Phx-Suns.Net

Easy call.

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1049726630371971072

The fact that Sarver keeps trending towards younger, lesser experienced people to run or coach his team only reinforces the notion that he wants to call the shots and not listen to people more experienced who may push back.

Isn’t James Jones still playing with the Cavs?

Didn't expect it this soon, but not a surprise. I like James Jones as president of player operations or whatever his title was, but can't see how he's ready to handle some of the more important GM responsibilities. One tweet mentioned an assistant GM that would handle negotiations/trades/contracts/etc. Hopefully he is up to the task. I'm worried about scouting as well. Jones has zero experience there. We need to hire a new scouting director and hopefully he's good and Jones listens to him.

Be interesting to see what move comes next. Has to be something. You don't fire a GM for not putting the right team on the court, only to let the new GM play out the season with the same team the previous GM constructed.

ShelC wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:33 am

The fact that Sarver keeps trending towards younger, lesser experienced people to run or coach his team only reinforces the notion that he wants to call the shots and not listen to people more experienced who may push back.

Yup.

A new PG is coming to run the team. The only question is when? Well, and how much are we going to overpay for him?

He went with the cheap option. Surprise.

Over/under James Jones is gone in 3 years?

Superbone wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:39 am

A new PG is coming to run the team. The only question is when? Well, and how much are we going to overpay for him?

I think it'll happen before the season starts.

Who? Here's some options

Dragic - No thanks, I've said it before, but I don't like his contract next season. I guess I'd do it for Warren + Bender, but doubt that gets it done.

Teague - similar feelings to dragic. I'd do it for Warren + Bender, not sure I'd include anything else though.

Tyus Jones, Delon Wright, Spencer Dinwiddie - Does Bender and the Mil pick get any of these guys?

Pat Beverley - Straight up for Bender? Not including the Mil pick here

Kemba - Gets more complicated. Doubt they want Warren after drafting Bridges. Would you include our 2019 pick? Josh Jackson? Those aren't obvious no's from me, but I lean towards no as he's a FA and we can sign him next year. Doubt Warren/Okobo/Mil 1st would get it done.

George Hill - Actually might make the most sense. Can't imagine Cleveland cares to keep him. His 20 million salary next year has only 1 million gauranteed. Would Bender/Arthur/Daniels get it done? Guess it depends on how they feel about Bender. Might need to throw in a 2nd or replace Daniels with Reed.

That's the thing. I don't really want to trade any of our guys except maybe Warren because he's superfluous. I want to keep Okobo, Melton, Jackson, Bridges, etc. You can have end of bench guys like Reed or Daniels but who wants them?

I had a busy day yesterday and wasn't able to weigh in on the McDo firing or this James Jones promotion. My short take is I think this is really bad and I'm worried for the team.

McDo was flawed, but I just don't see how it is helpful to fire him and bring in somebody who has not shown any particular skill in this area nor has any experience. I'm really worried that, as others have said, this just amounts to Sarver wanting to armchair GM the team. I'm assuming that Sarver grew frustrated when he would disagree with McDo on personnel moves, so he decided to boot the guy and install somebody younger, more grateful, more compliant. Jones will basically be a puppet GM doing what Sarver wants done.

And I don't trust Sarver to put together a winning NBA team. I don't think you have to be a McDo fan to think that Sarver playing cowboy GM would be even worse than what McDo has done. I'm scared of panic trades, mortgaging our future, giving up 1st rounders in trades, etc.

This sure feels like it'll lead up to us making a lopsided trade for a "star" PG who isn't, such as giving up lots of youngs and picks to snag, say, Kemba Walker or Dennis Schroder. I'm worried.

Even though I think we'll be bad this year, I was starting to be excited about our long-term future prospects. With guys like Booker, Ayton, maybe Jackson, etc., I feel like we have something we can build on. But now I'm afraid it's all in jeopardy.

Having a shitty owner is no fun as a sports fan. I don't know if the Suns can ever be good again until he sells the team.

https://twitter.com/esidery/status/1049732696799305728

It's a solid point. We should have significantly less player/GM issues with Jones going forward.

carey wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:53 am

That's the thing. I don't really want to trade any of our guys except maybe Warren because he's superfluous. I want to keep Okobo, Melton, Jackson, Bridges, etc. You can have end of bench guys like Reed or Daniels but who wants them?

Yep, gotta find someone who's got a spare PG and wants to take a shot with Bender. Or find someone who loves Warren. Reed/Daniels arent getting you pg's any better than the ones we already have.

