pf/c) over Poetl (c)
Brown (sg/sf) over Rabb (pf)

??? Is that what he is saying?

I suppose that's what he's saying but it doesn't do a lot for me. I'm perfectly happy to have guys that are first rate at only one position... for backups its fine to attach some importance to positional versatility... as long as you don't get carried away with it.

 

[BC867]

I suppose that's what he's saying but it doesn't do a lot for me. I'm perfectly happy to have guys that are first rate at only one position... for backups its fine to attach some importance to positional versatility... as long as you don't get carried away with it.

I agree. As starters, jacks-of-all-trades/masters-of-none (especially the two of them starting together) holds a team back from reaching the next step.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I agree. As starters, jacks-of-all-trades/masters-of-none (especially the two of them starting together) holds a team back from reaching the next step.

In basketball, you are really looking for a jack of all trades, master of two. Shooting, driving, defense, rebounding, distributing, rim protection. I know some of those overlap, but you are looking for a player that does alot of things well, especially a two-way player, but excels at at least two. He should have passable skills in the rest. If you have a one-dimensional player, he rarely makes it. He is a liability on the floor.

 

[Covert Rain]

My understanding is that Watson was the only candidate interviewed for the Suns head coaching position but I suspect there was a number of informal or 3rd party discussions by Ryan McDonough. There seemed to be some rumored interest from the Suns in Villanova head coach Jay Wright. Obviously everything is not aired in public.

He may have been the only "formal" interview but that makes sense if everybody else you put feelers out there for basically said "not interested". It's a PR easy out. It's the equivalent of when a player gets put on the trading block and the team says "we listen to phone calls about anybody but we are not seeking a trade". Uh....OK. It's not magical why a player all of the sudden becomes the "hot name" for trade rumors.

 

[Mainstreet]

He may have been the only "formal" interview but that makes sense if everybody else you put feelers out there for basically said "not interested". It's a PR easy out. It's the equivalent of when a player gets put on the trading block and the team says "we listen to phone calls about anybody but we are not seeking a trade". Uh....OK. It's not magical why a player all of the sudden becomes the "hot name" for trade rumors.

The thought that passed through my mind, if the Suns were willing to pay an above average salary (or maybe just average) for an NBA coach, might they have received more interest in their head coaching position. However, McDonough says money was not an issue so I guess we will have to go with that.

 

[BC867]

In basketball, you are really looking for a jack of all trades, master of two. Shooting, driving, defense, rebounding, distributing, rim protection. I know some of those overlap, but you are looking for a player that does alot of things well, especially a two-way player, but excels at at least two. He should have passable skills in the rest. If you have a one-dimensional player, he rarely makes it. He is a liability on the floor.

Do you consider either Bledsoe or Knight excelling in two?

We thought that Bledsoe's defense might have represented one but, the way he's turned it on and off, it seems not.

And Knight doesn't even excel in one.

In the Suns various two- or three-tweener Guard system, it seems that any Point Guard that had the ability to excel in two wouldn't want to share their lead position.

And it seems that Sarver and McDonough didn't think that through and Hornacek (as an inexperienced Head Coach) didn't have the skill to make it happen.

In the words of Christopher Walken, what a conundrum!

 

[SirStefan32]

Do you consider either Bledsoe or Knight excelling in two?

We thought that Bledsoe's defense might have represented one but, the way he's turned it on and off, it seems not.

And Knight doesn't even excel in one.

In the Suns various two- or three-tweener Guard system, it seems that any Point Guard that had the ability to excel in two wouldn't want to share their lead position.

And it seems that Sarver and McDonough didn't think that through and Hornacek (as an inexperienced Head Coach) didn't have the skill to make it happen.

In the words of Christopher Walken, what a conundrum!

That's what we've been talking about for a long time now. Versatility is the ability to play multiple positions and do multiple things well. Versatility is not the lack of ability to play either position well, and unfortunately, that's what we've had for a while.

 

[Covert Rain]

The thought that passed through my mind, if the Suns were willing to pay an above average salary (or maybe just average) for an NBA coach, might they have received more interest in their head coaching position. However, McDonough says money was not an issue so I guess we will have to go with that.

Based on that I don't think money was probably an issue. I think it has more to do with the Suns reputation, current standing, level of talent etc. It's hard to get a top notch coach to leave somewhere were they probably have it good to come to a situation like this. Although, I have always thought for the Suns to land a top notch coach they would probably have to pay huge huge money.

 

[Mainstreet]

Based on that I don't think money was probably an issue. I think it has more to do with the Suns reputation, current standing, level of talent etc. It's hard to get a top notch coach to leave somewhere were they probably have it good to come to a situation like this. Although, I have always thought for the Suns to land a top notch coach they would probably have to pay huge huge money.

We agree, the Suns would need to overpay to get a more proven head coach. However, the Suns in recent years have hired assistant coaches (likely on the cheap) and hopefully catch them on the rise. Money may not be an issue but it can give this appearance. Anyway, I hope Watson gets the job done and I am mildly optimistic about his chances.

 

[Mainstreet]

It looks like the head coaching candidates for the Kings job is growing and growing. Although I would have liked for the Suns to interview another candidate or two for their head coaching position (which is now water over the dam), I would not have enjoyed the Kings approach.

The thought occurs to me, the Kings are searching for advice from a myriad of candidates on how to run their franchise.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...-kings-head-coaching-vacancy-according-source