nixluva wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:mda for shaq has been mentioned many times before...these are from 2008 when d'antoni was let go...

I thought he quit

He was asked to change and put an increased emphasis on defense. He was offended, reacted, and got permission to pursue another job.

You're synopsis seems a bit simplistic. I'm sure there was more to the break up than just MDA being in a snit about an emphasis on D. That would seem to be a childish reason for any coach to leave a job where he had so much success. I would say that he just didn't see eye to eye with Kerr and could see the situation getting worse as time went on. Yeah the Defense issue came up, but in the end I think there was probably a lack of confidence that MDA felt so I would say it was probably best for him to go before it ended with him being fired.

From what I remember of the last playoff series the Suns had with MDA as coach, the defense was a mess compared to how it used to be, cuz Shaq as usual was horrible on the Pick and Roll and they just got abused. You can't have Nash and Shaq trying to stop teams in the mid to high post, cuz they can't stop anyone and your entire Defense is weakened. Plus you can add an defensively disinterested Amare and you can see how that would leave a team in a bad spot. My guess is MDA had had enough of reading Kerr's slights in the paper too.

PHX still wins 55 games that season.

They get Shaq and he plays Just 28 games. My take is Kerr and sarver felt MDA needed a tougher interior and leadership. They get shaq. My guess is MDA is a team player and goes along. Signing off means buying into it and regardless of whose "fault" it is MDA takes ownership of it.

I recall those 28 games were a problem fitting shaq in to the offense and Amare suffered.

The next season, a full one for shaq who played 75 games did not work out either.

So what is the big deal here? MDA for who ever and what ever reason tried to add shaq for a championship run. At seasons end Sarver and Kerr tried to corner MDA who is a diva because he Avg.ed 58 wins the previous 5 years wouldn't have it. Saver im sure didn't want to pay him diva money so they all agreed to part ways. Remember, MDA was the Man with Colangelo as his GM and his pops as the controling manager of the ownership group before Sarver took over.

So yea, MDA in my opinion was not a good fit for him! Why should he be questioned by Kerr who is sarvers suck up lap dog at that time. And Kerr of course drunk with a new contract and a rookie owner needs to have his own man as coach.

MDA got star power and hand to go out and get a big money deal. And he did.

Too bad he had crap roster to play with but he is on board with his GM.

Why anyone should care about how MDA handled Marbury or Nate, or Larry Hughes is beyond me. And rookies got to earn their way on the court.

MDA is no Phil Jax and has not been perfect.

What coach besides Phil has been? Avery Johnson would have been better? Control freak would have alienated the malcontents even more. Mark Jax? I love the guy but yet to coach at any level.

Doc Rivers was toast before the KG/Ray trade. Good coach. Great coach once he had talent.

MDA got a good rep working for Coach K as the lead assistant. YOu don't get the gig unelss your well thought of.

DurzoBlint wrote:

djsunyc wrote:

crzymdups wrote:This is total baloney. Kerr is just trying to spin stuff on his way out the door.

mda for shaq has been mentioned many times before...these are from 2008 when d'antoni was let go...

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0430dantoni0430.html

Since then, Kerr has expressed public support for D'Antoni, who has also been complimentary of Kerr, especially when Kerr changed his mind to be on board with trading for Shaquille O'Neal after initial reservations.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jack_mccallum/04/30/suns.dantonio/index.html

Over four full seasons D'Antoni racked up a 232-96 record, made the Western finals twice and changed the way that observers both in and out of the league thought about the game. Management might have some legitimate gripes about his defensive coaching, and remember that D'Antoni was a bigger booster of the trade for Shaquille O'Neal than Kerr was.

^says (like I aluded to earlier) that he changed his mind and came on board. My reading comprehension skills tell me that such a statement does not equate to MDA pushing for Shaq. He simply as says, came on board

The highlighted part suggests "Kerr" changed his mind, your post seems to suggest "MDA" changed his mind, unless I am missing something.

But this is a futile exercise, I seriously doubt MDA would have asked for Shaq based on where he was team and talent wise. Coaches have to work very hard to create and maintain chemistry and he was on a roll, to throw in a boomerang like Shaq at that point is utterly ridiculous.