Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Discussion of the league and of our favorite team.
User avatar
Split T
Posts: 25477
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Split T »

Officially announced James Jones as GM, retain Bukstein as assistant GM. Will be curious to see how the Bower-Jones dynamic works. Who is the decision maker? Is jones doing the day to day work with Bower making final decisions. Or is bower more of a vet advisor?

User avatar
In2ition
Posts: 11395
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:35 pm

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by In2ition »

I kind of think that Bower offers a lot of experience on how to do things and fills the holes that James and Trevor need help with. Just my feeling of the situation.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

User avatar
Split T
Posts: 25477
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Split T »

In2ition wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:25 am
I kind of think that Bower offers a lot of experience on how to do things and fills the holes that James and Trevor need help with. Just my feeling of the situation.
I kinda hope that’s the situation...Bower is experienced, but I’m not super impressed with what he’s actually done. I hope Jones is the decision maker and Bower just takes Sarver’s place as mentor to Jones....Anyone would be an upgrade there.

User avatar
Mori Chu
Posts: 20891
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:05 am

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Mori Chu »

Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum.

User avatar
Split T
Posts: 25477
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Split T »

I don’t get the dislike of Jones...he’s inexperienced, I get that, but his moves have almost unanimously panned out. Hasn’t made any huge changes, but:

Signed Jamal Crawford - Solid
Bought out Chandler - Maybe his one poor move, but it got Holmes on the court without upsetting chandler. I’m fine with it.
Traded Ariza for Oubre - Very solid
Traded Anderson for Johnson - some iffy money stuff. But paying less than 4 million for a useful player is hardly bad. Johnson was a big part of our two week stretch of good basketball

User avatar
Split T
Posts: 25477
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Split T »


User avatar
In2ition
Posts: 11395
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:35 pm

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by In2ition »

Split T wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:57 am
I don’t get the dislike of Jones...he’s inexperienced, I get that, but his moves have almost unanimously panned out. Hasn’t made any huge changes, but:

Signed Jamal Crawford - Solid
Bought out Chandler - Maybe his one poor move, but it got Holmes on the court without upsetting chandler. I’m fine with it.
Traded Ariza for Oubre - Very solid
Traded Anderson for Johnson - some iffy money stuff. But paying less than 4 million for a useful player is hardly bad. Johnson was a big part of our two week stretch of good basketball
I think the best thing that Jones as done is he's seemed to change the culture. The players don't feel animosity between them and management. They enjoy each other, enjoy playing for the coach, accepting their roles, and seem to genuinely want to be here and trust management going forward. That is a monumental change from previous years at this point. All the stories about how toxic everything is with the Suns is from the past, brought to light recently, but doesn't reflect what the current situation is.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann
"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass

User avatar
Split T
Posts: 25477
Joined: Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:51 am
Location: Provo, Utah

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Split T »

Ya I agree with that. Jones seems very solid in the player relations department. He’s a big plus there after McD

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 33496
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: San Diego, CA (Phoenix Native)

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Superbone »

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:45 am
Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum.
Wow. Prejudge much? I expect more from you, Marty.

I’m a fan of what Jones has accomplished thus far. Smart guy and he’s improving team culture and communication. The jury is out on what Bower will bring.
"Be Legendary."

User avatar
TOO
Posts: 10342
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:21 pm

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by TOO »

I am indifferent about all of this. Go Suns.
👀 Fire Frank Vogel.

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 33496
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: San Diego, CA (Phoenix Native)

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Superbone »

https://arizonasports.com/story/1908773 ... eff-bower/
The Phoenix Suns announced Thursday that co-interim general manager Jones Jones will remain with the team as the GM. Additionally, Phoenix officially named Jeff Bower as the new senior vice president of basketball operations and said it will retain co-interim GM Trevor Bukstein as assistant GM, a position he held prior to the 2018-19 season.

Bower and Bukstein will report to Jones.

“James has demonstrated a remarkable ability to manage the day-to-day efforts of our front office while developing strong relationships with our players, coaches and those across our organization and league,” said Suns managing partner Robert Sarver in a statement. “Furthermore, he is instilling the same championship culture and standard that he experienced on multiple occasions as a player.
"Be Legendary."

User avatar
AmareIsGod
Posts: 5189
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2014 1:24 pm

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by AmareIsGod »

I'm a fan of these moves.
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton

User avatar
Indy
Posts: 19339
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Indy »

They really needed someone to run the office. Looks like that is what Bowers will do. I am just so glad it isn't McHale. I wonder if that was Sarver's strategy all along. Leak names everyone unanimously hates, then no matter what you do, it is better so people don't immediately recoil.

