Suns hire Monty Williams

[Yuma]

I know it's possible that they fall short but I feel like the important part is playing close to 500 basketball by years end. If they reach 500 in December then I won't be raising what I expect for January. The expectations would stay the same, whether they exceed them or not. Ultimately, I hope to see improvement each month. I guess I set my own standards though as far as what I hope to see though in terms of record. Something like... 30%+ in November, 35%+ in December, 40% in January, 45%+ in February, and 50%+ in March then I'll be very happy.

I don't know if it's as hard to hit as you might think. I thought they might accomplish it last year after that 4 game streak in December but then they had that awful losing streak headed into the All-Star break. I think I came up with that idea last November and it looked attainable at that time until they fell apart in January.

I was trying to get across a similar point to that above but quicker in the post you quoted. I wouldn't raise it if they do well though, I feel like that's a fair thing to ask for going into the year, a percentage like that monthly. If they exceed it, great, but if they don't then hopefully they can play up to the higher mark the following month.

I understand there are tough stretches and injuries to deal with but I don't think it's asking too much from them to post a record similar to what I spelled out though. I don't believe asking for 500 basketball by the end of the year is too much since we won't have as many rookies and should have some good chemistry by years end, even if there are some injuries to contend with in March. I hope we're not throwing in the towel and resting guys for draft position, that's for certain. I'm beyond done with that.

Here is last seasons record when broken up by month...

October - 1-6
November - 3-12
December - 5-11
January - 2-13
February - 1-8
March - 5-10
April - 2-3

The only caveat to all this is, we are playing in the Western Conference. We have to wait until the off season is over to see if the balance of power has more players moving west. We already know the Lakers, for one, are looking at getting at least one Eastern Conference person to move west for Lebron. The Western Conference can end up tougher.

 

[Mainstreet]

With the 76ers being eliminated from the playoffs by Toronto we may hear something about Monty's choices for assistant coaches in the coming days.

 

[1Sun]

With the 76ers being eliminated from the playoffs by Toronto we may hear something about Monty's choices for assistant coaches in the coming days.

That probably puts an end to the possibility of trading for Lowry as well.

 

[Proximo]

That probably puts an end to the possibility of trading for Lowry as well.

Good. I don’t want Lowry.

 

[BC867]

BUMP

Monty's Press Conference will be televised tomorrow, Tuesday June 21st,

at 6 PM on Fox Sports Arizona before the D-backs pre-game show at 6:30.

 

[Mainstreet]

BUMP

Monty's Press Conference will be televised tomorrow, Tuesday June 21st,

at 6 PM on Fox Sports Arizona before the D-backs pre-game show at 6:30.

It's good to know. I was going to miss it if it were in the morning. I'm guessing that's May 21st.

 

[Superbone]

It's live at 10:30 am on suns.com.

 

[Ronin]

Wednesday's NBA: Williams gets kids' blessing for job
Williams said he was pushed by his kids to return to coaching.

“When everything happened to my family, my focus was just take care of my children,” said Williams, who has remarried. “That led me to believe I might not ever be able to coach again, and I was cool with that. But they weren’t. And to have your children want you to go back to doing what you love to do gave me even more confidence, more strength. Hopefully that translates and the players can pick up on that.”

https://sports.yahoo.com/m/f46b67a3-a340-3bb3-989b-a2c058dbb000/wednesday's-nba:-williams.html

 

[Mainstreet]

Some news on Suns assistant coaches.


Marc Stein‏Verified account @TheSteinLine

In Phoenix, meanwhile, Steve Blake (Blazers staff), Randy Ayres (Nets scout) and Mark Bryant (Thunder bench) have all emerged as top contenders to land on Monty Williams' coaching staff

11:13 AM - 24 May 2019

 

[1Sun]

Some news on Suns assistant coaches.


Marc Stein‏Verified account @TheSteinLine

In Phoenix, meanwhile, Steve Blake (Blazers staff), Randy Ayres (Nets scout) and Mark Bryant (Thunder bench) have all emerged as top contenders to land on Monty Williams' coaching staff

11:13 AM - 24 May 2019

All good choices. Loved Blake as a steady point guard (starting opposite Brandon Roy, perhaps not so coincidentally). Bryant got the most as a big man out of his limited talent here (and in Houston) due to fundamental soundness and intensity. And Ayres has been a respected scout for quite some time. I hope we get all of them.

 

[Mainstreet]

All good choices. Loved Blake as a steady point guard (starting opposite Brandon Roy, perhaps not so coincidentally). Bryant got the most as a big man out of his limited talent here (and in Houston) due to fundamental soundness and intensity. And Ayres has been a respected scout for quite some time. I hope we get all of them.

It almost feels like Steve Blake should still be playing.

I like what the Nets have done to rebuild their franchise.

 

[Hoop Head]

Some news on Suns assistant coaches.


Marc Stein‏Verified account @TheSteinLine

In Phoenix, meanwhile, Steve Blake (Blazers staff), Randy Ayres (Nets scout) and Mark Bryant (Thunder bench) have all emerged as top contenders to land on Monty Williams' coaching staff

11:13 AM - 24 May 2019

Bryant was a former Sun, he came back in the Barkley trade and spent 2 years here. I wouldn't mind him as a big man coach. He's been in the league as an assistant for a long time. He's been with the Thunder since they moved there, being an assistant the last year they were in Seattle for the 2007-08 season. He was an assistant in Orland the 2 years prior to that.

He makes more sense as a bigs coach than Corliss Williamson. He played PF/C in the NBA over 14 years. He was never a consistent starter anywhere but was a good backup. He was more of an interior banger, like we'd all like to see Ayton become to an extent.

