Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

On today’s episode, we reset the Suns’ ongoing search for a new head coach following the news that Mike Budenholzer is no longer being considered for the job.

What exactly went wrong between the Suns and Budenholzer, and what does the future hold for the Hawks’ coach? Were the interviews this week merely leverage for Budenholzer’s ultimate interest in the Bucks’ vacancy?

We ranked the remaining seven names — David Blatt, James Borrego, Steve Clifford, David Fizdale, Igor Kokoskov, Kevin McHale, Jay Triano, and Frank Vogel — and discussed the guys that stand out from a Suns perspective. We also tried to estimate when the search starts to wrap up. 

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On today’s episode, we broke down the performances of the final three members of the #TheTimeline left standing over an injury-riddled last 16 games of the season. 

Josh Jackson, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss were given plenty of opportunity as the season wound down without Devin Booker or T.J. Warren in the lineup. Jackson upped his usage big time, while Chriss regained his early-season form and Bender shouldered the heaviest minutes total on the team.

How did each player grade out?

Finally, a quick look at some of the supporting cast who got extra playing time over the final month and a half. Shaquille Harrison, Danuel House Jr., and Alec Peters each showed they deserve a chance at a roster spot this September.

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On today’s episode, we worked through a hefty list of mailbag questions from both Twitter and r/Suns on Reddit. We discussed what the Suns’ options are in free agency, how they might handle the draft with the possibility now in place that they make a trade for their new coach, and what the summer might mean for the current core youngsters.

We went about an hour to hit on some of the stuff we missed last week, and finished off the episode with what the Suns can learn from their last disastrous coaching hire, as well as what the 2018 playoffs tell us about the future the Suns are building toward.

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On today’s episode, we look back at last Wednesday’s media exit interviews, as well as other quotes given by Suns players and management over the last week. 

T.J. Warren responded strongly when asked last week about the possibility of coming off the bench after perhaps the best season of his career. Is there a case for Josh Jackson replacing him in the starting lineup as it currently stands, and was he right to be frustrated by the question?

Remarking on that competition for playing time, Jared Dudley said in a radio interview on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station last week that he believes certain young players were gifted playing time this season without quite earning it. Who might he have been referring to, and was he right, even though winning wasn’t necessarily the team’s goal later in the season?

Finally, what can we take from Ryan McDonough’s continued insistence that all options are on the table this summer?

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On today’s episode, we react to the latest news on the coaching free agency front. With Steve Clifford recently fired and Mike Budenholzer reportedly made available for interview, how does the Suns’ outlook change?

In addition, it appears former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale will become one of the first interviews early this week as well. What can we learn about his tenure in Memphis and his relationship with Suns executive James Jones?

Finally, we discuss other assistants currently coaching for playoff teams who may also be candidates, including Igor Kokoskov in Utah and Etore Messina in San Antonio. Are any of them worth waiting for?

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On today’s episode, we were joined by Jackson Hoy of The Stepien, who broke down why Luka Doncic should be the Suns’ target at No. 1 and who fans might be over-looking with the Miami and Milwaukee picks.

We discussed options at the top if the Suns miss on Doncic, including Jaren Jackson Jr., Marvin Bagley III, and Deandre Ayton. Hoy gave some perspective about why he has Ayton lower than the consensus top two found on other draft sites, as well as why he believes Jackson is too good to fail at the NBA level.

Looking at the middle of the draft, we touched on players such as Jontay Porter and Zhaire Smith, whose versatility would add to the Suns’ abundant flexibility and unlock even more interesting options for the team’s next coach.

Finally, we got Hoy’s perspective on the Suns’ core, where he believes they should go from here, and how important the next coach is for this young team.

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On today’s episode, it was Evan going solo as he ran through your latest mailbag questions. Also, he did a quick spin through tankathon.com and relayed the results with how he would do picks 1-14.

Did the Suns land at No. 1? How about the possibility of moving up or packaging their mid-first picks for an immediate contributor elsewhere?

All these questions are answered for you, including whether he believes Deandre Ayton or Luka Doncic sits atop their draft board.

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On today’s episode, we went in depth on the four standouts from the Suns’ 97-94 victory over the Kings before diving into ESPN’s latest report on the Spurs relationship with Kawhi Leonard. 

Have Danuel House Jr. and Alex Len done enough this season to earn new contracts going into next season? If they were to leave Phoenix, what makes sense in terms of money and fit for each player?

Despite being used in a role that over-extends him with Devin Booker and T.J. Warren battling injury, Josh Jackson continues to show progress as a scorer and play-maker. What can we glean from his final month?

Finally, how important is it that teams are now circling the Spurs regarding Leonard’s availability, as ESPN reported Tuesday? We looked at how the Suns stack up compared with other franchises in terms of asset packages they could offer in a potential Leonard trade.

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On today’s episode, we quickly broke down some of the bigger takeaways from the Suns’ loss to Golden State on Sunday evening, 117-107. 

In a game where the Warriors coasted through the first half before breathing fire onto the Suns’ young roster for 12 third-quarter minutes, the visiting team showed signs of progress we’ve desperately wanted to see over the last two months. Aside from Danuel House Jr.’s massive unassisted alley-oop over Nick Young, we also saw strong performances out of Shaquille Harrison, Marquese Chriss, and Dragan Bender.

Finally, an update on Josh Jackson’s performance as a primary creator, especially his ability to avoid turnovers and make positive plays. Do his signs of progress over the past two weeks help the Suns feel more comfortable taking a big man at the top of this year’s draft?

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On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon finally put on the debate gloves for this one.

Who is the better prospect for the Suns at the top of the draft? Is it Luka Doncic or Deandre Ayton who is the prize in general manager Ryan McDonough’s eye?

We took deep dives on not only Doncic and Ayton but answered your mailbag questions throughout in this 45-minute episode. Enjoy!

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