First Avery, Now Steve Kerr & Congrats Suns

[silverblk mystix]

It seems to be the end of an era for the spurs---even though I will still be pulling hard for a miracle.

Avery Johnson was able to learn the Spurs system from the inside and used that knowledge to beat the spurs and had the mavs poised for great things---but we know the rest...

Steve Kerr has now done a very similar thing.

Congrats to the suns ---they appear to be the better team---unless the spurs perform the biggest comeback in NBA History.

Had the Spurs gotten as far as the Finals---maybe Mike Brown would have also beaten his former team...

This, I believe is a testament to the Spurs organization and G. Popovich in particular...

I was pretty peeved at Pop for a huge part of the season---as were a lot of spurs fans---but to be really honest---

Pop did the very best he could with what he had---and the matchups against the suns were as bad as when the mavs were a thorn in the side of the spurs...

Overall---it has been a very frustrating season---mainly because of the big HOPE that we all were teased by....

but good luck to the suns---PLEASE ---don't just bend over for the lakers---although highly improbable---I would much rather see Nash & Company get a ring than the other douches still in the running...

One last thing---i guess dantoni---really sucked...

Spurs will be back yet again---just without a lot of baggage and chokers...

[Obstructed_View]

While Avery beat the Spurs only because Pop sat Nazr and Rasho, Steve Kerr deserves a lot of apologies from a lot of people, most of them Suns fans.

[panic giraffe]

its common knowledge that any player who has a good understanding of the spurs system owns us whenever they play us.

[JMarkJohns]

While Avery beat the Spurs only because Pop sat Nazr and Rasho, Steve Kerr deserves a lot of apologies from a lot of people, most of them Suns fans.

I have the right to never forgive him for trading James Jones and the rights to Rudy Fernandez and Kurt Thomas and two unprotected 1st within his first 90 days on the job. I appreciate all he is as an Arizona icon, and all he's done to make up for those monumental gaffes, but this Suns team's future would be so much brighter had he not been Sarver's public relations puppet with those first two trades.

I was always high on those he drafted, but I was discouraged at their progress into December of this year. Thankfully Gentry was a very good hire for the youth and depth on the roster.

He inherited a mess. He's done very well considering. I tip my cap to all the savvy moves he's made. But those mistakes are so glaring that it's hard to celebrate without thinking "what could have been" with three 1sts on this roster, or as trade bait for real talent.

[Goran Dragic]

I have the right to never forgive him for trading James Jones and the rights to Rudy Fernandez and Kurt Thomas and two unprotected 1st within his first 90 days on the job.


It's not some wild coincidence those deals stopped happening once D'antoni left. That first off season he was GM, I think we all know that D'antoni still had more authority than he did. In my view, he didn't take over as GM till the summer of 2008 when D'antoni bolted for New York and left the team in even worse shape than a year prior.

[JMarkJohns]

It's not some wild coincidence those deals stopped happening once D'antoni left. That first off season he was GM, I think we all know that D'antoni still had more authority than he did. In my view, he didn't take over as GM till the summer of 2008 when D'antoni bolted for New York and left the team in even worse shape than a year prior.

That's a fair argument. Lack of authority not withstanding, his signature and face to the deals signaled, at the least, compliance, and such concludes guilt by association. I'm not saying they are his fault. I know they would have happened regardless. But I trusted Kerr to know better, and to at least speak up and say, you'll do these present and future-damning trades behind my back, or you'll fire a much beloved son of the state, because I disapprove.

It's unrealistic, but Kerr had more clout that did D'Antoni and Sarver, as everyone was sick of their draft day act. Had he stood up and said, absolutely not, I think things would have changed. Maybe not, but I expected more and he violated my trust. He's won it back, but I'm still bitter.

Oh, and fuck D'Antoni. I hate that guy now more than ever. 2007 had enough of a bench had it simply been developed.

[Goran Dragic]

That's a fair argument. Lack of authority not withstanding, his signature and face to the deals signaled, at the least, compliance, and such concludes guilt by association. I'm not saying they are his fault. I know they would have happened regardless. But I trusted Kerr to know better, and to at least speak up and say, you'll do these present and future-damning trades behind my back, or you'll fire a much beloved son of the state, because I disapprove.
Maybe it was in our best interest for Kerr to take that stand but be realistic people have self-interests. There's no doubt in my mind Kerr knew better, but I think Kerr also knew that as a GM who was just hired, he shouldn't be questioning a coach that a vast majority of the fans still loved(after the 07 season I hated him and I bet you did too, but most fans couldn't see it yet).


It's unrealistic, but Kerr had more clout that did D'Antoni and Sarver, as everyone was sick of their draft day act. Had he stood up and said, absolutely not, I think things would have changed. Maybe not, but I expected more and he violated my trust. He's won it back, but I'm still bitter.
Things did change. Maybe not as quickly as either one of us would have liked but most fans needed the 2008 season to see the damage selling draft picks had done and how flawed D'antoni was. Once that happened, the media started asking questions, and he started saying dumb stuff like "I'm not here to develop players". Once the season was over, Kerr basically said, "As long as I'm GM, you better fuckin believe you're here to develop players, and we're gonna have problems if there's not a change in philosophy." D'antoni's reaction was that of a 12 year old, unfortunately for that douche bag, the NY media has already figured out his weaknesses and it's only gonna get worse when NY flops in free agency.


