Suns talk with Silas, interview Jackson
Jerry Brown, Tribune
If the Suns settle on a coach long on NBA experience but short on head-coaching chops - be it Terry Porter, Elston Turner or Mark Jackson - Paul Silas would relish the opportunity to play the role of mentor as a lead assistant.
Of course, if the opportunity to be the head man of what he termed would be "the most talented team I would have ever had" should present itself, Silas would likely box out for position as he did when he was one of the league's best rebounders during his 16-year career.
Silas had a 10-minute phone conversation with Suns general manager Steve Kerr, who doesn't know Silas personally, and is hoping for more discussions this week.
"I don't want to rule anything out, but I would be comfortable as an assistant if that's where it goes," said Silas, who played for the Suns from 1970-74 and was an assistant coach under Paul Westphal from 1995-97. "I've coached some good teams, but I've never been in a position to reach that ultimate prize the way I did as a player (with Boston in 1974 and 1976 and Seattle in 1979). This Phoenix team has what it takes to get there."
But it still needs a coach. After interviewing Porter in Detroit on Thursday, Kerr and vice president of operations David Griffin flew across the country to Los Angeles for a sit-down with 17-year NBA point guard and current ABC analyst Mark Jackson.
"Both interviews went very well and both guys were very impressive," Kerr said. "They were well-prepared and made strong presentations."
Porter would figure to have the edge because of his coaching experience, both as an assistant in Sacramento and Detroit and two seasons as head coach in Milwaukee, where the Bucks might like rescind their decision to fire him after an injury-riddled 30-52 mark in 2004-05.
Kerr also has a strong relationship with Porter. They were teammates for two years in San Antonio, and Kerr wrote in a 2003 NBA preview for Yahoo.com after Porter was hired by the Bucks that "Terry Porter is one of the best people I've ever met in the league and I think he'll make a fine coach."
Reached in Detroit, Porter did not want to comment on his interview or his chances. "You guys know about the meeting, but that's all you know. Let's keep it that way for right now," he said.
Kerr also confirmed that he will sit down with Houston assistant Elston Turner on Wednesday. Turner has a lot of experience as an assistant and could be attractive not only because of his reputation as a defensive coach, but because the Rockets ran a hybrid of the Phoenix offense this year under Rick Adelman.
The Suns have also received permission to speak with Utah assistant coach Phil Johnson when the playoffs end for the Jazz. The 66-year-old Johnson has been an NBA coach for nearly four decades, beginning in 1971 as an assistant to Dick Motta with the Chicago Bulls. He has spent the last 20 years as Jerry Sloan's top assistant with the Jazz.
Johnson was a head coach in the NBA twice, but not since 1988. He was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1974-75 with the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
Suns assistant GM Vinny Del Negro has not taken part in either of the first two coaching interviews, suggesting that he is a candidate for either head coach or assistant coach. Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis may also get a look, although rumors that he had surged to the top of the Suns' wish list were unfounded.
