The Earl Watson Report

[ShelC]

MikeD wouldn't do anything with this roster. He needs a PnR, freeflowing offense. He can't coach a ball pounder or draw up halfcourt plays. Harden is perfect for the offense because he's a killer in the PnR, can shoot the 3, hit the midrange, get to the basket or make the pass to the outside. He's like a bigger, more offensive minded Nash. I'd like to see Booker watch tape of Harden this year and try to pick up some of his tendencies. Not looking to make Booker the primary ball handler, but would like to have that option down the road in some cases/matchups.

You could be right that he would struggle with this roster, however:

2010/2011 - NYK - Raymond Felton had his best year 17.1 Pts & 9.0 assists prior to Dolan trading everyone for Melo - The Knicks were winning and exciting. Mike could not coach the ball hog and said it is him or me. Dolan stayed with Melo. How has that worked out.

2013/2014 - LAL - Kendall Marshall 8.8 assists & Steve Blake 7.6 assists - Neither still in the league.

I don't know how many more games we would have won with Mike as our coach but I truly believe that he would have better utilized both Bledsoe and Knight. I also think that Len would have barley seen the floor, he would have made Chandler a pick and roll monster and we would have seen tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren. I also think Booker's shooting percentage would be much higher due to getting better shots within Mike's offense.

The worry about how the Rockets will do in the playoffs is spoiled milk. If you are a Rocket fan at least your team made the playoffs. We have not done that for 7 years and there is no way to predict when we will make them again. Also it is hard to believe that we are in better position to win a championship in the future with Watson as our coach rather than Mike. If anyone truly believes that they need to get a grip.

Mike is not coming back, ever. However why not Nash? I know that Nash was somewhat on the radar prior to hiring Watson due to a believed close relationship with Sarver. I expect that Watson will be our coach next year. However if we do not see real growth, not just love-ins we really need to consider moving on during the summer of 2018 or sooner.

Felton had the stats but the offense wasn't smooth. It wasn't the well oiled machine you're used to with MikeD's Suns and Rockets. Blake and Marhall were heady, pass first PGs, not ball pounding scorers. And the Lakers won 27 games that year.

Tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren? From a guy reluctant to play rookies? He played Dekker this year mostly due to necessity and he seems to have learned to trust rooks, but let's not make him out to be a miracle worker with rookies. I'd say what we've gotten from Chriss this year is about the best we could hope for.

My point about the Rockets was this: Let's see how he adjusts in game and between games during a 7 game series. We know he can win games in the regular season with that system. We also know from experience he has trouble making adjustments. If teams take the ball out of Harden's hands and force Beverly to run offense, then what? If defenders stay home on Ariza and Anderson and run them off the line, are they still as effective?

Also, when I think about MikeD coaching these PGs I think of him trying to coach Marcus Banks and LB in his offense. LB finally found his niche as 6th man, but those times he was asked to run offense or start for Nash during injury...woof.

[In2ition]

It doesn't feel like Nash wants to coach, at least certainly not full-time. He would be fantastic for a guy like Fultz and even Ball for some extent. I would say that Nash has a lot of other interests so tying him down to be a full-time coach seems unlikely, although he would be fantastic. Didn't Majerle coach under Gentry in that system? He has a lot of experience at a high level of play, has been coaching for awhile, knows a lot of different systems and can coach defense. Also is able to do play calling and mentoring of young guys.

I'm ok with Watson, but I hope that he starts growing as a coach and shows some chops in play calling and rotations. The way they are building this team, if they can develop, draft, trade and/or sign some shooters and also get a future Superstar capable type of distributor, they could run and gun to a style that we love and could work big time.

