| | PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo is upset over the team's stumbling start this season and wants to see improvement in a hurry.
"We made a big investment," Colangelo said. "I had high
expectations coming in. My frustration is I wanted a quick start. I
didn't want to be struggling like this. We've only put together a
couple of halves in a couple of games, in my opinion, thus far.
We're not shooting worth a lick.
"We're struggling in so many different areas of the game that
we need to get our act together and get our act together soon."
In an interview before the Suns' victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, Colangelo said the team must play considerably better during the current five-game home stand. He didn't say what would happen if there was no improvement, but he said he was not considering firing coach Danny Ainge.
"We're not satisfied where we are and we want to see something
change," Colangelo said. "We've got to do what we need to do, but
if people read into that as I'm going to make a coaching change or
something like that, that's not the case."
The Suns acquired Penny Hardaway in the offseason, signed him to
a seven-year, $86 million contract and teamed him with Jason Kidd
in a dream backcourt that has yet to approach its potential.
Inside, the team added Rodney Rogers and a slimmed-down Oliver
Miller, both coming off the bench. Rookie Shawn Marion is starting
ahead of Cliff Robinson at small forward.
So far, the resulting product has not been close to what
Colangelo expected.
"Sometimes the mix is not good, coaches-players,
players-players. Our job is to keep looking at that," Colangelo
said. "All we can do is put the people out there and be supportive
and fill in where we need to fill in. But the job's got to get
done. The responsibility is on the coach and the players, so
everyone shares.
"Danny's not a novice. This is his fourth year already."
If it takes long practices to work things out, so be it, Colangelo said.
"There's no two-hour time limit on practices," he said. "If
it takes 12 hours to straighten things out, then take 12 hours."
Ainge is equally upset with his team's play.
"Are we underachieving right now? In my opinion, we are,"
Ainge said. "I'm frustrated because it's effort. We need to play
with more intensity and passion."
He listed Tom Gugliotta and Luc Longley as the only players who
have given a consistent good effort through the first eight games.
He said Gugliotta is criticized for taking bad shots, when often he
has no alternative because his teammates throw him the ball, then
just stand around.
"I might have had changes in the lineup by now had guys stepped up and played better," Ainge said.
Whatever he does, Ainge knows the ever-competitive Colangelo,
who has been running the Suns since their inception 32 years ago,
will be watching.
"I don't want to look forward to a mediocre season," Colangelo said. "That's not what I had in mind."
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