Suns fire Head Coach Igor Kokoskov

[The Bobster]

"I’m not concerned with previous regimes or previous teams."

You'd better be. Right now, this is the only thing this franchise has going for it, and the Colangelo era is quickly becoming a distant memory.

[Indy]

"I’m not concerned with previous regimes or previous teams."

You'd better be. Right now, this is the only thing this franchise has going for it, and the Colangelo era is quickly becoming a distant memory.

That sounds like a quote from a guy that hears a lot about how much people hate Sarver and wish for Jerry. And I don't mean just from other folks, but from Sarver, too.

And based on how many times he seemed to say "this was all my decision" leads me to... James doth protest too much, methinks.

[Indy]

Defense Against the dark Arts teachers last longer than Suns head coaches

Made my afternoon.

I think this is the 6th time I've read this joke in the last 24 hours.

[carey]

I would prefer to see us go after Joerger; his teams always seem to overachieve and get the most out of what they have. But I think I agree with folks who say that Saver will never go for a willful veteran coach like that. My guess is we end up with Vanterpool, but, ugh. So mediocre. Why do we think we will succeed with these no-name bozos who have never done the job?

I would prefer Joerger, or if we want to be outside the box, maybe Becky Hammon. Despite the dumpster fire that is this franchise, it would make me proud to have the first female head coach. But there's no way Sarver would hire a woman. Given his political leanings there's no way he thinks of women as equals to men or would put one in a leadership position. And there's no way Hammon is dumb enough to walk into a situation as toxic as ours.

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

[specialsauce]

I would prefer to see us go after Joerger; his teams always seem to overachieve and get the most out of what they have. But I think I agree with folks who say that Saver will never go for a willful veteran coach like that. My guess is we end up with Vanterpool, but, ugh. So mediocre. Why do we think we will succeed with these no-name bozos who have never done the job?

I would prefer Joerger, or if we want to be outside the box, maybe Becky Hammon. Despite the dumpster fire that is this franchise, it would make me proud to have the first female head coach. But there's no way Sarver would hire a woman. Given his political leanings there's no way he thinks of women as equals to men or would put one in a leadership position. And there's no way Hammon is dumb enough to walk into a situation as toxic as ours.

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

There isn’t a difference. She’s just the sexy progressive pick. Just like Kokoskov as the first European. I like her for another team. But she is still the wrong choice here.

[Mori Chu]

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

That's a fair question. I don't think Hammon is the best choice overall. I guess I just meant that if we were going to take a chance on a new head coach with no previous head coaching experience, I'd rather have her than Vanterpool. The primary reasons are: she's been associated with perhaps the best coaching tree in the NBA, the Spurs; and I'd be proud for us to be the team to have the first female head coach in NBA history. Otherwise there aren't a ton of differences from Vanterpool. The Blazers do seem to be doing good things, so somebody from that org might do well as a head coach. He isn't a "bozo" as I implied; that comment was directed more at the types of people we've hired previously like Hunter and Watson.

[Mori Chu]

You knew Igor was effed the moment they didn't draft Doncic. If they had taken Doncic, his bond with Igor would have probably made the two inseparable. But we had to have Ayton. It makes no sense to me to hire a guy who has a clear history and connection to Doncic and would probably have made a fantastic mentor and friend to him, and then draft Ayton instead. Why??

[specialsauce]

You knew Igor was effed the moment they didn't draft Doncic. If they had taken Doncic, his bond with Igor would have probably made the two inseparable. But we had to have Ayton. It makes no sense to me to hire a guy who has a clear history and connection to Doncic and would probably have made a fantastic mentor and friend to him, and then draft Ayton instead. Why??

Yep.

Which is why I want the Cards to get Kyler Murray, if that’s who Kingsbury truly does want.

[specialsauce]

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

That's a fair question. I don't think Hammon is the best choice overall. I guess I just meant that if we were going to take a chance on a new head coach with no previous head coaching experience, I'd rather have her than Vanterpool. The primary reasons are: she's been associated with perhaps the best coaching tree in the NBA, the Spurs; and I'd be proud for us to be the team to have the first female head coach in NBA history. Otherwise there aren't a ton of differences from Vanterpool. The Blazers do seem to be doing good things, so somebody from that org might do well as a head coach. He isn't a "bozo" as I implied; that comment was directed more at the types of people we've hired previously like Hunter and Watson.

This is just silly.

We’re trying to win basketball games not warm and fuzzies.