[In2ition]

MikeD wouldn't do anything with this roster. He needs a PnR, freeflowing offense. He can't coach a ball pounder or draw up halfcourt plays. Harden is perfect for the offense because he's a killer in the PnR, can shoot the 3, hit the midrange, get to the basket or make the pass to the outside. He's like a bigger, more offensive minded Nash. I'd like to see Booker watch tape of Harden this year and try to pick up some of his tendencies. Not looking to make Booker the primary ball handler, but would like to have that option down the road in some cases/matchups.

You could be right that he would struggle with this roster, however:

2010/2011 - NYK - Raymond Felton had his best year 17.1 Pts & 9.0 assists prior to Dolan trading everyone for Melo - The Knicks were winning and exciting. Mike could not coach the ball hog and said it is him or me. Dolan stayed with Melo. How has that worked out.

2013/2014 - LAL - Kendall Marshall 8.8 assists & Steve Blake 7.6 assists - Neither still in the league.

I don't know how many more games we would have won with Mike as our coach but I truly believe that he would have better utilized both Bledsoe and Knight. I also think that Len would have barley seen the floor, he would have made Chandler a pick and roll monster and we would have seen tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren. I also think Booker's shooting percentage would be much higher due to getting better shots within Mike's offense.

The worry about how the Rockets will do in the playoffs is spoiled milk. If you are a Rocket fan at least your team made the playoffs. We have not done that for 7 years and there is no way to predict when we will make them again. Also it is hard to believe that we are in better position to win a championship in the future with Watson as our coach rather than Mike. If anyone truly believes that they need to get a grip.

Mike is not coming back, ever. However why not Nash? I know that Nash was somewhat on the radar prior to hiring Watson due to a believed close relationship with Sarver. I expect that Watson will be our coach next year. However if we do not see real growth, not just love-ins we really need to consider moving on during the summer of 2018 or sooner.

Felton had the stats but the offense wasn't smooth. It wasn't the well oiled machine you're used to with MikeD's Suns and Rockets. Blake and Marhall were heady, pass first PGs, not ball pounding scorers. And the Lakers won 27 games that year.

Tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren? From a guy reluctant to play rookies? He played Dekker this year mostly due to necessity and he seems to have learned to trust rooks, but let's not make him out to be a miracle worker with rookies. I'd say what we've gotten from Chriss this year is about the best we could hope for.

My point about the Rockets was this: Let's see how he adjusts in game and between games during a 7 game series. We know he can win games in the regular season with that system. We also know from experience he has trouble making adjustments. If teams take the ball out of Harden's hands and force Beverly to run offense, then what? If defenders stay home on Ariza and Anderson and run them off the line, are they still as effective?

Also, when I think about MikeD coaching these PGs I think of him trying to coach Marcus Banks and LB in his offense. LB finally found his niche as 6th man, but those times he was asked to run offense or start for Nash during injury...woof.

Banks was a dumpster fire the moment he landed in PHX and nobody was going to fix his dumb @$$. I witnessed his first pick up game prior to the season and he was put on the same team with Nash. I knew within 2 MINUTES that he was going to suck, not figure it out, and then later he confirmed my belief when I was eavesdropping on his conversation with one of his posse afterwards. I was on the court with Phil Weber when he was trying to give Banks some instruction on how he wanted to work on his shot, and he was immediately uninterested and resistant to anything that Weber had to say. If they had a Lemon clause in those contracts, I have a feeling that they would have exercised it immediately, or at least thought really hard about it.

[JustWinBaby]

MikeD wouldn't do anything with this roster. He needs a PnR, freeflowing offense. He can't coach a ball pounder or draw up halfcourt plays. Harden is perfect for the offense because he's a killer in the PnR, can shoot the 3, hit the midrange, get to the basket or make the pass to the outside. He's like a bigger, more offensive minded Nash. I'd like to see Booker watch tape of Harden this year and try to pick up some of his tendencies. Not looking to make Booker the primary ball handler, but would like to have that option down the road in some cases/matchups.

