In a somewhat shocking and sudden move Monday morning, the Suns have decided to relieve GM Ryan McDounough of his duties.
Suns announce firing of GM Ryan McDonough. James Jones and Trevor Bukstein will be interims. One candidate to watch long-term: Kevin McHale.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 8, 2018
McDonough had two years left on his contract and was entering his sixth season as general manager.
He had an up and down tenure to say the least, starting hot as he turned one of the worst teams when he arrived in 2013 into a 48 win team virtually overnight, before becoming too invested in the point guard position and making some questionable trades and free agency decisions (Brandon Knight and Isaiah Thomas anyone?) and starting to turn the ship around in recent years although not with actual success on the court.
The Suns had what most would consider a very good summer with the drafting of DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges and the signing of Trevor Ariza, but still had one huge question mark and issue: the inability to find a starting point guard.
It feels like that may have been McDonough’s undoing as he was concerned with accumulating assets in the form of numerous draft picks in each draft, but seemed unwilling to part with them in order to attempt to acquire a point guard or the star he had been claiming to have the ammo to require over the majority of his tenure.
If I were a betting man I would guess that the Suns will be acquiring a point guard in the next few days, more than likely Patrick Beverley.
Kevin McHale is rumored as a replacement, but bringing former front office member and Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin back to the organization feels like the right move.
