The Mike Budenholzer / James Jones problem

[JJ Slim]

He's got some....baggage.

You don't go the college route here. Unless of course it's Izzo because of his ties to MSU.

I was actually going to suggest Izzo a while ago when it was discussed about who we could possibly get to replace Bud. But he is like 70+ years old. I'm not sure that matters. And he is used to coaching young guys that are eager to learn. I'm not sure how he would handle guys that are set in their ways especially ones like the Suns have.

[JeremyG]

He's got some....baggage.

You don't go the college route here. Unless of course it's Izzo because of his ties to MSU.

I was actually going to suggest Izzo a while ago when it was discussed about who we could possibly get to replace Bud. But he is like 70+ years old. I'm not sure that matters. And he is used to coaching young guys that are eager to learn. I'm not sure how he would handle guys that are set in their ways especially ones like the Suns have.

That’s an easy solution. Trade them all for young players.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I've not been impressed by Budenholzer. Hard to imagine someone else doing a worse job as head coach next season.

The person responsible for Bradley Beal should've been fired yesterday.

Ishbia isn’t going to fire himself!

Ehh.. I'm willing to wager that he didn't come up with the idea.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Tom Izzo is a terrible idea.

No disrespect to his legacy as a Hall of Fame basketball coach. He's just not going to be a successful NBA coach at this point in his life.

[specialsauce]

Fire Bud, hire THUNDER DAN

[SunsSince92]

I just don't see how you keep either after this disaster of a season. Coaches and GM's have been fired for far less (as we've seen this week) and there just seems to be a lack of culpability from both. If happily move on from them both but have a feeling Ishbia might hold onto Jones.

[Superbone]

I wouldn't be upset with a full FO makeover unless it involved Isiah Thomas.

[ShelC]

I doubt Bartelstein is going anywhere. JJ will fall on the sword.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Sad trombone.

[Mori Chu]

I don't think Bud is the whole problem with this team. But I can't help but notice how many horrible 3rd quarters we have had this season. Isn't it the coach's job to get the team ready at halftime to go out and play strong in the 3rd? What does Bud do for all of halftime?

[Superbone]

I doubt Bartelstein is going anywhere. JJ will fall on the sword.

Yeah, I was thinking about that. Probably too tight with Ishbia due to the Michigan connection.

[Superbone]

Sad trombone.

Hey, leave my ilk out of it. Joe let us down last night. I had the same bet but expanded the Booker under to 42.5 so it would have hit.

[Superbone]

I don't think Bud is the whole problem with this team. But I can't help but notice how many horrible 3rd quarters we have had this season. Isn't it the coach's job to get the team ready at halftime to go out and play strong in the 3rd? What does Bud do for all of halftime?

He obviously doesn't have any control with these guys. They played without effort for a large part of the season. I say move on. I changed my vote from "I don't know" to "fire Bud, keep JJ" and then finally to let them both go. I think you have to after the most disappointing season in franchise history.

[Superbone]

If our crowd sourcing is any indication, Bud is gone.

[Mori Chu]

James Jones is the one who's most likely to get screwed this summer.

There's a good John Hollinger article out today in the NYT where he talks about our shitty team, the virtue of patience in a front office, and how we didn't have it. He's got it exactly right.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/626813 ... a-thunder/

Patience costs nothing. It requires no advanced degree, special relationships or analytics gurus. Yet I’d argue it’s more important to running an NBA franchise than salary-cap management, scouting or anything else. The simple ability to wait things out, rather than jump in recklessly and sacrifice future success for fleeting short-term gains, is a massive difference-maker. In my many years of covering the league and working in a front office (I was the Memphis Grizzlies’ vice president of basketball operations from 2012-19), the examples are almost too numerous to enumerate.

With the Suns, the league’s most expensive and short-term-focused team, having cratered out of Play-In Tournament contention after Wednesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, we’re witnessing how costly impatience can be. It’s amazing to look back and realize that just three short years ago, the Suns went 64-18, and the Thunder were 24-58. What’s more amazing is that the Suns weren’t even old. Sure, they had Chris Paul, but the other four starters that season were 23, 25, 25 and 25.

What’s happened since then is almost a case study in what successful organizational patience — and failing organizational impatience — looks like.