You could be right that he would struggle with this roster, however:

2010/2011 - NYK - Raymond Felton had his best year 17.1 Pts & 9.0 assists prior to Dolan trading everyone for Melo - The Knicks were winning and exciting. Mike could not coach the ball hog and said it is him or me. Dolan stayed with Melo. How has that worked out.

2013/2014 - LAL - Kendall Marshall 8.8 assists & Steve Blake 7.6 assists - Neither still in the league.

I don't know how many more games we would have won with Mike as our coach but I truly believe that he would have better utilized both Bledsoe and Knight. I also think that Len would have barley seen the floor, he would have made Chandler a pick and roll monster and we would have seen tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren. I also think Booker's shooting percentage would be much higher due to getting better shots within Mike's offense.

The worry about how the Rockets will do in the playoffs is spoiled milk. If you are a Rocket fan at least your team made the playoffs. We have not done that for 7 years and there is no way to predict when we will make them again. Also it is hard to believe that we are in better position to win a championship in the future with Watson as our coach rather than Mike. If anyone truly believes that they need to get a grip.

Mike is not coming back, ever. However why not Nash? I know that Nash was somewhat on the radar prior to hiring Watson due to a believed close relationship with Sarver. I expect that Watson will be our coach next year. However if we do not see real growth, not just love-ins we really need to consider moving on during the summer of 2018 or sooner.

Felton had the stats but the offense wasn't smooth. It wasn't the well oiled machine you're used to with MikeD's Suns and Rockets. Blake and Marhall were heady, pass first PGs, not ball pounding scorers. And the Lakers won 27 games that year.

Tremendous growth from Bender, Chriss and Warren? From a guy reluctant to play rookies? He played Dekker this year mostly due to necessity and he seems to have learned to trust rooks, but let's not make him out to be a miracle worker with rookies. I'd say what we've gotten from Chriss this year is about the best we could hope for.

My point about the Rockets was this: Let's see how he adjusts in game and between games during a 7 game series. We know he can win games in the regular season with that system. We also know from experience he has trouble making adjustments. If teams take the ball out of Harden's hands and force Beverly to run offense, then what? If defenders stay home on Ariza and Anderson and run them off the line, are they still as effective?

Also, when I think about MikeD coaching these PGs I think of him trying to coach Marcus Banks and LB in his offense. LB finally found his niche as 6th man, but those times he was asked to run offense or start for Nash during injury...woof.

You make the same dumb arguments that everyone does about Mike.

1. You are worried about how Houston will do in the freaking playoffs. At this point it is only a dream for Suns Fans. Championships and success in the playoffs is not on the freaking radar and has not been for 7 years. There is a good chance we will not make them at all this decade.

2. The offense was not smooth with Felton - Gimme a break. They were the talk of the league that year and Amare was in the conversation for MVP. Then the Melo trade came.

3. He could not turn LB or Marcus Banks into a legitimate PG. What in the hell are you smoking. Neither one of those guys have the skills or mindset to be a PG. If Sarver would have hired a GM to replace BC when he left, rather than giving Mike that assignment, we might have had a legit back up for Nash. What did the great Steve Kerr do to solve that problem? Any coach can only play what the have and he never had a legit back up during his time in Phoenix. I expect he would love to coach Ulis.

4. He would not play Bender, Chriss or Warren. Both Bender and Chriss are perfect for his offense. Bigs that can run the floor and shoot from range. Warren would fill the lane while Booker, Chriss and Bender are shooting from the 3 point line.

5. Tell me what players that Mike did not play that had the skill set of Chriss, Bender or Warren?

Another weak argument against a coach that made Suns basketball fun to watch and the talk of the league. Mike certainly is not perfect but to even suggest that he is not better than Watson is ludicrous.

[ShelC]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

[3rdside]

I like the Steve Nash as coach comment, if there's a positive in all this


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[JustWinBaby]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

[Indy]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So you enjoyed the malaise?