[Indy]

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

That's a fair question. I don't think Hammon is the best choice overall. I guess I just meant that if we were going to take a chance on a new head coach with no previous head coaching experience, I'd rather have her than Vanterpool. The primary reasons are: she's been associated with perhaps the best coaching tree in the NBA, the Spurs; and I'd be proud for us to be the team to have the first female head coach in NBA history. Otherwise there aren't a ton of differences from Vanterpool. The Blazers do seem to be doing good things, so somebody from that org might do well as a head coach. He isn't a "bozo" as I implied; that comment was directed more at the types of people we've hired previously like Hunter and Watson.

This is just silly.

We’re trying to win basketball games not warm and fuzzies.

Disagree. We want to win games, but we are certainly not trying.

[specialsauce]

May I ask what the difference is between Vanterpool and Hammon besides gender? They both seem like they are well qualified assistants. I don’t understand why one hire would make us brilliant and the other immediately unsuccessful because we hired a bozo.

That's a fair question. I don't think Hammon is the best choice overall. I guess I just meant that if we were going to take a chance on a new head coach with no previous head coaching experience, I'd rather have her than Vanterpool. The primary reasons are: she's been associated with perhaps the best coaching tree in the NBA, the Spurs; and I'd be proud for us to be the team to have the first female head coach in NBA history. Otherwise there aren't a ton of differences from Vanterpool. The Blazers do seem to be doing good things, so somebody from that org might do well as a head coach. He isn't a "bozo" as I implied; that comment was directed more at the types of people we've hired previously like Hunter and Watson.

This is just silly.

We’re trying to win basketball games not warm and fuzzies.

Disagree. We want to win games, but we are certainly not trying.

Lol

[O_Gardino]

Defense Against the dark Arts teachers last longer than Suns head coaches

Made my afternoon.

I think this is the 6th time I've read this joke in the last 24 hours.

You've got Wormwood's post taped above the toilet to read while ya stand there?

[Superbone]

I read this on another site so take it for what it's worth:

"Gambo said today he heard Monty is very interested in the Suns job, and that they had reached out to him before firing Igor."

[carey]

I read this on another site so take it for what it's worth:

"Gambo said today he heard Monty is very interested in the Suns job, and that they had reached out to him before firing Igor."

I strongly doubt it. Coaches are a fraternity and one of their unwritten rules is to not even discuss or comment on a job if it’s occupied. Knowing the kind of guy Monty is this strikes me as utter b.s.

[Indy]

I read this on another site so take it for what it's worth:

"Gambo said today he heard Monty is very interested in the Suns job, and that they had reached out to him before firing Igor."

I strongly doubt it. Coaches are a fraternity and one of their unwritten rules is to not even discuss or comment on a job if it’s occupied. Knowing the kind of guy Monty is this strikes me as utter b.s.

knowing gambo it strikes me as bs

[Indy]

Defense Against the dark Arts teachers last longer than Suns head coaches

Made my afternoon.

I think this is the 6th time I've read this joke in the last 24 hours.

You've got Wormwood's post taped above the toilet to read while ya stand there?

Yes. And it was all over twitter

[In2ition]

It wasn't like any of those past 5 coaches were all that good. I wasn't happy to get rid of Igor, because I thought it sent the wrong message. But to be honest, I criticized him plenty for playing dumb lineups, mismanaging close games, cutting Shaq over Canaan, not looking like he had the players' backs, not understanding when to take a timeout, and taking it so slow with Ayton. It didn't look like the players responded to him for much of the season, but they looked better when they were healthy.

I guess they say that it's always darkest before the dawn. I hope things turn around quickly.

[JeremyG]

I read this on another site so take it for what it's worth:

"Gambo said today he heard Monty is very interested in the Suns job, and that they had reached out to him before firing Igor."

Yep, he said he talked to a coach who told him that Monty wants the Suns job and might choose it over the Lakers job.

[Cap]

I guess they say that it's always darkest before the dawn.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the dawn isn’t in the distant future, it just means things will keep getting darker until it happens.

It only means the dawn is near if you assume this is the darkest it can possibly get. With Sarver running the show, that’s not a safe assumption.

[ShelC]

If we strike out on Monty, we're back to potentially hiring another 1st timer if it comes down to Tibbets or Vanterpool. I don't doubt we reached out Monty or his agent as a feeler given Bower's previous work relationship with Monty. I think that's the norm. Coaches won't (or shouldn't) speak publicly about jobs which aren't open, which Monty didn't.