The Earl Watson Report

[Danimal]

Given we are playing our previous coach tonight, I thought it would be a good time to start this discussion
We are over a qtr of the way through the season, so was keen to see peoples thoughts and observations on Watson

Watson came into a team last year which was riddled with injuries and chemistry issues. He managed to get something out of Morris and Alex Len although the team record remained horrible. There were a couple of feel good wins that helped just enough to bump the suns out of the top 3 of the lottery

In the offseason, the suns chose not to go after other candidates and locked in Watson quickly. Two similar teams - The lakers went for Walton and the Wolves went for an experienced coach in Thibs.

Watson was billed as a good chemistry guy, having the respect of players and being a strong communicator. Preaching family and love. His pedigree was seen as playing for many places around the league and hence playing under some great coaches as well as having strong ties to former coaches at UCLA.

My thoughts so far are that:
- His hiring seems to be an overreaction to the previous chemistry issues, since he seems to get along with players well.
- Despite all the experience and links to great coaches plus hiring experience assistants, our offense looks as flat and flavourless as last year
- I was pleased he started booker, tj and then chirss. He seemed to handle the benching of knight well. But there still seems to be an overreliance on shitty veterans and not making them accountable. Its unclear whether this is his preference or if its the same crap from management about trying to rebuild in baby steps whilst letting our vets shoot for the 8th place.
- he is showing the same love for zero playoff games Tucker that the previous coach did
- He mentioned after game 1 that the young guys would be our bench going forward. However despite showing an ability to play team basketball, ulis and bender have seen quite limited action.

So the question also remains, what do we see Watson as being? A glorified babysitter for a year or 2 until the young guys develop until we get a real coach. Or does he still show enough glimpses that we will morph into a competent coach?

[LazarusLong]

I am wondering how much leeway he has in setting rotations/lineups.

The eyetest tells me that Chandler always has to start, and that most of the older vets need at least 20 minutes.

[Superbone]

I still hold out hope for Earl Watson. I don't think you give up on any coach without at the very least a full year under his belt. He's only two years away from being a player in the league. First of all, I respect the hell out of the man. What he's had to deal with in his short life and how he's dealt with it is very impressive. Just like you allow a rookie player to get his footing, you have to allow a rookie coach to get his footing. He's already a leader of men which is not something to sneeze at in a coach.

The Xs and Os and strategies on the court can be learned. I understand that he is a student of the game. Strategy on the court I think we can all agree is his weakest area right now. That is his biggest area for improvment but he also has to work with the hand he is dealt and the pressure to play guys making the big bucks. We all agree that McDonough left him in a much less than ideal situation with Bledsoe and Knight running the point. Hornacek couldn't make that work either and I'd be interested to see what Pop would do with it because neither of these guys are cutting it at running our offense. How can a rookie right out of college (Ulis) look so much better running the team?

Anyway, fans are quick to judge as you can tell reading this board so I'd like to give him the year and see what develops. He may never have a chance due to Bledsoe and Knight running the show. I hold out hope that one of them will be dealt by the trade deadline so he might stand a chance.

[Mori Chu]

I think he sucks.

[Superbone]

I think he sucks.

Good analysis.

[Cap]

Who's winning my sig so far?

[AmareIsGod]

Posted this in another thread but more relevant here.

While I understand the valid criticisms and complaints because I share a lot of the same feelings most of us do, Watson has to work with keeping the locker room from falling apart and balancing chemistry with a roster that he's given. The front office makes trades based on interest and what we can get in return. We can bash Watson all we want with how he distributes minutes but the moment he loses his veterans by benching them simply in favor of youth instead of trying to win games, it will quickly turn the season into a lost cause. Player development will be hindered by a divided locker room and a coach nobody listens to. Then we end up with a group of negative young players that have become accustomed to losing, not listening to their coach and bad habits going forward. I don't envy Watson at all. There's so much more than x's and o's and benching players for other players when it comes to basketball, especially in the NBA where egos and personalities are one of the largest factors. Our coach has to confront these personalities and people on a daily basis, whether it's text messaging, practices, travel, whatever the case may be. It's an incredibly tough balance with a roster that is two ends of the spectrum: very young and fairly old.

My real problem with him is his current x's and o's. I think this is his weakest area. Our offense is constant isolation plays with our guards. I think Bledsoe is starting to get better at being the primary PG. His penetration has put defenses to work and he's been able to drive and dish or get to the line pretty frequently. I think the jury is still ultimately out on him but saying he sucks or he's terrible is being a bit shortsighted.

[Ring_Wanted]

I'll say again, I think we are similar to the 03-04 Suns. The young vet who usually has the ball in his hands at PG is not good at sharing and obviously can't take over games with consistency either. It doesn't matter what specifics you run. As long as Bledsoe and/or Knight are the handlers, you'll get a pass a fraction of a second too late, two inches too high or too low or simply aimed at the wrong target, product of poor decision making and narrow vision.

We play at a high pace and we rebound. That's the only (relative) positives I've seen so far from this Watson-led team, besides his motivation/nurturing. Nothing else has improved in terms of efficiency, ball movement or intensity on defense. It's the same dumb and ugly ball we've had to endure since the end of the 13-14 season, and we are in 2017 now. Watson or Hornacek it doesn't matter. I'll concede that we are somewhat less dumb, but not by much. Anyway. Still ugly and still dumb enough.

We need the second coming of the Marbury trade.

[carey]

We need the second coming of the Marbury trade.

I was thinking the same thing, but there's no Nash to go get next season. We'd be hoping to land Fultz or Ball in the draft. It's no sure thing. It may be a risk we have to take.