JJ was a patient and thoughtful GM; he didn't chase after short-term gratification and stupid ass trades and giving up massive amounts of future assets. Then the new owner comes in and tramples over him and his plans, and now JJ is the one who will likely be dismissed over it. What a bunch of bullshit. I'd be mad if I were him.

[Superbone]

James Jones is the one who's most likely to get screwed this summer.

There's a good John Hollinger article out today in the NYT where he talks about our shitty team, the virtue of patience in a front office, and how we didn't have it. He's got it exactly right.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/626813 ... a-thunder/

Patience costs nothing. It requires no advanced degree, special relationships or analytics gurus. Yet I’d argue it’s more important to running an NBA franchise than salary-cap management, scouting or anything else. The simple ability to wait things out, rather than jump in recklessly and sacrifice future success for fleeting short-term gains, is a massive difference-maker. In my many years of covering the league and working in a front office (I was the Memphis Grizzlies’ vice president of basketball operations from 2012-19), the examples are almost too numerous to enumerate.

With the Suns, the league’s most expensive and short-term-focused team, having cratered out of Play-In Tournament contention after Wednesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, we’re witnessing how costly impatience can be. It’s amazing to look back and realize that just three short years ago, the Suns went 64-18, and the Thunder were 24-58. What’s more amazing is that the Suns weren’t even old. Sure, they had Chris Paul, but the other four starters that season were 23, 25, 25 and 25.

What’s happened since then is almost a case study in what successful organizational patience — and failing organizational impatience — looks like.

JJ was a patient and thoughtful GM; he didn't chase after short-term gratification and stupid ass trades and giving up massive amounts of future assets. Then the new owner comes in and tramples over him and his plans, and now JJ is the one who will likely be dismissed over it. What a bunch of bullshit. I'd be mad if I were him.

Who knows. Maybe Ishbia sees the error of his ways and gives full control to JJ to rebuild again with his vision that worked so well to get us to the Finals. But more likely...nah. Besides, Ishbia took away all the tools and left JJ with a bare cupboard and difficult to move items.

[JJ Slim]

Hell for all we know Jones may quit

[Superbone]

Hell for all we know Jones may quit

And say, "I told you, but no!"

[JeremyG]

James Jones is the one who's most likely to get screwed this summer.

There's a good John Hollinger article out today in the NYT where he talks about our shitty team, the virtue of patience in a front office, and how we didn't have it. He's got it exactly right.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/626813 ... a-thunder/

Patience costs nothing. It requires no advanced degree, special relationships or analytics gurus. Yet I’d argue it’s more important to running an NBA franchise than salary-cap management, scouting or anything else. The simple ability to wait things out, rather than jump in recklessly and sacrifice future success for fleeting short-term gains, is a massive difference-maker. In my many years of covering the league and working in a front office (I was the Memphis Grizzlies’ vice president of basketball operations from 2012-19), the examples are almost too numerous to enumerate.

With the Suns, the league’s most expensive and short-term-focused team, having cratered out of Play-In Tournament contention after Wednesday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, we’re witnessing how costly impatience can be. It’s amazing to look back and realize that just three short years ago, the Suns went 64-18, and the Thunder were 24-58. What’s more amazing is that the Suns weren’t even old. Sure, they had Chris Paul, but the other four starters that season were 23, 25, 25 and 25.

What’s happened since then is almost a case study in what successful organizational patience — and failing organizational impatience — looks like.

JJ was a patient and thoughtful GM; he didn't chase after short-term gratification and stupid ass trades and giving up massive amounts of future assets. Then the new owner comes in and tramples over him and his plans, and now JJ is the one who will likely be dismissed over it. What a bunch of bullshit. I'd be mad if I were him.

If only we could go back to the days of complaining about JJ’s “lame plans” of “continuity” and “internal development.”

[O_Gardino]

I don't think Bud is the whole problem with this team. But I can't help but notice how many horrible 3rd quarters we have had this season. Isn't it the coach's job to get the team ready at halftime to go out and play strong in the 3rd? What does Bud do for all of halftime?

He obviously doesn't have any control with these guys. They played without effort for a large part of the season. I say move on. I changed my vote from "I don't know" to "fire Bud, keep JJ" and then finally to let them both go. I think you have to after the most disappointing season in franchise history.

He doesn't have any control of the stars; most of the role players have played well all year. I think moving the stars who underperformed gets the message across.