Bridging the news gap
Developments are scarce these days as everyone waits through a meticulous Suns coaching search for scraps of news.
Suns GM Steve Kerr has not spoken much about the process in the past two weeks but used his suns.com blog this week to address the search ("Our focus with the next coach will be at the defensive end of the floor," Kerr wrote), Mike D'Antoni ("The stress of the series loss combined with the changes I thought we needed for next year made it an uncomfortable situation for Mike," he wrote), Amare Stoudemire ("He has to accept coaching," he wrote) and other topics in answering fans' questions. The link is http://suns.marqui.com/blog....
As for the process, it may be frustrating for people to wait for a result but there really is no need to rush such a huge decision, unless a common favorite emerges with Chicago and Phoenix. The Bulls started the process earlier and don't appear to be much deeper into it. The best thing about all the time (these interviews go for hours) Kerr and David Griffin are spending with potential head coaches and assistants is how much they will wind up learning about their team. They are getting dozens of outside perspectives on how to better the Suns from interviews and the conversations they have in researching those candidates.
In NBA circles and among Suns fans, Terry Porter seems to be a common prediction to land the Phoenix job. He does fit a lot of the Suns' preferences with head coach experience (it doesn't hurt that he left on a raw deal instead of an outright bad job), respect from his playing days (tough player with two NBA Finals trips), current coaching experience on a postseason survivor as Detroit's top assistant and a good relationship with Kerr as former San Antonio teammates.
Utah assistant Tyrone Corbin and Houston lead assistant Elston Turner also could be fits and The East Valley Tribune reported Lakers assistant Brian Shaw interviewed with Phoenix 10 days ago. Shaw is frequently projected by people in the league as a budding coach and great communicator. Between that, a known interest from the Suns and Shaw's tight relationship with Shaquille O'Neal, the report is likely true but it hasn't been confirmed here by the Suns or Shaw's agent, who has declined comment since the search began. Shaw also understandably has declined comment because of his team's ongoing postseason.
As for draft stuff, the plan here was to make an early guess on who the Suns will pick. But I see that my idea to go with JaVale McGee is not a novel concept with ardent fans. Lots of you have been on this wave too and why not? The Suns are going to need size off the bench if they wind up going with Boris Diaw as a starting small forward to accentuate what the coaches thought was his future position and to reduce the wear on Grant Hill by cutting back his minutes.
McGee is an athletic but thin big man at 7 feet and 237 pounds. He played two years at Nevada after growing up in Flint, Mich., and is the son of former USC great Pam McGee and former Illinois star George Montgomery. The club's antennas have been up on this guy's passionate play for a while with his shot-blocking potential and ability to run the floor. It's just a guess but not a random pick either. There will be lots of movement over the next four weeks so he could wind up in the lottery area by then.
The Suns, picking 15th and 48th in the June 26 draft, will start working out draft prospects in Phoenix next week. This year, six prospects can come in at a time rather than four. You can also expect to seem some of those multi-team workouts, like one that Phoenix and other Western Conference teams are planning to have in the Bay Area.
The Orlando Pre-Draft Camp began today. The first participation list showed which 15 elite prospects were invited there only to take a physical and to be tested for skills, strength and agility. Arizona's Chase Budinger did not make that cut so didn't leave himself to scrutiny by going at all. Of those who are listed to actually play, it doesn't look like any would be considered at Phoenix's 15th spot. Ty Lawson is probably the top prospect playing but his size and inconsistent shot make him a reach for the middle of the first round. Some familiar Pac-10 names like USC's Davon Jefferson and Cal's DeVon Hardin were listed as participating players and could help themselves to become first-round choices.
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/24418l
Developments are scarce these days as everyone waits through a meticulous Suns coaching search for scraps of news.
Suns GM Steve Kerr has not spoken much about the process in the past two weeks but used his suns.com blog this week to address the search ("Our focus with the next coach will be at the defensive end of the floor," Kerr wrote), Mike D'Antoni ("The stress of the series loss combined with the changes I thought we needed for next year made it an uncomfortable situation for Mike," he wrote), Amare Stoudemire ("He has to accept coaching," he wrote) and other topics in answering fans' questions. The link is http://suns.marqui.com/blog....
As for the process, it may be frustrating for people to wait for a result but there really is no need to rush such a huge decision, unless a common favorite emerges with Chicago and Phoenix. The Bulls started the process earlier and don't appear to be much deeper into it. The best thing about all the time (these interviews go for hours) Kerr and David Griffin are spending with potential head coaches and assistants is how much they will wind up learning about their team. They are getting dozens of outside perspectives on how to better the Suns from interviews and the conversations they have in researching those candidates.
In NBA circles and among Suns fans, Terry Porter seems to be a common prediction to land the Phoenix job. He does fit a lot of the Suns' preferences with head coach experience (it doesn't hurt that he left on a raw deal instead of an outright bad job), respect from his playing days (tough player with two NBA Finals trips), current coaching experience on a postseason survivor as Detroit's top assistant and a good relationship with Kerr as former San Antonio teammates.
Utah assistant Tyrone Corbin and Houston lead assistant Elston Turner also could be fits and The East Valley Tribune reported Lakers assistant Brian Shaw interviewed with Phoenix 10 days ago. Shaw is frequently projected by people in the league as a budding coach and great communicator. Between that, a known interest from the Suns and Shaw's tight relationship with Shaquille O'Neal, the report is likely true but it hasn't been confirmed here by the Suns or Shaw's agent, who has declined comment since the search began. Shaw also understandably has declined comment because of his team's ongoing postseason.
As for draft stuff, the plan here was to make an early guess on who the Suns will pick. But I see that my idea to go with JaVale McGee is not a novel concept with ardent fans. Lots of you have been on this wave too and why not? The Suns are going to need size off the bench if they wind up going with Boris Diaw as a starting small forward to accentuate what the coaches thought was his future position and to reduce the wear on Grant Hill by cutting back his minutes.
McGee is an athletic but thin big man at 7 feet and 237 pounds. He played two years at Nevada after growing up in Flint, Mich., and is the son of former USC great Pam McGee and former Illinois star George Montgomery. The club's antennas have been up on this guy's passionate play for a while with his shot-blocking potential and ability to run the floor. It's just a guess but not a random pick either. There will be lots of movement over the next four weeks so he could wind up in the lottery area by then.
The Suns, picking 15th and 48th in the June 26 draft, will start working out draft prospects in Phoenix next week. This year, six prospects can come in at a time rather than four. You can also expect to seem some of those multi-team workouts, like one that Phoenix and other Western Conference teams are planning to have in the Bay Area.
The Orlando Pre-Draft Camp began today. The first participation list showed which 15 elite prospects were invited there only to take a physical and to be tested for skills, strength and agility. Arizona's Chase Budinger did not make that cut so didn't leave himself to scrutiny by going at all. Of those who are listed to actually play, it doesn't look like any would be considered at Phoenix's 15th spot. Ty Lawson is probably the top prospect playing but his size and inconsistent shot make him a reach for the middle of the first round. Some familiar Pac-10 names like USC's Davon Jefferson and Cal's DeVon Hardin were listed as participating players and could help themselves to become first-round choices.
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/24418l
