Cotton Fitzsimmons Back at the Helm

After struggling through the first three months of the 1995-96 season, the Phoenix Suns (14-19) announced a coaching change. Suns President Jerry Colangelo met the media at America West Arena to discuss his decision to replace Paul Westphal with Cotton Fitzsimmons. The following are exceprts from that press conference.

SUNS PRESIDENT AND CEO JERRY COLANGELO:

Obviously when you received word that we would have a major press conference, there was speculation as to what that might be. That speculation focused on a major trade or a coaching change and it was a very difficult decision to make. Paul Westphal is a man that I greatly respect and admire. He has been a Phoenix Sun for many, many years as a player on two occasions, including his best years as a player. He had a good run as an assistant and as a head coach. The bottom-line is that his record truly speaks for itself in terms of wins and losses. We have had some great years of late. In looking back at what we have been able to accomplish the last twenty years, we have the third best record in basketball. That is a pretty good run. More importantly, over the last seven years we have the best record in the league and Paul has been a part of that.

The business has a lot of pitfalls. If you look at the cards that were dealt in terms of personnel, the injuries we have sustained have taken their toll. As a result we got to a point where I believe it was time to shuffle the cards, to make a change before the season was over. I still maintain and believe that if we can right the ship, bring in a new perspective, which is what this is all about, bring some people back as they get healthy, that this team can be the winner that we thought it would become. That in making the playoffs, which will be our objective, that we can be competitive enough to do what we can do come playoff time. We don’t know what the future holds for us. I do know that in terms of internal structure we will be taking a new fresh look, which is what we needed. As I look at the options available to me, I saw two fine, fine assistants that are capable of being a head coach in this league. They have both been there. I thought under circumstances the right person was Cotton Fitzsimmons.

First of all, most of his victories haven as the Phoenix Suns coach. Most of his losses have come when he coached, I think, every team in the NBA. The attitude and the freshness he will bring and his experience, which goes back a long way, is exactly the prescription this basketball team needs and it needed now. I met with Paul Westphal last night. I would say that Paul believes in his heart that he was the right man for this job and yet he respects my situation. We are good friends and we will maintain a very strong relationship. This is nothing personal. Everyone has a different methodology and style of coaching. Paul believed in coaching a particular way. I would say that the three men up here all have different perspective in terms of how they would address a head coaching position.

Today, I am announcing that Cotton Fitzsimmons is the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns. I didn’t say interim. He is the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns. He will ably assisted by Paul Silas and Donn Nelson. There is a lot of work to do and I know he is anxious to get to it.

SUNS HEAD COACH COTTON FITZSIMMONS:

Most of the time someone stands up and says they are glad to be here. Jerry didn’t mind dumping this on me, he didn’t want to dump it on the two other assistants. I look forward to the challenge, but I am not necessarily happy to be here.

Paul and I started out together. He was hired to replace me. Everyone has their own style and I am sure that it will come out in the way I want to do things. There are no quick fixes in this business. This will be first for me. The fact that I am taking over a team during a season. I have never done that before. It is not a first me to take over a team that has a losing record; I have done that every time at every job I took. I really look forward to the challenge, because I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. I do think this team is capable of wining and we are going to go about it in a very professional way and get it done as soon as possible. We are going to get to basics and get the job done, that is the only way I know how to do it. We have to work hard and make it happen. Through the players efforts, this team can turn it around.

The last time the Phoenix Suns were five games under .500, I was the idiot that was coaching them and we won 53 games that year when it was all said and done. We will make it happen here in Phoenix. We will get back in the play-off picture and be a force once we get in that position. I will rely extremely heavily on the two assistants that are here. I know both of them well. Paul Silas played for me and I have never had a more fierce competitor. I watched him do the job he is doing here and he is working extremely hard. Donn Nelson comes from a family of coaches. He wants to coach. He is eager and he will do the job. Paul will be in charge of the defense and Nellie will be in charge of the offense. I will just drop some things in from time to time.

(On returning to the bench from the front office)

I never said never. Once I turned down offers from other teams, I knew I was staying in Phoenix. I don't mind admitting that Jerry made a very good lifestyle for me. He just went and took my sign off my desk that said "VP of Nothing." He just went and politely removed that sign. I had a very good lifestyle and I enjoyed it. To just confirm what Jerry said, Paul and I talked last night and he thanked me, and I thanked him. So this is not like it usually is (in coaching). I am just going to give it my best shot. I don't ever promise how many games we are going to win. I would just say that we will play hard, we will play together and we will out hustle our opponents. That is all.