[Ring_Wanted]

1. You are worried about how Houston will do in the freaking playoffs. At this point it is only a dream for Suns Fans. Championships and success in the playoffs is not on the freaking radar and has not been for 7 years. There is a good chance we will not make them at all this decade.

2. The offense was not smooth with Felton - Gimme a break. They were the talk of the league that year and Amare was in the conversation for MVP. Then the Melo trade came.

3. He could not turn LB or Marcus Banks into a legitimate PG. What in the hell are you smoking. Neither one of those guys have the skills or mindset to be a PG. If Sarver would have hired a GM to replace BC when he left, rather than giving Mike that assignment, we might have had a legit back up for Nash. What did the great Steve Kerr do to solve that problem? Any coach can only play what the have and he never had a legit back up during his time in Phoenix. I expect he would love to coach Ulis.

4. He would not play Bender, Chriss or Warren. Both Bender and Chriss are perfect for his offense. Bigs that can run the floor and shoot from range. Warren would fill the lane while Booker, Chriss and Bender are shooting from the 3 point line.

5. Tell me what players that Mike did not play that had the skill set of Chriss, Bender or Warren?

Another weak argument against a coach that made Suns basketball fun to watch and the talk of the league. Mike certainly is not perfect but to even suggest that he is not better than Watson is ludicrous.

Spot on.

[TOO]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So 1 and done treadmilling is ok with you?

I'd rather be bad and shoot for the moon then be getting ousted in the playoffs early every year.

[JustWinBaby]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So 1 and done treadmilling is ok with you?

I'd rather be bad and shoot for the moon then be getting ousted in the playoffs early every year.

You have to start someplace. That is unless you are able to acquire a player such as Kareem, Shaq, Lebron or Duncan. Even the Bulls did not win the ring immediately with Michael Jordan and Neither did the Lakers with Kobe.

While I enjoy watching the playoffs without the Suns involved it does not compare to the Nash/MDA years. Even though we did not win the ring we always thought we had a chance. Those days are in the far too distant past for my liking. JC consistently had this franchise in the conversation while never winning a ring. What really was wrong with that. Surely winning a ring is the ultimate goal but in my book not the primary goal.

[In2ition]

I'm hoping that Chriss and/or Bender grows into a corner piece, but it's too early to say they will or won't. Right now, it looks like the Suns have one in Booker, but need some more and I don't believe that Warren is one, although he could end up being a 6th man of the year type player, since he scores fairly effortlessly, but his defense and 3pt shooting aren't up to the level that the Suns will need. Maybe it improves greatly over the off-season, but I haven't seen anything that says it will. If the Suns can somehow get a couple this off-season to combine with Booker and then hope that Warren, Bender,and Chriss develop quickly, I'll be happy.

[sunshoopjunky]

I agree

[England Sun]

The future is already brighter than it has been for too many years.
One maybe two bad contracts that may be difficult to shift but besides that you have a very very young core with he prospect of potentially another corner piece being added on draft day. If that position is the pg role then you have a very tradable asset to move on to help with the rebuild in Bled. That could net you another first rounder or a better centre or sf prospect than we have.
That gives you a potential team to grow together of:
Fultz or Ball / Booker/ Chriss/ Warren/ Bedner/ Jackson (and Bled of no pg) / Ulis.....A great group give or take one or two depending on draft position and trades, to build around.
And surrounded by mostly a group of vets willing to help them learn and move forward.
Much better to watch and root for as they develop than a group of aged has been a and a one and done.

[ShelC]

Agreed about Warren. I appreciate his scoring and rebounding and I know he's worked on his 3 and defense but I think he's a bench player.

[pickle]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So 1 and done treadmilling is ok with you?

I'd rather be bad and shoot for the moon then be getting ousted in the playoffs early every year.

You have to start someplace. That is unless you are able to acquire a player such as Kareem, Shaq, Lebron or Duncan. Even the Bulls did not win the ring immediately with Michael Jordan and Neither did the Lakers with Kobe.

