Suns general manager Steve Kerr flew into Detroit
Thursday to interview Flip Saunders' assistant, Terry
Porter, for Phoenix's head coaching job. Porter is one
of several candidates Kerr plans to interview.
In terms of the Pistons, I don't see this as a
distraction. Top assistants on winning teams are
usually hot prospects when new jobs open up. Even if
Porter is offered the job before the playoffs end, the
Pistons have too many vets to let it affect their
focus or preparation.
It's no secret that Porter felt he got the rug pulled
out from under him in Milwaukee before joining
Saunders' staff. Porter has been looking for another
chance to prove himself and the Suns job is as good as
he's going to find.
Kerr wants the Suns to get away from the run-and-gun
style that has served them so well in the regular
season and flopped so badly in the postseason. Even
with Shaq on his last legs and all the mileage on
Steve Nash's legs and back, the Suns have several
pieces in the prime of their careers and a dominant
superstar in Amare Stoudemire capable of delivering 30
points a night.
Porter's possible departure would not affect Joe
Dumars' long-term plan with his coaching job. If
things go sour with Saunders, Michael Curry is the
heir apparent to the Pistons' coaching throne.