Brian Colangelo resigned as general manager of the Phoenix Suns this week in what seemed like strange circumstances. Supposedly he was contacted by the Toronto Raptors about their vacant President and General Managers job with permission from the Suns. First question: why would the Suns give the Raptors permission to talk to Colangelo during the stretch run of the current season when the team is going so good? Why jeopardize the chemistry at such a crucial juncture of the season? This is the time when teams make rapid decisions that effect their playoff runs. Owner Robert Sarver said he didn’t want to get in Colangelo’s way if that’s what he really wanted. All strange and unbelievable.
Colangelo who was named NBA executive of the year last year was in the middle of negotiations with the Suns for a contract extension which would have included a sizable salary increase on his $1 million/year contract. It is reported that Toronto offered Colangelo $3 million per year and apparently the Suns would not match the Raptors offer, so Colangelo resigned. Or was he forced out?
To me this smacks a lot like the turmoil around the Joe Johnson negotiations last summer, and right in the middle of all of this is new Suns owner Robert Sarver, who has begun to speak for the Suns administration more and more this season. I am speculating that Sarver has been clearing the field so he can have more to say on player personnel decisions. He has indicated they would look within the organization for Bryan’s replacement and they were in no hurry to replace him. Where does this leave Coach Mike D’Antoni, and who in the front officie is qualified to be GM? Rex Chapman? Mark West? Who? How about Sarver himself….
It is beginning to look like the Suns have their own version of Mark Cuban, loud and obnixious owner of the Dallas Mavaricks. Yuck!!! This does not bode well for the Suns future.
What’s your idea of what’s really going on here?