"It's like Looney Tunes around here" - A Suns source reveals how chaotic the organization is under new owner Mat Ishbia

[Brian in Mesa]

Here's some offseason reading for you guys.

"It's like Looney Tunes around here" - A Suns source reveals how chaotic the organization is under new owner Mat Ishbia

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/suns-source-reveals-how-chaotic-organization-is-under-new-owner-mat-ishbia

With a roster headlined by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, the Phoenix Suns were supposed to be championship contenders. Instead, they are the first team to be eliminated from the 2024 playoffs after getting swept by the No. 3-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Suns looked out of sorts on the court, and the chemistry among the Big 3 was nowhere to be found, particularly in high-pressure situations. It appears, though, that the dysfunction isn't exclusive to the players, as the organization has also had to deal with some chaos after a change in ownership.

"It's like Looney Tunes around here," a Suns source told Hoops Wire. "It's felt unstable since [Mat Ishbia] arrived. He's a good guy and everything, I think, but he's just very involved. Too involved. I know he played (college basketball at Michigan State), but I'd venture to say he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to basketball. Yet he's making a lot of the big decisions."

 

[Mulli]

Meet the new owner. Same as the old owner?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yay

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Meddlesome owners are a gigantic problem. I appreciate his passion, but really hope that Ishbia learns from this season. This aint NBA 2k.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's not a new tune in year two. It will take a very good GM to get the Suns ship righted.

 

[Town Drunk]

Not surprised in the least. Here we go again, albeit with a better human.

 

[95pro]

Not surprised in the least. Here we go again, albeit with a better human.

That remains to be seen, these rich guys all have the same traits imo. But i'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, and so far hasn't done anything bad.

 

[Dback Jon]

Yup. Sad

 

[nashman]

New excited owner not gonna read much into this. This offseason will say a lot let’s see what moves they make to try and fix this thing. If you just spent billions sure you would want to be involved, but he’s not a stupid guy so if he brings in the right people to run things it will be fine. JJ had options and built it incorrectly, ignoring a PG and length ultimately killed us. Vogel is just a moron and should 100% be shown the door imo!

 

[Raindog]

New excited owner not gonna read much into this. This offseason will say a lot let’s see what moves they make to try and fix this thing. If you just spent billions sure you would want to be involved, but he’s not a stupid guy so if he brings in the right people to run things it will be fine. JJ had options and built it incorrectly, ignoring a PG and length ultimately killed us. Vogel is just a moron and should 100% be shown the door imo!

I agree. It's too early to say anything bad about Ishbia. He was definitely an (over) eager beaver once he took over the team, but even with the failure of the Durant/Beal deals, at this point I can only fault him for trying TOO hard and screwing it up.

Time will tell if he is a competent owner and able to admit and adjust to mistakes. His next best move will be to try and finish cleaning up both his mistakes and whatever other messes were left over from Sarver.

 

[GatorAZ]

Hoops wire!!

 

[Fitz4Ever]

Meet the new owner. Same as the old owner?

At least this one spends money. Remember refusing to sign Joe Johnson for 40 million?

 

[Proximo]

Here's some offseason reading for you guys.

"It's like Looney Tunes around here" - A Suns source reveals how chaotic the organization is under new owner Mat Ishbia

https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/suns-source-reveals-how-chaotic-organization-is-under-new-owner-mat-ishbia

With a roster headlined by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, the Phoenix Suns were supposed to be championship contenders. Instead, they are the first team to be eliminated from the 2024 playoffs after getting swept by the No. 3-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Suns looked out of sorts on the court, and the chemistry among the Big 3 was nowhere to be found, particularly in high-pressure situations. It appears, though, that the dysfunction isn't exclusive to the players, as the organization has also had to deal with some chaos after a change in ownership.

"It's like Looney Tunes around here," a Suns source told Hoops Wire. "It's felt unstable since [Mat Ishbia] arrived. He's a good guy and everything, I think, but he's just very involved. Too involved. I know he played (college basketball at Michigan State), but I'd venture to say he has no idea what he's doing when it comes to basketball. Yet he's making a lot of the big decisions."

This article seems like total BS to me. Just a headline to grab clicks after our embarrassing sweep.

Nothing the team has done is crazy, the Durant trade, Beal trade, Ayton trade, and Royce trades all seemed half way reasonable at the time. Too much was given up in most of the deals but the targets somewhat made sense.

 

[Mulli]

At least this one spends money. Remember refusing to sign Joe Johnson for 40 million?

Ya, I need to stop posting that because it is not true.

 

[Covert Rain]

As long as he keeps spending I am good. He will learn to balance. Dude runs a multi billion dollar empire. I think he can figure it out.

 

[taz02]

Ishba walked into a mess, and we'll need some time to determine what kind of owner he is. If I purchased a business for a few billion bucks, you could bet I'd be in the middle of everything, at least for the first year or two.

There has to be a pretty big learning curve to owning an NBA team.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

It's not a new tune in year two. It will take a very good GM to get the Suns ship righted.

Or maybe how about an owner who doesn't force trades and make roster decisions. No GM can do their job properly like that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Or maybe how about an owner who doesn't force trades and make roster decisions. No GM can do their job properly like that.

Like the Cardinals, we cannot control ownership.

What we can hope for is the Suns hire a good GM and Ishbia gives him the flexibility to make decisions, including hiring a new head coach that has a plan for the future.

 

[JerkFace]

The original Hoops Wire article had this paragraph which pretty much makes me disregard anything else the article has to say:

“All of the changes have taken place since owner Mat Ishbia bought the Suns from Robert Sarver in December 2022. One source told Hoops Wire that he believes Sarver was “forced out” as the result of “an ESPN hit piece”. “

 

[Cheesebeef]

The original Hoops Wire article had this paragraph which pretty much makes me disregard anything else the article has to say:

“All of the changes have taken place since owner Mat Ishbia bought the Suns from Robert Sarver in December 2022. One source told Hoops Wire that he believes Sarver was “forced out” as the result of “an ESPN hit piece”. “

Lol… that last sentence is hilariously bizarre. One source believes Sarver was forced out because of the ESPN hit piece?! NO WAY?!?!

 

[taz02]

the source is the friggin world

 

[Raindog]

Lol… that last sentence is hilariously bizarre. One source believes Sarver was forced out because of the ESPN hit piece?! NO WAY?!?!

The unnamed "source" = Robert Sarver

 

[Covert Rain]

The original Hoops Wire article had this paragraph which pretty much makes me disregard anything else the article has to say:

“All of the changes have taken place since owner Mat Ishbia bought the Suns from Robert Sarver in December 2022. One source told Hoops Wire that he believes Sarver was “forced out” as the result of “an ESPN hit piece”. “

After reading the stories from employees and all the HR complaints? That was no hit piece. That was an accountability piece. Good riddance.

 

[Phrazbit]

Lol… that last sentence is hilariously bizarre. One source believes Sarver was forced out because of the ESPN hit piece?! NO WAY?!?!

Haha

A source tells me Abe Lincoln's second term was derailed by a hit piece from a southern sympathizer.

 

[Phrazbit]

I think Ishbia is clearly in over his head when it comes the roster decisions he's meddling with, but it's comical to see the press piling on when last summer most of them were acting like getting Durant and Beal was a major coup.

I give Ishbia an A for effort... which is far more than I can give Sarver.