The Suns have not made the playoffs since the '09-10 season, and Owner Robert Sarver made an "honest and revealing confession about his part in the team’s rebuilding efforts," according to Scott Bordow of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Sarver: "I probably didn't go in the right direction soon enough." Sarver said that he "should have embraced" Suns GM Ryan McDonough's "desire to start over with younger players sooner." Sarver was "'spoiled' by the team's success after he purchased the Suns from Jerry Colangelo" in '04. The Suns "won at least 54 games four straight seasons" from '04-05 to '07-08 and twice reached the Western Conference Finals. Sarver said, "I thought the business was easier than it was" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/20). Bordow notes the team yesterday "extended McDonough’s contract" through the '19-20 season and hired former NBAer James Jones as VP/Basketball Operations, a new position in the organization. Jones will "report to McDonough." Sarver: "We're in a better position moving forward today than we were yesterday." McDonough was "headed into the fifth and final year of his contract; Sarver’s decision to add two more years to the deal signifies he’s all-in on McDonough’s plan to build the Suns through the draft." Jones' hiring "came as a surprise." He had "not announced his retirement after a 14-year NBA career." As it turns out, the Suns "had been pursuing Jones for a front-office position for years" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/20).
TOO LATE FOR LOVE? Sarver said yesterday that it is "'highly unlikely' the Suns will pursue a joint basketball/hockey arena" with the Coyotes. Sarver added that his "focus is on an upgrade of Talking Stick Resort Arena." The REPUBLIC's Bordow notes the arena opened in '92 and underwent a $70M "expansion and improvement project" in '04. Sarver said that building a new arena "would have 'maybe made more sense' four or five years ago" when the cost estimate was $450-500M. Sarver said the costs now are “significantly higher.” Thus his focus is on upgrading Talking Stick, which "soon will be the second-oldest arena in the NBA." Sarver said that he would "like to stay in downtown Phoenix." However, he added, "If we can't, we'll explore other options" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/20).