User avatar
JeremyG
Posts: 7209
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:16 pm

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by JeremyG »

I can't imagine McHale wanted to report to James Jones, lol.
"I'm a Deandre Ayton guy."--Al McCoy, September 21, 2022.

User avatar
Indy
Posts: 19339
Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Indy »

JeremyG wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:18 pm
I can't imagine McHale wanted to report to James Jones, lol.
I am sure it pays better than his current gig.

Online
User avatar
Shabazz
Posts: 7425
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Shabazz »

Split T wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:57 am
I don’t get the dislike of Jones...he’s inexperienced, I get that, but his moves have almost unanimously panned out. Hasn’t made any huge changes, but:

Signed Jamal Crawford - Solid
Bought out Chandler - Maybe his one poor move, but it got Holmes on the court without upsetting chandler. I’m fine with it.
Traded Ariza for Oubre - Very solid
Traded Anderson for Johnson - some iffy money stuff. But paying less than 4 million for a useful player is hardly bad. Johnson was a big part of our two week stretch of good basketball
How the mighty have fallen.

Online
User avatar
Shabazz
Posts: 7425
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Shabazz »

The bottom line is that to be a successful organization you need (before factoring in players) good ownership, good management and good luck. If you attribute equal significance to each of those, we're maxing out at a 66% chance to success anyways. And ownership is probably worth more than 33%.

That's why this all gets a big shoulder shrug from me.

User avatar
Mori Chu
Posts: 20891
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 10:05 am

Re: Phoenix Suns to hire Jeff Bower as senior VP of basketball operations

Post by Mori Chu »

Superbone wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:15 am
Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:45 am
Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum.
Wow. Prejudge much? I expect more from you, Marty.

I’m a fan of what Jones has accomplished thus far. Smart guy and he’s improving team culture and communication. The jury is out on what Bower will bring.
I may be judging Jones too harshly. I'm just not a big fan of giving all these jobs to folks with zero experience, and I'm not a fan of hiring former players to do much of anything. Jones has been okay so far, but nothing too special from what I can see. I'd rather have him around as an assistant who works on player development or something like that. I would have gone in a different direction, but I'll still root for him to succeed. And I guess at least we didn't hire McHale or somebody like that.

User avatar
MightyMoog
Posts: 571
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 4:59 pm

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by MightyMoog »

The way I see it, McDonough was a glorified scout. He was there to help us draft well while we tanked. He did ok, I thought he got screwed over by Sarver's fascination with Lebron (I think he thought if he had enough of Lebron's peoples he could get a sitdown with him during free agency), I think the bad moves McDonough had all stemmed from that. The Bledsoe contract that was strong-armed on us by Klutch, which led to the stupid AASE contract. Then you had the Watson hiring, which led to drafting Chriss. Overall I give McDonough a B- on his draft record. But now that we're moving on from the drafting period to the team building, I think that's where Jones comes in. I think he made a few pretty solid moves, that helped the team chemistry and added talent. I think he made a few blunders from the technical/business standpoint (waiving chandler/ rivers) I think that's where Bowers should be coming in with experience on how to maneuver contracts and trade positions.

User avatar
Superbone
Posts: 33496
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:44 am
Location: San Diego, CA (Phoenix Native)

Re: Suns name James Jones as GM, new hierarchy

Post by Superbone »

MightyMoog wrote:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:38 pm
The way I see it, McDonough was a glorified scout. He was there to help us draft well while we tanked. He did ok, I thought he got screwed over by Sarver's fascination with Lebron (I think he thought if he had enough of Lebron's peoples he could get a sitdown with him during free agency), I think the bad moves McDonough had all stemmed from that. The Bledsoe contract that was strong-armed on us by Klutch, which led to the stupid AASE contract. Then you had the Watson hiring, which led to drafting Chriss. Overall I give McDonough a B- on his draft record. But now that we're moving on from the drafting period to the team building, I think that's where Jones comes in. I think he made a few pretty solid moves, that helped the team chemistry and added talent. I think he made a few blunders from the technical/business standpoint (waiving chandler/ rivers) I think that's where Bowers should be coming in with experience on how to maneuver contracts and trade positions.
Good post, MM. I’m pretty impressed with what Jones accomplished from what he was given. He inherited Canaan, Chandler, Anderson, and Ariza and turned them into Crawford, Johnson, and Oubre Jr.
"Be Legendary."

Post Reply