Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

Latest Episodes:

LOCKED ON SUNS 5/1/18: Igor Kokoskov may just be the next coach of the Suns May 01, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode, we roamed through the latest news as the Suns move into their second round of head coaching interviews.

In an effort to fill the vacancy they created nearly eight months ago, the Suns spoke with around 12 or 13 candidates this summer, but appear to be rounding down that list. Igor Kokoskov earned an in-person interview Monday, while interim coach Jay Triano was informed the team would be moving on.

Unless James Borrego or Steve Clifford return for a second interview this week or a new name joins the mix, it appears the Suns and Kokoskov are on track to be reunited when the Jazz-Rockets second series ends.

We debated what hiring Kokoskov would mean for the franchise, and how might fans react.

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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/27/18: Debating Michael Porter Jr. vs. Mikal Bridges Apr 27, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode, we talked through two of the 2018 NBA Draft’s top wing prospects debate style, pitting Mikal Bridges and Michael Porter Jr. against one another in terms of their fit in Phoenix and overall upside.

Bridges is a two-time national champion who became the focal point of college basketball’s best team on both sides of the ball, developing his shot into a versatile, efficient weapon. His wingspan puts him in company with the best defenders in the NBA.

Porter has already drawn hype as the next Kevin Durant or Jayson Tatum, but a back injury in the first game of the season derailed the momentum he had building since high school. In the two games after his return, he flashed interesting upside as a small-ball big with primary scoring potential.

We closed with our answers regarding who we would take in the Suns’ position.

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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/25/18: Budenholzer drops out, plus names to watch in free agency Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode, we tried to piece together the real Mike Budenholzer story after the Hawks announced they have parted ways with their coach of five years. Plus, a quick reaction to Mo Bamba’s apparently improved jump shot and finally, listed a handful of guys to watch as free agency nears.

Was Budenholzer’s ploy just a part of his plan to find a team that will give him personnel power, or is it really just the Bucks or Knicks jobs he wanted all along?

Does Bamba’s potential 3-point shot change much about our impressions of him from a season’s worth of vanilla output?

There are several prospective free agents who could be on the Suns’ radar in free agency as they look for frontcourt help and a starting guard opposite Devin Booker. We looked at names like Fred VanVleet, Danny Green, Luc Richard Mbah Moute and Joe Johnson, and talked young vs. old, long and short deals, and more.

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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/23/18: Coaching news and playoff takeaways Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode, we gave our instant analysis on the news that the Suns have spoken with Jason Kidd and Vinny Del Negro about the coaching job before breaking down what’s winning in this year’s playoffs and what the Suns can learn.

Are the Suns going too far into the pool of coaches to make up for botching the hire in 2016? Or is this just an instance of two interested coaches’ agents being hyperactive? We agree the Suns should make a hire sooner rather than later if these are the names they’re getting to now.

Plus, we looked at the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers to try and work out a blueprint for how these younger rosters are succeeding in the playoffs.

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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/21/18: Debating Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. Marvin Bagley III Apr 21, 2018

Show notes

On today’s episode of Locked On Suns, Evan and Brendon threw on the debate gloves once more. This time around, instead of Luka Doncic vs. Deandre Ayton, we have two polarizing prospects in Suns circles.

Who is the better prospect for the Suns, if they land outside the top two? Is it Jaren Jackson Jr. or Marvin Bagley III who would fit general manager Ryan McDonough’s plans best?

We took deep dives on Jackson Jr. and Bagley III, including from an advanced metrics point of view.

Which one fits best alongside Devin Booker and Josh Jackson? Also, how do both bigs fit into the modern-day NBA?

Find that out, plus a lot more on two players barely separated on their big boards.

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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/20/18: Resetting the Suns' coaching search Apr 20, 2018

Show notes

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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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/19/18: Fourth Quarter Stock Reports! Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

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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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/18/18: End of season Twitter and Reddit mailbag Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

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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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/16/18: News roundup from the end of the season Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

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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LOCKED ON SUNS 4/15/18: An update on the coaching search Apr 15, 2018

Show notes

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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