I've been coming around on George Hill a bit but I don't think the Cavs are looking to move him. He's the steady hand they need in a transition year and can work with Love as the vets in the lockerroom. They also might have a shot at the playoffs all things considered. If they dump early on and decide to go young with Sexton, then maybe they unload Hill - and maybe we can make a play for Love too. But I doubt any of that happens.

Our real issue is we don't have much in value to trade back. Yea TJ is a nice player, but are teams clamoring for a scoring SF? Bender is useless at this point and we're not giving up Jackson unless a top tier PG is coming back. And even then, Jackson hasn't been setting the NBA on fire so his value probably isn't all that high either.

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:53 am

I had a busy day yesterday and wasn't able to weigh in on the McDo firing or this James Jones promotion. My short take is I think this is really bad and I'm worried for the team.

McDo was flawed, but I just don't see how it is helpful to fire him and bring in somebody who has not shown any particular skill in this area nor has any experience. I'm really worried that, as others have said, this just amounts to Sarver wanting to armchair GM the team. I'm assuming that Sarver grew frustrated when he would disagree with McDo on personnel moves, so he decided to boot the guy and install somebody younger, more grateful, more compliant. Jones will basically be a puppet GM doing what Sarver wants done.

And I don't trust Sarver to put together a winning NBA team. I don't think you have to be a McDo fan to think that Sarver playing cowboy GM would be even worse than what McDo has done. I'm scared of panic trades, mortgaging our future, giving up 1st rounders in trades, etc.

This sure feels like it'll lead up to us making a lopsided trade for a "star" PG who isn't, such as giving up lots of youngs and picks to snag, say, Kemba Walker or Dennis Schroder. I'm worried.

Even though I think we'll be bad this year, I was starting to be excited about our long-term future prospects. With guys like Booker, Ayton, maybe Jackson, etc., I feel like we have something we can build on. But now I'm afraid it's all in jeopardy.

Having a s*** owner is no fun as a sports fan. I don't know if the Suns can ever be good again until he sells the team.

It's definitely concerning that Jones doesn't have much experience. Hopefully we've got someone to handle the negotiations/trades/scouting aspect of the job. I don't see Jones as someone who would just do whatever sarver wants though. He's very well respected in the league and I think he'd have opportunities elsewhere. If sarver won't let him do his job, I think he'd just leave.

ShelC wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:57 am

I've been coming around on George Hill a bit but I don't think the Cavs are looking to move him. He's the steady hand they need in a transition year and can work with Love as the vets in the lockerroom. They also might have a shot at the playoffs all things considered. If they dump early on and decide to go young with Sexton, then maybe they unload Hill - and maybe we can make a play for Love too. But I doubt any of that happens.

Our real issue is we don't have much in value to trade back. Yea TJ is a nice player, but are teams clamoring for a scoring SF? Bender is useless at this point and we're not giving up Jackson unless a top tier PG is coming back. And even then, Jackson hasn't been setting the NBA on fire so his value probably isn't all that high either.

You may be right. That Cavs situation just screams rebuild to me. I assumed they would want to be bad this year and get a top pick, but NBA teams still tend to strive for mediocrity way more than they should. Hill does seem more likely to be traded at the deadline when Cleveland is stuck in the 10th seed out east.

How is this still going on? http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2494 ... al-manager

Sarver has earned a long reputation for aggressively involving himself in basketball decisions, but it's become harder for coaches and front office staff to manage in the past two years after the Suns became Sarver's primary business interest.

Suns coaches became accustomed to regular beratings and demands of strategy and lineup changes, league sources said. Rival executives could sometimes hear Sarver yelling in the background on negotiation calls with the Suns' front office. Agents tell stories of private conversations occurring with Sarver without the front office's knowledge.

lebron approves.

carey wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 09, 2018 12:16 pm

How is this still going on? http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2494 ... al-manager

Sarver has earned a long reputation for aggressively involving himself in basketball decisions, but it's become harder for coaches and front office staff to manage in the past two years after the Suns became Sarver's primary business interest.

Suns coaches became accustomed to regular beratings and demands of strategy and lineup changes, league sources said. Rival executives could sometimes hear Sarver yelling in the background on negotiation calls with the Suns' front office. Agents tell stories of private conversations occurring with Sarver without the front office's knowledge.

Disgusting. He makes it hard to root for the team.

As a grad student with 2 young daughters, I would gladly donate money for a sign asking Sarver to leave.

Poor James Jones.

He's got to play "yes-man" to that awful man and his stupid ego.

I really do hate Sarver. Hated him since 2006. I was one of the guys screaming during the JJ fiasco that this was not a good sign by our new owner.