The Earl Watson Report

[Cap]

For our entire history, we have 3 coaches that made it past 3 years. McLeod, Cotton, Mike. That is it.

Westphal made it past three years, though he didn't make it to four.

[LazarusLong]

This reminds me a bit of when Wetzel was coach. That year they evaluated what they had and then made moves late in the season.
Wetzel got canned after one year.
The big difference is that Cotton was in the front office, evaluating the organization along with Colangelo, devising a plan.
Suns don't have that.
Also, this team has more young talent in Booker, Bender, Chriss, T.J, Ulis and even Williams.
The Wetzel team was mostly cast to the wind.
The only pre-trade bonanza holdovers were Gilliam, Hornacek and EJ. Alvan Adams was asked to come back, but he decided to retire.

[Indy]

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.

Minny has a worse defensive efficiency than we do right now.

[Indy]

For our entire history, we have 3 coaches that made it past 3 years. McLeod, Cotton, Mike. That is it.

Westphal made it past three years, though he didn't make it to four.

Yeah, I was speaking in full years. Sorry about that.

[ShelC]

Regarding Minny...their collective age: 24 years old and their top 3 players in minutes played KAT, Lavine, and Wiggins are all 21 years old. Their oldest rotational players are Bjelica and Aldrich at 28 years old who average about 16 minutes per game.

Our collective age: 27.5 years old, drops to 26 when you include Bender and Chriss. The guys playing a bulk of the minutes are Bledsoe (27), PJ (31), Chandler (34) should at least keep us average defensively.

[O_Gardino]

Regarding Minny...their collective age: 24 years old and their top 3 players in minutes played KAT, Lavine, and Wiggins are all 21 years old. Their oldest rotational players are Bjelica and Aldrich at 28 years old who average about 16 minutes per game.

Our collective age: 27.5 years old, drops to 26 when you include Bender and Chriss. The guys playing a bulk of the minutes are Bledsoe (27), PJ (31), Chandler (34) should at least keep us average defensively.

Especially since all 3 are billed as great defenders.

[The Bobster]

Team Average Age Weighted by Minutes Played -

1. MINN - 23.6
2. OKC - 24.7
3. PHI - 25.1
4. POR - 25.1
5. DEN - 25.2
6. NOP - 25.5
7. MIL - 25.5
8. ORL - 25.6
9. DET - 25.6
10. PHO - 25.9
11. BOS - 25.9

[carey]

Team Average Age Weighted by Minutes Played -

1. MINN - 23.6
2. OKC - 24.7
3. PHI - 25.1
4. POR - 25.1
5. DEN - 25.2
6. NOP - 25.5
7. MIL - 25.5
8. ORL - 25.6
9. DET - 25.6
10. PHO - 25.9
11. BOS - 25.9

This just kind of proves what we're all saying. If you are losing this bad with your vets, why play them? Just to show them the right way? Well they aren't showing them much other than how to lose with dignity I suppose. I'm sure there are lots of things behind the scenes like practice habits and what not. Watson also wants to have the rookies earn their time as well, though he inexplicably put Chriss in the starting lineup 5 games into the season and has kept him there.

[O_Gardino]

This is complete and total conjecture, but I would bet that Dudley said some things to Watson that he didn't like. Duds has made some GM like comments to the media this year, and his comments have sometimes been the polar opposite of what Watson has said. I think Duds and Watson may have butted heads and Duds is in the doghouse.

[carey]

This is complete and total conjecture, but I would bet that Dudley said some things to Watson that he didn't like. Duds has made some GM like comments to the media this year, and his comments have sometimes been the polar opposite of what Watson has said. I think Duds and Watson may have butted heads and Duds is in the doghouse.

Can you give me an example? Just curious as I do not recall anything that has varied much from the company line from JD.

[Mori Chu]

This. For our entire history, we have 3 coaches that made it past 3 years. McLeod, Cotton, Mike. That is it.

What about Alvin Gentry? Didn't he take over in '09 and last until 2013 or so?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Gentry

[sunshoopjunky]

Earl. 10000%.

I have no clue I feel like it could go either way.

[sunshoopjunky]

I am with Laz in wondering how much leeway he has had in rotations. Specifically Bender and Chis stemming from the draft room division on draft day. Sarver was on one side of that divide and I feel like that is playing into rotations.

O_Gardino has it right when he said Watson is getting better bit by bit, but I don't think he is a head coach.

[sunshoopjunky]

I think that Watson needs to talk to the press less until he gets better at not painting himself into corners when it comes to things he says.