[ShelC]

Again, I don't know how a guy plays 4 years at UCLA, 12 years in the league under guys like Sloan, Hubie Brown, George Karl, is seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks and then can't coach Xs and Os.

[LazarusLong]

Again, I don't know how a guy plays 4 years at UCLA, 12 years in the league under guys like Sloan, Hubie Brown, George Karl, is seen as a rising star in the coaching ranks and then can't coach Xs and Os.

Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history, the ultimate teammate.

He was not a particular success at coaching non-Celtic teams, though.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Who's winning my sig so far?

My guess would be that it's still a tie. Players are not sick from Watson, neither he is changing perceptions positively around here. Different crowds, but most likely is that he keeps the lockerroom afloat, while losing the entire .NET crowd. That could be considered the tiebreaker, achieving the exact opposite.

[sunshoopjunky]

We need the second coming of the Marbury trade.

I was thinking the same thing, but there's no Nash to go get next season. We'd be hoping to land Fultz or Ball in the draft. It's no sure thing. It may be a risk we have to take.

If we draft best pick available it may well be a PG if that's the case the players on our team that can play PG are more valuable now then they will be next year or closer to the draft.

December will be a vary important month for us. I feel like if Sarver feels like we can still make the playoffs this year then I am afraid that we will continue to see the same type of lineups. As well as

a possible mortgage of future talent for now. If we are clearly out of it, from Sarvers perspective, then we may see a PG trade before the deadline. No telling how this ends up really.

[Nodack]

So the question also remains, what do we see Watson as being? A glorified babysitter for a year or 2 until the young guys develop until we get a real coach. Or does he still show enough glimpses that we will morph into a competent coach

I think he will be a babysitter. I think no matter who they got he would be a babysitter for 2-3 years tops. If you last 4 years you are in elite territory and are a playoff coach. Preside over a losing rebuilding team?

Dildo- 3
D'Antoni-5
Porter-1
Gentry-2
Hunter-.5
Hornecek-2+
Watson-2?

[sunshoopjunky]

Who do you think will go first Ryan or Earl?

[Mori Chu]

Earl. 10000%.

[Danimal]

Other than talk and high 5's Watson hasn't done anything dramatically different to hornacek on the court. So He would only have himself to blame

[Indy]

So the question also remains, what do we see Watson as being? A glorified babysitter for a year or 2 until the young guys develop until we get a real coach. Or does he still show enough glimpses that we will morph into a competent coach

I think he will be a babysitter. I think no matter who they got he would be a babysitter for 2-3 years tops. If you last 4 years you are in elite territory and are a playoff coach. Preside over a losing rebuilding team?

Dildo- 3
D'Antoni-5
Porter-1
Gentry-2
Hunter-.5
Hornecek-2+
Watson-2?

This. For our entire history, we have 3 coaches that made it past 3 years. McLeod, Cotton, Mike. That is it. The only way Watson survives past next year is a complete change in the FO mentality around hiring/firing HCs, or a huge turn around. I can't see either happening.

But why do we expect more from our rookie HC than we do from our rookies? Shouldn't he be at the same point in his coaching career as Chriss or Booker is in their NBA career? I have been a harsh critic of his, and he hasn't done anything to make me think he was the best coach available this summer, but I have a hard time imagining who that above average coach would have been for this roster. And I don't mean just for this year, or next, but one that could grow with the team for the next 3-4 years.

[ShelC]

Shouldn't he be at the same point in his coaching career as Chriss or Booker is in their NBA career?

He was a player for 12 years, played for successful coaches and has had his share training camps, learning offenses and defenses. So I think he should be a little further along than Booker and Chriss. Luke Walton doesn't seem to be having a problem. Kidd didn't have a problem. Every situation is different obviously but there are coaches doing more with a lot less.

Successful coaches are successful for a reason. Even with a young team, a guy like Thibs will instill defensive discipline and show them how to defend each night. You'll see progress with individuals and with the team. If anything, we've regressed. Knight is completely out of the loop. Booker's percentages are crap. We're playing PJ Tucker 35 minutes a night. We're a mess. And no spin class or hot yoga session is going to fix it. At the end of the day, guys want to win. I just hope we cut bait sooner rather than later (give him until the end of the year) because you don't want to stunt the young guys' development or have them get frustrated or jaded with consistently losing and not seeing progress.

[O_Gardino]

Shouldn't he be at the same point in his coaching career as Chriss or Booker is in their NBA career?

He was a player for 12 years, played for successful coaches and has had his share training camps, learning offenses and defenses. So I think he should be a little further along than Booker and Chriss. Luke Walton doesn't seem to be having a problem. Kidd didn't have a problem. Every situation is different obviously but there are coaches doing more with a lot less.

Successful coaches are successful for a reason. Even with a young team, a guy like Thibs will instill defensive discipline and show them how to defend each night. You'll see progress with individuals and with the team. If anything, we've regressed. Knight is completely out of the loop. Booker's percentages are crap. We're playing PJ Tucker 35 minutes a night. We're a mess. And no spin class or hot yoga session is going to fix it. At the end of the day, guys want to win. I just hope we cut bait sooner rather than later (give him until the end of the year) because you don't want to stunt the young guys' development or have them get frustrated or jaded with consistently losing and not seeing progress.

That's the telling part. We are horrible out of timeouts. Len looked horrible under him last season and for the first 10 games of this season. Booker is taking bad shots. Warren is up and down. The only guys playing ok at the beginning of the season were the guys who only do one thing and don't need much coaching.

I think Watson is getting better bit by bit, but I don't think he's a head coach.