On the court at least, maybe there is hope for the Phoenix Suns after all.
The week began with a stirring victory over the Sacramento Kings, and continued with a beatdown of the Utah Jazz. In both games, the Suns played with an energy that hasn’t previously been there. The young talent they’ve accrued showed well against veteran-laden teams that seemed caught off-guard by their athleticism and by how hard they played.
Off the court, the Suns are a joke. And that joke starts in the front office with general manager Ryan McDonough.
In the span of less than 24 hours, Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix’s best player, tweeted “I don’t wanna be here.” McDonough then fired his coach, former Jazz point guard Earl Watson. He then essentially kicked Bledsoe off the roster, making it clear Bledsoe will be traded. Then McDonough went on the radio and questioned Bledsoe’s character — which, sarcasm alert, really does wonders for said player’s trade value. It doesn’t exactly scream “Come play in Phoenix” to free agents, either.
“I think Eric’s a good person,” McDonough told an Arizona radio station this week. “I think he’s unfortunately gotten some bad advice and is listening to the wrong people. I think generally, any time you sign a contract, it doesn’t only work one way. It works both ways, and for a guy with years on his contract to say or intimate he didn’t want to be here anymore, I didn’t find that to be appropriate, and I think if he says he wants to be a leader, that’s the opposite of what a leader does and the opposite of what leadership is. So I think that’s all I’m going to say about that.”
There is a lot to digest here, but what it boils down to is this: Watson never had a chance. He was given a roster that had no hope of winning. The same thing happened to another former Jazzman, Jeff Hornacek, who was fired before Watson was hired. Watson may be a bad coach. He may be a good coach. Nobody knows, because he never had a decent roster in Phoenix.
McDonough assailed Bledsoe’s character, but he was the one who last season held a healthy Bledsoe out of the lineup for the last two months of the season for tanking purposes. The Suns were able to draft Josh Jackson, who is a very good prospect. But there’s a price to pay for that: You end up ticking off the people who are collateral damage, such as Bledsoe.
There are different ways of going about things than publicly demanding to be traded and then not owning the trade demand — Bledsoe’s explanation to McDonough was that he was in a hair salon on a Sunday. McDonough, rightfully, didn’t believe Bledsoe.
At the same time, I can’t blame Bledsoe for wanting out of Phoenix. He was once on a roster that featured Goran Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Markieff Morris. Those three are thriving in other places, while Bledsoe’s wasting the prime years of his career.
The Suns historically have been a well-run franchise, and if the right leadership surfaces, Phoenix will again be an attractive place to play. Bledsoe is one of the better point guards in the league. TJ Warren and Devin Booker are pure wing scorers. Jackson could develop into a significant two-way talent. Dragan Bender has improved greatly from his rookie season. Tyler Ulis is potentially a terrific backup point guard. There’s plenty of young talent on this team waiting to be molded.
But the franchise has no direction, and the misery of a rudderless ship has seeped into the roster. On a team like this, there’s no place for people such as Bledsoe and Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley, veterans who deserve to play on rosters that have a chance to win. If you are going to develop young talent and go with a youth movement, go with the youth movement. Trade the vets away and don’t hold them hostage.
McDonough is at the center of the dysfunction in Phoenix. From Jeff Hornacek to Earl Watson, from Gordon Dragic demanding a trade to Eric Bledsoe demanding a trade. The common denominator is McDonough.
It’s time for him to take a look in the mirror.
NBA Power Rankings<br>1. Golden State Warriors (3-2) • Losses to the Rockets and Grizzlies don’t change what we already know: The Warriors are the best team in the NBA, until they’re not.<br>2. San Antonio Spurs (4-0) • The beat goes on with the Spurs. They’ve started off hot, and Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played a game.<br>3. Cleveland Cavaliers (3-2) • LeBron James starts two games at point guard, has 13 assists in one, notches a triple-double in the other.<br>4. Los Angeles Clippers (4-0) • Blake Griffin hits the game-winning 3-pointer to sink the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s enjoying an excellent start to the season.<br>5. Houston Rockets (4-1) • Eric Gordon hits the winning 3-pointer to sink Philadelphia at the buzzer.<br>6. Memphis Grizzlies (4-1) • Every time we try to count them out, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol pull us back in.<br>7. Washington Wizards (3-1) • A bad loss against the Lakers doesn’t mask that they may be the second-best team in the Eastern Conference.<br>8. Boston Celtics (3-2) • Kyrie Irving played his best game as a Celtic in a nice road win at the Milwaukee Bucks.<br>9. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-2) • The big three is still learning how to play with each other. Josh Huestis is emerging as an important defensive piece.<br>10. Toronto Raptors (2-2) • Former Utah Utes Delon Wright and Jakob Poeltl are becoming major parts of the rotation.<br>11. Portland Trail Blazers (3-2) • Good start for them, despite Griffin breaking their hearts on Thursday.<br>12. Milwaukee Bucks (3-2) • Giannis Antetokounmpo is having an MVP kind of start to the season.<br>13. Orlando Magic (3-1) • They’ve been waiting for Aaron Gordon to break out. He’s finally starting to do so.<br>14. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-3) • This is a much different team without the injured Jimmy Butler.<br>15. Brooklyn Nets (3-2) • Buried the Cavs under a barrage of 3-pointers.<br>16. Utah Jazz (2-3) • Promising start to the season is almost forgotten after disastrous road trip.<br>17. Detroit Pistons (3-2) • Avery Bradley’s been a nice addition to Stan Van Gundy’s lineup<br>18. Miami Heat (2-2) • Currently surrendering almost 109 points per game. That needs to improve.<br>19. Charlotte Hornets (2-2) • Dwight Howard is rebounding and blocking shots. That’s what they need from him.<br>20. Denver Nuggets (1-3) • Turnovers have been a killer for them<br>21. Indiana Pacers (2-3) • Scoring a lot (114 points per game), giving up a lot (115.6).<br>22. Philadelphia 76ers (1-4) • Suffering through a rough start, but Ben Simmons looks like a star.<br>23. New Orleans Pelicans (2-3) • DeMarcus Cousins scores 41 points and grabs 23 rebounds in his return to Sacramento.<br>24. Los Angeles Lakers (2-2) • Lonzo Ball’s encountering challenges, but he’s standing up to them.<br>25. Phoenix Suns (2-3) • Give them credit: They are playing hard in the wake of Earl Watson’s dismissal.<br>26. Chicago Bulls (1-3) • Nikola Mirotic reportedly wants a trade after altercation with Bobby Portis.<br>27. Sacramento Kings (1-4) • Have been competitive, but the wins aren’t there.<br>28. Dallas Mavericks (1-5) • The little things will have to suffice this season: Dennis Smith is very exciting.<br>29. Atlanta Hawks (1-4) • Have lost four straight after an opening night win.<br>30. New York Knicks (0-3) • Only team in the league without a win as of Friday.