Will the Suns Rise with Mike Malone?

The Phoenix Suns will be looking for a new head coach after the firing of Mike Budenholzer. Under coach Bud, the Suns had a 36-46 record which was their worst in five years. Many fans and analysts such as Stephen A. Smith heavily criticizing upper management and player engagement, Suns owner Mat Ishbia is slowly becoming the equivalent of how Nico Harrison is viewed in Dallas.

Stephen A. Smith remarked last week on an episode of First Take that Ishbia could soon be seen as an historically bad owner. He would later apologize for including Donald Sterling in his argument, but nonetheless the statement struck a chord with fans and the NBA community at large.

“Mat Ishbia needs to understand that right now, you are on the verge of being recognized as the worst owner in the history of basketball. That’s saying a lot. That’s saying a lot. Donald Sterling once owned an NBA franchise. … That’s the trajectory, if you’re Mat Ishbia, that you are on right now, being recognized as arguably the worst owner in the history of basketball.”

Smith would then continue,

“As the owner of the Phoenix Suns, sir, respectfully, I know the future could hold an ornament of possibilities, but in your first two years, there is a legitimate argument that you are an atrocity. One of the worst owners in the history of the sport and your background makes it worse because there’s no excuse for it to happen.”

Fans and analysts alike are wondering who is to blame for the recurring woes of a once dominant Suns team. On paper, they looked very talented heading into this season and were picked by many to make a championship appearance. After beginning the season with a stellar 9-2 record and one of the highest scoring averages in the league, the Suns were looking like they were back in championship form.

Their three stars were playing well together, and the optimism was high under newly hired coach Bud. However, their weakness in defense began growing more and more apparent throughout the season, and they ended the season 1-10 and completely blew their playoff chances. Eight of the ten losses came to teams currently in the playoffs which made the gap between the Suns and championship contenders even more apparent.

Could Mike Malone Be the Missing Piece For the Phoenix Suns?

There could be some hope if the Suns truly wish to get back on track though. Former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone is currently looking for a job, and the Suns are in the market for one. Assuming they don’t fire yet another championship winning coach at the end of the year, Malone could serve as a perfect reset for the struggling organization. He could establish a championship mentality and culture in an organization that is clearly lacking an identity and direction. Their expensive roster and lack of draft assets leaves them in the unfortunate position of having to flirt with the idea of leveraging their future hall of famer Kevin Durant for trade assets.

In the event that the Suns can convince Kevin Durant not to jump ship, hiring Mike Malone to a long-term deal could solve a lot of their problems. For starters, both Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer have won a championship in the last five years and were canned after only one season. The lack of identity can certainly be traced back to the lack of time and opportunity to allow one to be established, even by a proven champion.

Malone would also attract some future players due to his success with Denver and how he was able to turn the franchise around. During his 10-year tenure, he held a 510-394 (.564) record with Denver, delivered a championship, and made six straight post season appearances including 3 in the western conference semifinals and two in the western conference finals. Needless to say, the man knows how to coach a bad team into one with sustained playoff success.

Along with the possible addition of one Jeff Van Gundy, Mike Malone could very well be the savior that the Suns are looking for. To get the heat off of himself, Mat Ishbia would be wise to make their next coaching hire a multi-year endeavor. As it stands now with the recent firing of two straight coaches, all eyes are currently on Ishbia to right the wrongs and steer the once dominant organization back on course.

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