Mat Ishbia: Arizona's Professional Sports Meddler (The State of the Suns)

(Image by Sports Illustrated)

(Editor's Note: The views in this article are not the views of the Real Sports Marks AZ, but let's be real, he's not wrong.)

So, after a day of reflection and tossing/turning over doing this. I decided to move ahead and hopefully, have a calm state of my mind while writing this.

The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after one season. The franchise will be searching for their fourth head coach in four seasons. Suns owner Mat Ishiba, the man pictured above, will pay out three coaches who are no longer with the team. A statement regarding Budenholzer's dismissal strongly said that a change was needed.

First off, what change are you looking for exactly? It seems as if things get a little hairy and Ishbia has a trigger finger and aborts the situation for something else. If you're looking for a coach that can help you bring a championship here, just a reminder that the last two coaches you had (Frank Vogel and Budenholzer) won NBA championships in their careers. If Mike Malone is on your radar, will it help the situation? Why would he want to come here? If things go bad, he's gone after a year? It's going to be another head scratching search for someone to lead the Suns next season.

It is clear that a lot of the moves the franchise makes has Mat Ishbia's fingerprints all over it. He has become what we have all feared, a meddler.

He's a sport owner who wants full autonomy over his franchise. Jerry Jones, Arte Moreno, and David Tepper are in this category and right now, their franchises are not looking well. This Phoenix Suns franchise is also not looking well as we speak. Unfortunately, it's going to take a lot other than firing coaches to fix the problem.

(Side note: The NBA treats their head coaches like garbage.)

So, if change is badly needed, then why is James Jones still the president and GM of the team? If the coaches are getting the ax, why is Jones immune to this? Despite the meddling, Jones is tied to the moves since of his titles as president and GM. If the team tanks, then accountability (hang on to that word) should be with EVERYONE! Could it be that Jones is buddy-buddy with LeBron James? As Stephen A. can say, you don't cross the King.

I know Mat Ishiba has done some good for this franchise. He brought us VALUE MENUS! Affordable food and drink options while watching the Suns over at....hold on (looking at Google)...PHX Arena. This should be Ishbia's bread-and-butter, improving the franchise outside of basketball operations and strengthening the community. Unfortunately, we doubt that Ishbia will listen to this advice.

(Side note: Keep the name PHX ARENA. It's probably going to change anyway.)

Here's some reality, the Kevin Durant trade was the window slamming shut. The memories of 2021 and the Finals were fading in the desert heat. This was the Barkley trade all over again. Jerry Colangelo wanted a championship so badly and wanted a star to make that happen. Despite a Finals appearance in 1993, it was a shattered dream as Barkley wasn't able to bring that title. Ishbia has that passion to bring a title here in Phoenix and went to great lengths and sending future assets to make it happen. He has entered the same fate that Colangelo did, no championship in tow as of right now. If the Durant trade is the window shutting, the Bradley Beal trade is the hammer and nail keeping it shut.

For next season, instead of having a corny slogan like Suns Up, they should have one that is passed along the entire organization. That slogan is We Are Accountable. Put it everywhere around PHX Arena and have a huge banner with the term in front of the arena so people can see it entering the venue. Put it on the lockers and hell, have it on the team jerseys. This is what the Phoenix Suns have to be.

So, a press conference will be held as the Phoenix Suns will introduce their fourth coach in four years. I wish Mat Ishiba will use this time to tell the fans what his plan is and say why he hasn't been able to find success with the coaches he has hired and fired instead of the same shtick.

Right now everyone, the Phoenix Suns are not a championship contender, and no value menu will change anyone's mind about that.

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