McDonough: Watson is a candidate for head coaching job next season
Mar 3, 2016, 7:30 AM | Updated: 4:04 pm
Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson, left, and assistant coach Corey Gaines react to a call during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
(AP Photo/Matt York)
A 15-45 record has Phoenix Suns fans already looking to next season. For the team, that look ahead starts with their head coaching position.
Following the firing of Jeff Hornacek, Earl Watson was brought in as an interim coach and the Suns have continued to struggle.
His 1-10 record includes two losses by more than 30 points, but GM Ryan McDonough still has Watson in the running to keep the job on a full-time basis despite the poor start.
“Earl is a candidate,” McDonough told Burns & Gambo Wednesday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “We told him when we had the coaching change and he took over as interim coach that we are going to have a process, but he will be a part of that process.”
When asked if experience is a factor, McDonough was quick to say Watson still has some.
“It is a factor,” McDonough said. “With a guy like Earl he has relatively limited coaching experience, but a wealth of NBA experience.”
Watson’s 13-year playing career built a solid foundation across the league and it’s already played a big role for the Suns.
“He was (a part of recruitment), especially with LaMarcus (Aldridge),” McDonough said. “A guy like Earl, who bounced around the league and played for a number of different teams, formed a lot of friendships and developed a lot of relationships along the way. Those do become very beneficial when you talk about free agent recruiting.”
If the Suns choose to go in a different direction, big name head coaches such as Tom Thibodeau, David Blatt and Scott Brooks are available. There are going to be plenty of teams, however, looking for a new head coach.
Speaking on how they stack up to those other teams, McDonough noted how much better the Suns should be right away with a healthy roster.
“We all feel like we will be significantly better next year,” he said.
“We’ll have what looks like it’ll be a top-10 or even a top-five pick and maybe another pick in the lottery or shortly thereafter from Washington and about $25-to-30 million in cap space.”