An example:

“Our plan was to bring all of them along, but at different times,” Watson said. “It’s been consistent. We’ve always said that they will all get to the same destination just not at the same time. Different journeys. To bring them to the same destination now is just fun to watch.”


I also dont like how he talks about Booker.
“He was very strategic in getting layups,” Watson said on Booker. “Before you knew it he built a rhythm just getting free throws, just seeing the ball go in, touching the ball. He’s still learning. We understand he has a chance to be one of the top players to ever play this game.”

In both instances if he stopped he would have been better off.

[Indy]

This. For our entire history, we have 3 coaches that made it past 3 years. McLeod, Cotton, Mike. That is it.

What about Alvin Gentry? Didn't he take over in '09 and last until 2013 or so?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Gentry

I was looking at it based on 82 game seasons. He coached 262 games, or the equivalent of just over 3 seasons. But he coached a lock out shortened season, so he did make it to 4 years, but still didn't coach >300 games. And his "4th year" was really just two partial seasons at the beginning and the end of his stint here.

[O_Gardino]

This is complete and total conjecture, but I would bet that Dudley said some things to Watson that he didn't like. Duds has made some GM like comments to the media this year, and his comments have sometimes been the polar opposite of what Watson has said. I think Duds and Watson may have butted heads and Duds is in the doghouse.

Can you give me an example? Just curious as I do not recall anything that has varied much from the company line from JD.

Remember the (Bright Side?) article a while back about how we are last in assists? I remember Duds saying something about what a bad sign that is, and how the team needs to look for each other more and make unselfish plays. Then Watson is quoted as saying that the offense is working fine, and everybody is happy with how we play.

Now, I fully admit that that's not enough evidence, and I'm just making up shit really. But that's where my gut is on this one.

To be fair to both Duds and Watson, here is a Bright Side article that about how Duds is still helping.

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017/ ... ll-helping

[O_Gardino]

I think that Watson needs to talk to the press less until he gets better at not painting himself into corners when it comes to things he says.

An example:

“Our plan was to bring all of them along, but at different times,” Watson said. “It’s been consistent. We’ve always said that they will all get to the same destination just not at the same time. Different journeys. To bring them to the same destination now is just fun to watch.”


I also dont like how he talks about Booker.
“He was very strategic in getting layups,” Watson said on Booker. “Before you knew it he built a rhythm just getting free throws, just seeing the ball go in, touching the ball. He’s still learning. We understand he has a chance to be one of the top players to ever play this game.”

In both instances if he stopped he would have been better off.

Yes. Just one more head coach skill that he doesn't seem to have talent for.

[OE32]

This is complete and total conjecture, but I would bet that Dudley said some things to Watson that he didn't like. Duds has made some GM like comments to the media this year, and his comments have sometimes been the polar opposite of what Watson has said. I think Duds and Watson may have butted heads and Duds is in the doghouse.

Can you give me an example? Just curious as I do not recall anything that has varied much from the company line from JD.

Remember the (Bright Side?) article a while back about how we are last in assists? I remember Duds saying something about what a bad sign that is, and how the team needs to look for each other more and make unselfish plays. Then Watson is quoted as saying that the offense is working fine, and everybody is happy with how we play.

Now, I fully admit that that's not enough evidence, and I'm just making up s*** really. But that's where my gut is on this one.

To be fair to both Duds and Watson, here is a Bright Side article that about how Duds is still helping.

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2017/ ... ll-helping

This was my intuition too when Duds was first sat (prior to the BSOTS article). I noticed quite a few times he said something to Booker only to have Devin make the sour face. Duds is a very vocal guy, and Earl might not like the fact that his tone is not "We're all children trying to learn how to play nice together" enough for his taste. For whatever intuition is worth, you're not alone O_G.

[Ring_Wanted]

Benching Dudley with this roster is stupid no matter how you look at it. He's been a winner here bofore and plays the right way. He's been paid to mentor and that's what he is trying to do. Sometimes educating means some tough love. So be it. Booker, despite his pedigree, has a lot to learn. The coach is doing him a disservice if he is going to protect him in that manner.

[O_Gardino]

Benching Dudley with this roster is stupid no matter how you look at it. He's been a winner here bofore and plays the right way. He's been paid to mentor and that's what he is trying to do. Sometimes educating means some tough love. So be it. Booker, despite his pedigree, has a lot to learn. The coach is doing him a disservice if he is going to protect him in that manner.

According to Watson (in that article I posted), They had to find playing time for Bender, and Duds is the only 4. It just makes sense.

2 things about that:
Tucker played 17 of his 33 minutes at PF last night.
Looks like the "Bender is a 3" farce didn't even make it to the new year.