The NBA / Thomas Bonk : MacLeod Sinking Slowly Into Ashes of Phoenix Collapse

For the first time in his 13 years as coach of the Phoenix Suns, John MacLeod is in deep trouble. Unless something unexpected happens, he probably won’t be back with the Suns next season.

What has happened to MacLeod? Mostly, the Suns aren’t winning and somebody has to be held responsible.

Two seasons ago, the Suns were in the Western Conference final playoffs. Last season, the Suns lost in the first round. This season, it’s very likely they won’t even make the playoffs.

MacLeod’s two-year contract will expire after this season and his option for next season has a mutual clause, meaning that either he or the Suns can walk away from it.

There are no contract discussions going on between Pat McGroder, MacLeod’s agent, and Sun General Manager Jerry Colangelo, who recently said there would be none until after the season is completed.

This has left MacLeod, normally a quiet guy who never rocks the boat, in an uncharacteristically bitter mood.

“I know what I’ve done and I know what has happened to this franchise since I’ve been here,” he said. “But to be quite frank, I’ve expected better treatment than I have received. I’m in limbo here. Nothing has been said one way or the other and I don’t think I deserve that.”

Phoenix insiders say that a new contract for MacLeod has been sidetracked because of a conflict between McGroder and Colangelo, who apparently blames McGroder for keeping Larry Nance out of camp in a contract dispute this season.

Besides being MacLeod’s agent, McGroder is also MacLeod’s brother-in-law. McGroder was Nance’s agent, but McGroder had to back out in favor of Larry Fleisher when he and Colangelo couldn’t decide on anything.

MacLeod, a former sparring partner for heavyweight fighter Jimmy Ellis, is involved in another kind of bout that he just may wind up losing. The beginning of the end might have been when MacLeod insisted on trading Dennis Johnson to the Boston Celtics for Rick Robey, who hasn’t done much.

If there is a major knock against MacLeod, it is that he prefers bland personalities as players because it works better with his system. Maurice Lucas had the same trouble with MacLeod that Johnson did.

After a 53-29 record in 1982-83 with Johnson, the Suns sank to 41-41 without him, then 36-46 last season.

MacLeod made another mistake this season when he junked the Suns’ patient offense and changed to a running game. They were 0-9 and led the NBA in turnovers before MacLeod went back to the old, half-court offense.

In 12 previous seasons with the Suns, MacLeod’s teams have won at least 50 games four times. He has 532 victories and the Suns have been in the playoffs 9 of the last 10 seasons.

That may not be enough for MacLeod to save his job.

“I don’t want to have this thing drag on,” MacLeod said. “My record reflects a lot of success. I’m going to stand on my record as a coach. I had nothing to do with all our injuries last year, but I know I’m a good coach. Yes, we haven’t started off with a bang this year, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Unfortunately for MacLeod, the end may be in sight.

Remember Edgar Jones? He is the Cleveland Cavalier who lit up the Lakers in the first home game of the season. He is the same Edgar Jones who, in his career, may be known more for what he said than how he played.

For instance, when Jones was traded from San Antonio to Cleveland for Jeff Cook, Jones said he could stuff Cook through a basket.

But now, Jones says he isn’t talking to reporters. Here is what he had to say about not saying any more. It probably ranks as the NBA’s best, and probably longest, explanation for not talking.

“I’m not talking anymore,” he said. “That’s it. No more words. It’s over.

“Wanna know why?

“Mum’s the word here. My game talks and conversation walks. That’s food for thought for the people. All those funny quotes from my early days when I was a young buck? I’ve got to take all the brashness of those words and give them a coat of coolness.

“Wanna know why?

“Not that they aren’t true. I have no limitations. It’s just that I’m basically a quiet guy who keeps to himself. I don’t like to talk.

“By the way, I’m probably retiring after this season because I can make more money outside of basketball.

“Wanna know why . . . ?”

Add Edgar: Cleveland teammate World B. Free, a bit unusual himself, agrees that Jones belongs in the same category.

“E.J. is in another world out there,” Free said. “In fact, he is another World. He’s like World Jr.”

Danny Ainge catapulted into the multimillionaire category last week when he signed a six-year contract for a reported $4 million.

Ainge negotiated his own contract, without the help of his agent, Bob Woolf.

“I saved a lot of money,” said Ainge, who is making $550,000 this season.

After he signed his contract, Ainge put his arm around Coach K. C. Jones.

“You’re going to have big problems now,” Ainge told Jones. “All the other guys are going to want me to represent them now.”

Ainge said he thought it was important to agree to a new contract so he could avoid becoming a free agent, which seems to show the complete turnaround in the NBA about how players feel free agency works.

“After seeing what happened to free agents like Norm Nixon, I realized there’s not a whole lot of movement out there,” Ainge said.