The Phoenix Suns finished with the second-worst record in franchise history in 2012, so it’s redundant to say that improvement is needed. One of the first steps to be taken is to replace Lance Blanks, who was fired last month.
Enter Ryan McDonough, whose family is no stranger to media and the industry: his father is the late Will McDonough, who was a longtime columnist for the Boston Globe, his brother Sean can be heard as an announcer for ESPN, and his other brother, Terry, is the former director of player personnel for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But Ryan McDonough has certainly made his own name: he has served the Boston Celtics over the past 10 years, starting out in the film room, and working his way up to an assistant general manager. Now, he has been hired by the Suns as GM.
McDonough has proven himself as a solid talent evaluator, with incredible work ethic, and that’s what Lon Babby was seeking in a new GM. An obvious priority for the Suns is to create a solid talent base, and the goal was to get a GM that would also serve as a scout. McDonough has been mentored by Danny Ainge, is only 33 years old and is partly responsible for the Celtics’ two appearances in the NBA Finals and their 2008 title.
The Suns haven’t made the playoffs since 2010. There’ s no doubt in McDonough’s genius ability to identify talent, and will definitely be the man to analyze all of the Suns’ draft choices.
But does this mean that he will be able to take on the power and responsibilities of GM, and move the Suns into a more successful direction? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below, or tweet it to us, using the hashtag: R-M-L.