He played here in 96-97 and 97-98, averaging 6.0 ppg with 4.1 rpg in 19.2 mpg while shooting 52.2% from the field. His career numbers aren't far from that either, 5.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and 50% shooting in 16.9 throughout 797 games for 10 different teams. He only played for 3 teams when he left here after his 10th season, he bounced around a lot after that.

 

[1Sun]

It almost feels like Steve Blake should still be playing.

I like what the Nets have done to rebuild their franchise.

Well, Blake IS younger than Stephon Marbury and only a month older than Jamal Crawford...

 

[Mainstreet]

Bryant was a former Sun, he came back in the Barkley trade and spent 2 years here. I wouldn't mind him as a big man coach. He's been in the league as an assistant for a long time. He's been with the Thunder since they moved there, being an assistant the last year they were in Seattle for the 2007-08 season. He was an assistant in Orland the 2 years prior to that.

He makes more sense as a bigs coach than Corliss Williamson. He played PF/C in the NBA over 14 years. He was never a consistent starter anywhere but was a good backup. He was more of an interior banger, like we'd all like to see Ayton become to an extent.

He played here in 96-97 and 97-98, averaging 6.0 ppg with 4.1 rpg in 19.2 mpg while shooting 52.2% from the field. His career numbers aren't far from that either, 5.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, and 50% shooting in 16.9 throughout 797 games for 10 different teams. He only played for 3 teams when he left here after his 10th season, he bounced around a lot after that.

If he had anything to do with Steven Adams development, I'm good with it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well, Blake IS younger than Stephon Marbury and only a month older than Jamal Crawford...

He could probably still help the Suns. We will have to pull him out of retirement!

 

[Hoop Head]

Some news on Suns assistant coaches.


Marc Stein‏Verified account @TheSteinLine

In Phoenix, meanwhile, Steve Blake (Blazers staff), Randy Ayres (Nets scout) and Mark Bryant (Thunder bench) have all emerged as top contenders to land on Monty Williams' coaching staff

11:13 AM - 24 May 2019

Ayres was Monty's assistant previously in New Orleans. Unless he's the Nets head scout then I believe taking a job on the bench would be promotion which should allow him to get out of Brooklyn. He served under Monty for the 2 years he was there and his final season.

I'm not sure why he had that gap, I don't see anything on his Wikipedia about it though. Regardless, he's spent 3 years under Monty previously and I think that's a good sign he'll be hired here provided he can get out of his deal in Brooklyn.

Here's a link to his wiki page. He was the head coach at Ohio State throughout the 90's and then went to Philly to coach under Larry Brown. He was the coach who they hired to take over for Brown and was fired 52 games into that season after accumulating a 21-31 record. Taking over for Larry Brown in Philly was a no-win situation and he proved that by his short tenure. That's the only head coaching he's done in the NBA.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ayres was Monty's assistant previously in New Orleans. Unless he's the Nets head scout then I believe taking a job on the bench would be promotion which should allow him to get out of Brooklyn. He served under Monty for the 2 years he was there and his final season.

I'm not sure why he had that gap, I don't see anything on his Wikipedia about it though. Regardless, he's spent 3 years under Monty previously and I think that's a good sign he'll be hired here provided he can get out of his deal in Brooklyn.

Here's a link to his wiki page. He was the head coach at Ohio State throughout the 90's and then went to Philly to coach under Larry Brown. He was the coach who they hired to take over for Brown and was fired 52 games into that season after accumulating a 21-31 record. Taking over for Larry Brown in Philly was a no-win situation and he proved that by his short tenure. That's the only head coaching he's done in the NBA.

If he can scout, I'm good with it.

 

[1Sun]

If he can scout, I'm good with it.

Can he bring D'Angelo Russell with him?...

 

[Hoop Head]

If he can scout, I'm good with it.

From what I saw on his NBA.com profile, defense seems to be his specialty. He's credited with helping the Wizards improve their defense when he was brought on as an assistant to Eddie Jordan.

After his time there, Ayers coached for Orlando and Washington, before returning to Philadelphia last year. The Wizards allowed just 99.2 points per game in his first season with the team in 2007-08, after allowing 104.9 points per game the season prior.

Link. Just a heads up, that profile is outdated as is mentions him being Monty's lead assistant in New Orleans for his 2nd season in New Orleans, he was promoted to lead assistant after the first year they were together there. That tells you how recent it is, with the 2010-11 season being the last that took place before that bio was written up. Still, it has some info if you're interested.

I'm cool with all 3 of those choices. I don't know Blake as a coach but he was a smart player who had a long career despite not being very athletic. Blake was a PG and had a long career despite not being that athletic or particularly good at any one thing. He was a steady hand as a backup PG though.

 

[Mainstreet]

Can he bring D'Angelo Russell with him?...

Of course. Bring him along if he must. Dinwiddie can tag along.

 

[JerkFace]

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Interesting article on David Nurse:

https://hoopshype.com/2018/08/29/this-coach-wants-to-change-the-way-nba-players-train/

 

[AzStevenCal]

I remember Randy Ayers more as a college coach than anything NBA related. As I recall he took over for a fairly successful Gary Williams who had left for the job at Maryland. Randy lasted almost a decade but despite great things being predicted for him and that school, he took them the opposite direction. After losing that job, Larry Brown hired him as an assistant and he disappeared from my radar at that point.

 

[Proximo]

WOW - Gambo just said the Monty contract is 5 years 28 million

 

[1Sun]

WOW - Gambo just said the Monty contract is 5 years 28 million

A large but sound investment.

 

[BC867]

A large but sound investment.

More psychological than monetary following five Head Coaches in five seasons.

This tells everyone that the Suns are finally ready to act responsibly and make
it possible for their players to succeed.