While I enjoy watching the playoffs without the Suns involved it does not compare to the Nash/MDA years. Even though we did not win the ring we always thought we had a chance. Those days are in the far too distant past for my liking. JC consistently had this franchise in the conversation while never winning a ring. What really was wrong with that. Surely winning a ring is the ultimate goal but in my book not the primary goal.

I don't think it's fair to say "I want to get into the playoffs and then figure it out" on one hand and then use the Nash Suns as an example. That team had championship potential, was a true contender in every sense of the word, and could have easily won the whole thing had a couple of things broke our way. When people here say one and done, we're talking about teams like the Pistons with their current core, or the Blazers almost maxed out but still struggling to hit the 8th seed. I for one am not okay with that, basketball purgatory where you are always just good enough to contend for the right not to draft a cornerstone piece.

Also, despite all the general mismanagement of the team we've had the past few years, I can honestly say that the team is at a better place than ever right now. Naturally we as fans, however strong our willpower, will not actually be able to affect the management of the team, so just speaking on hypothetical terms, if I were the GM today, I would not be chasing some quick fixes so that we make the playoffs. I want to figure out exactly what I do have on my hands, and then start drafting/signing free agents/focusing my player development/coaching resources on those areas of weakness. Playoffs in the immediate future would absolutely not be my goal.

I'm not advocating tanking every year for a top prospect and never climbing out of the basement in standings, but we have a promising core group right now that, with some good chemistry and patience, could turn into something pretty special. I would hate to see us ruin it. Again.

[specialsauce]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So 1 and done treadmilling is ok with you?

I'd rather be bad and shoot for the moon then be getting ousted in the playoffs early every year.

You have to start someplace. That is unless you are able to acquire a player such as Kareem, Shaq, Lebron or Duncan. Even the Bulls did not win the ring immediately with Michael Jordan and Neither did the Lakers with Kobe.

While I enjoy watching the playoffs without the Suns involved it does not compare to the Nash/MDA years. Even though we did not win the ring we always thought we had a chance. Those days are in the far too distant past for my liking. JC consistently had this franchise in the conversation while never winning a ring. What really was wrong with that. Surely winning a ring is the ultimate goal but in my book not the primary goal.

[Indy]

I really didn't want to get into a MikeD argument here and I'm not getting sucked into this vortex.

I just want us to become relevant sooner than later. I am really tired of rooting for us to lose so that we can improve our draft position. I want to root for our team in the playoffs no matter what seed we get.

So 1 and done treadmilling is ok with you?

I'd rather be bad and shoot for the moon then be getting ousted in the playoffs early every year.

You have to start someplace. That is unless you are able to acquire a player such as Kareem, Shaq, Lebron or Duncan. Even the Bulls did not win the ring immediately with Michael Jordan and Neither did the Lakers with Kobe.

While I enjoy watching the playoffs without the Suns involved it does not compare to the Nash/MDA years. Even though we did not win the ring we always thought we had a chance. Those days are in the far too distant past for my liking. JC consistently had this franchise in the conversation while never winning a ring. What really was wrong with that. Surely winning a ring is the ultimate goal but in my book not the primary goal.

I understand (to an extent) what he is saying. If the only thing that makes you happy is winning a ring, and anything less is a failure, then 97% of fans every year would have nothing to root for since their team didn't win. I think it is mostly semantics around primary/ultimate goals, though.

[3rdside]

And it's for that reason I want Ball - if we can't win, we may as well have a whole lot of fast paced, high scoring fun in the process.

FYI I'd probably take Ball if we get the #1 pick as our hopes of a ring, at this stage, go as far as Booker goes...Feed the man as best you can in other words!

[The Bobster]

ESPN has Watson ranked as the 27th best coach in the league -

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1902 ... tings-1-30

(but they do have him ahead of Alvin Gentry and Jeff Hornacek)