Phoenix Suns Managing General Partner Robert Sarver says team needs swagger, winning attitude

MIAMI – Robert Sarver is sitting courtside at AmericanAirlines Arena, taking in the Suns' warmup before their game against the Miami Heat on Monday.

In a few hours, Phoenix will lose to the Heat, dropping its record to 19-47. Sarver, the Suns' managing general partner, will leave after the game to attend a banking conference in New York, but as he watches Devin Booker shoot jumper after jumper, he takes a few minutes to talk about his basketball team and what can be done in the offseason to move forward.

(Some of the answers have been edited for brevity.)

Question: What are your general thoughts about this season?

Answer: I think a lot of this year was about development of some of our younger players. I think that’s been a lot of our focus. I think you’ve seen some of them progress during the season, some more than others. We’re going to add another really good young player. I think we’re in a position where we can turn the corner, but if we don’t execute properly in terms of free agency and we don’t develop the players and we don’t execute in terms of our draft, then it’s going to be another tough year. So I think it’s a year of opportunity, but a year for us to step up and make some good decisions.

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Q: Would you agree that this will be the most important summer you’ve had in a while?

A: I think so. Our younger players need confidence. I think there’s a fine line between coming in a game feeling confident you can win and not feeling confident you can win. I think maybe we can add a piece or two next season with some leadership and some experience and some winning and some grit that can help turn that confidence level with some of our younger players. So this offseason is going to be about adding some of that confidence and leadership, and at the same time to get some of our younger players to take a meaningful step forward. I think you’ve seen that a little bit this year. Obviously, Devin has shown he’s capable of playing at an All-Star level and can be one of the pillars of the franchise moving forward. The second half of this season for Josh (Jackson) has shown what we saw when we drafted him. At times you’ve seen Marquese (Chriss) and Dragan (Bender) show what they can do, but the two of them haven’t been consistent enough.

Q: You sound like you want to add more veterans to the roster next year, guys who know how to play in this league.

A: I think two things. Balance in terms of shooting. The league has been changing. What’s very important is the ability to shoot the 3 and defend the 3. And getting back to this winning attitude that someone can bring to us. Someone who has won and someone who plays a meaningful role on our team. Someone who probably is a starter or first guy off the bench who can bring some swagger and a winning attitude. Obviously I’m biased, but I do think the talent on our roster is a little bit better than our win-loss record, and I think we need some of that winning attitude and swagger. I don’t think we have that right now.

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Q: When you promoted Earl Watson to full-time coach you didn’t interview any other candidates. Will that change this time around?

A: Yeah. We’re going to cast a much wider net.

Q: Including college coaches?

A: I don’t want to answer that.

Q: Would it be imperative that a candidate has some head-coaching experience?

A: That’s not for me to answer.

Q: What do you think of the job Jay Triano has done?

A: I think Jay has had a good way with the players. He’s been solid and consistent with them and I think he stepped into a tough job that wasn’t what he signed up for and I appreciate what he’s done.

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Q: What are your expectations for next season?

A: I think with a piece or two and a solid year of development, I think we can flip the switch and end up being a team that can have a winning record. But looking at where we stand right now, there’s a long way to go to get to that.

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