Oh, and fuck D'Antoni. I hate that guy now more than ever. 2007 had enough of a bench had it simply been developed.
:tu he's turned to be the most selfish prick with the biggest personal agenda out of anyone. I can't wait till he has to go back to Europe after all 30 NBA teams figure out his agenda will always come before the best interest of the team.

[JMarkJohns]

I understand, I'm just hard headed and it's difficult for me to fully appreciate once let down. I've said it many times. The Suns could win a Title this year and rather than simply enjoy and revel in its delight, I'd begrudge Sarver more for this not being the second or third. Same with Kerr. He's done a great job and I appreciate it. I just can't let go of my initial shock and disappointment.

Also, I disliked D'Antoni as early as 2005. I begrudgingly acknowledged he did a very good job with the crap roster he had in 2005-06, but I've always said the Suns fell short for two reasons: Sarver and his cheapness and D'Antoni and his belligerence towards a bench and defense.

[Goran Dragic]

Well yeah I was never his biggest fan, but 2007 is when I progressively started to hate him more. Once he threw away game 1 against the Spurs by not using Kurt Thomas, I was in full "hate D'antoni" mode.

[NFGIII]

I have the right to never forgive him for trading James Jones and the rights to Rudy Fernandez and Kurt Thomas and two unprotected 1st within his first 90 days on the job. I appreciate all he is as an Arizona icon, and all he's done to make up for those monumental gaffes, but this Suns team's future would be so much brighter had he not been Sarver's public relations puppet with those first two trades.

When that went down I thought someone needs to drink the Koolaid in AZ. What horrendous trades they were. Ungodly.

Also what are your feelings about the Shaq deal with the Suns? I personally thought that it wasn't in your interest to get Shaq and caused the Suns to tread water until he left. And if the sole purpose was to compete against the Spurs that year...well you know how that turned out. I just though Shaq wasn't a good fit for the Suns. IMHO



I was always high on those he drafted, but I was discouraged at their progress into December of this year. Thankfully Gentry was a very good hire for the youth and depth on the roster.

He inherited a mess. He's done very well considering. I tip my cap to all the savvy moves he's made. But those mistakes are so glaring that it's hard to celebrate without thinking "what could have been" with three 1sts on this roster, or as trade bait for real talent.

Gentry has been outstanding for the Suns and will be a very good coach for a long time. He has developed your bench into one of the best in the league. That is neccessary if you guys want to go deeper. As you can see with the Spurs you can't play essentially 6+ man rotation and be successful. Too much wear and tear.

[Goran Dragic]

The Shaq trade didn't work out, but I still give props to the F.O. for doing it. Marion had quit on the team, the lack of size down low was hurting the team all season, the Lakers just traded for Gasol, and they just lost to the Spurs in Phoenix without Parker largely because of the half assed defense Marion played on Ginobili. The writing was on the wall, a shakeup was needed. Given the limited options they had, flipping a coin on Shaq was the best thing to do. Maybe it wasn't flipping a coin since the chances of it resulting in a title were less than 50%, but before the Shaq trade, they were headed for an identical season to 2007 and had a 0% chance at a title. The Shaq trade made it so they probably had a 45% chance at imploading and not even making it out of the first round, 45% chance the still get a high seed but lose once they run into the Lakers or Spurs in the 2nd round, and 10% chance Shaq fits in perfectly and the Suns win a title. The worst case scenario happened, so be it. That trade made their chances at a title go from 0% to 10%, so I'm fine with everything else.

Let me clarify the Shaq deal was all D'antoni from the get go, when the trade happened D'antoni said Kerr was a lot more hesitant than he was and he actually went to Kerr with the idea. It makes sense, D'antoni said he based his system off the showtime Lakers, and the showtime Lakers had their HoF center they dumped it down to to close games. However, when people started to hate the trade, D'antoni pretended he never wanted it and it was all Kerr.

He bolted for New York and left Kerr hung out to dry needing to deal with an absolute mess. Team just lost in the 1st round, it was one of the oldest teams in the league with virtually no promising young talent, it's payroll was filled with bloated contracts that most thought were impossible to unload, meanwhile Kerr had a fanbase to anwer to that wanted to know how the fuck their team went from contender to bubble playoff team in a year.

[Chief]

Ex Spurs players, coaches, front office personal are kicking ass everywhere.
Look at the GM of the thunder or president, Sam Presti ? wasn't he with the spurs

[JMarkJohns]

The Shaq trade was a benefit to Phoenix for really only one reason - it was the nail in the coffin of 7SOL and made D'Antoni want to leave. I understand why they made a trade, and at times thought Shaq could work, but I had heard a number of rumors that made more sense than Shaq. Ultimately, trading for Shaq cost more money than simply standing pat and letting Marion walk for nothing, and basically yielded the same. Granted, they'd still have Banks on the books, but he'd be up next year, so it wouldn't have hurt that much.

[Sisk]

Ex Spurs players, coaches, front office personal are kicking ass everywhere.
Look at the GM of the thunder or president, Sam Presti ? wasn't he with the spurs

Yes