Phoenix Suns Press Conference Report: Ryan McDonough Introduced As New GM

The Phoenix Suns hired former Boston Celtics executive Ryan McDonough to be their new general manager, replacing Lance Blanks. They held a press conference at US Airways Center on Thursday morning, May 9, to officially introduce him to the media.

Ryan McDonough is your new General Manager of the Phoenix Suns. (Photo Credit: NBA.com)

McDonough was poised during the 20-minute press conference, although he admitted he wasn’t much of a public speaker. The fans don’t mind, as they’re much more interested in what he can do with a Suns team that compiled a horrid 25-57 record during the 2012-13 season.

When asked about the current makeup of the roster, McDonough was careful about his responses. He praised certain players like Goran Dragic and Marcin Gortat, but he was also very forthcoming about the fact that the current crop of players didn’t perform well together.

In the quest to improve upon the roster, McDonough talked about a multi-faceted approach. He isn’t going to focus just on the draft or free agency. He was quite impressive in that he seems to have a very open mind and is willing to go many different directions.

He referenced his time in Boston and how they were completely focused on building through the draft when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett basically fell into their laps. He mentioned he’d take the same approach while in Phoenix.

When coaching was addressed (the first question from the media), McDonough said they have a set list in place, but didn’t name anyone specific. He did mention some qualities he’s looking for and also made sure to mention the coaching vacancy is his first piece of business.

"(We need) someone who’s a leader. We need someone who commands the respect of the entire organization. We also need someone who’s a teacher. All the guys on our list have those characteristics."

As for the previous regime, specifically Lindsey Hunter, McDonough mentioned that he’s a candidate and even though he’s interviewing with some other teams, he is definitely on the Suns’ coaching list.

Some may worry that McDonough is just 33 years old and, since this is his first job as a full-fledged general manager, he’s going to be prone to mistakes. Again, he referenced his past and his 10 years working in the Celtics’ organization when he said something very important:

"One of the things I learned from Danny Ainge is to be unafraid. You’re going to make some mistakes, but you just have to keep going and be unafraid."

The next topic was the direction in which the club is to move. The run-and-gun Suns from the Mike D’Antoni era (2004-08) were replaced by a plodding defensive style of Terry Porter (2008-09), before going back to a more uptempo style with Alvin Gentry (2009-13). Hunter (2013) never got much of a chance to develop his style.

McDonough referenced his teams in Boston, specifically the championship team that had, as he called it “a historically good defense,” although he was quick to point out that the team was also very good offensively. They were No. 10 in offensive rating and No. 1 in defensive rating during that 2007-08 season.

"If you’re exceptional in one area, you can get away with being a little less in others. The best teams are usually very good on both ends."

In the process of creating his staff, McDonough will have to address some specific needs. One of the needs he talked about is having scouts that are proficient at many different areas. Where some teams trend toward a bigger staff with specialists, McDonough made it a point to mention he doesn’t want that at all.

"On my staff, I don’t want specialists. I don’t want scouts that just scout one area. I’d want a smaller staff with masters that can evaluate and weigh everything."

The press conference ended on an emotional note, when McDonough was asked about his two brothers, who were in attendance to support him. He praised his brother Sean (a broadcaster at ESPN) for helping him with his on-camera presence and poise. He thanked his brother Terry (an NFL executive) for his help in scouting and learning how to evaluate talent.

All in all, McDonough seemed thankful and appreciative for the opportunity to be here. He realizes he left a good situation in a terrific basketball town to come to Phoenix and he’s ready to bring back the winning tradition that has eluded the valley for the last few years.