Steve Kerr and Terry Porter. Notes form the Presser

Terry Porter was introduced yesterday as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns during a well attended press conference at US Airways Center.
Among the usual array of common sense and typical “I’m glad to be here, it’s a great opportunity and so on” a few interesting notes emerged from the presser.

Porter and Kerr agreed that “it’s going to be a different team looking forward”. On Shaq, the new Coach stated “he has some game left” and that he’ll “sit down with Nash and Hill” to talk about the Suns.

The Suns will play a similar up-tempo game to the one we’re used to, but more attention will be given to pick and roll and of course, the great missing, defense.

Steve Kerr wanted Rick Adelman, whom he considers the best in the business and quoted the fact that Porter (himself and Mike D'Antoni) have had some experience under Coach Adelman as a reason why Terry was chosen as the new coach of the Suns.

Most of all, let’s just make it clear: Steve Kerr is the real head coach of the Suns while Terry Porter will be paid to be his man on the bench. At least that’s what I understood from watching an humble and shy Terry Porter saying very few words, while it was Steve Kerr giving the answers. I might be wrong, of course.

Go Suns !

The Search is over. Terry Porter to coach the Suns

After interviewing almost every available NBA assistant, broadcasters and former Suns, GM Steve Kerr signed the first guy he auditioned for the job.

The long wait was becoming a bit nerve wrecking and the fact that the GM was actually working out prospects for the Draft without an Head Coach in place was a bit disturbing.

As you all know by now, Terry Porter will replace Mike D’Antoni as the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns. He’s expected to sign a 3-year deal and could be introduced early next week.

Terry had an outstanding playing career that lasted 17 season and was one of the best guard in the league while playing with the great Blazers team of the late 80’s early 90’s. He’s always been known as a great competitor but a classy guy on and off the court.

His coaching experience is a bit limited, even if it was the longest among the possible candidates. Porter coached the Milwaukee Bucks for two seasons (2003-05 withe a record of 71-93 .433) and was currently an assistant with the Detroit Pistons.He made the Playoffs in his first year with the Bucks and he helped develop rookie PG T.J. Ford into an NBA player.

Porter is the man Steve Kerr wanted from the beginning. They played together with the Spurs for a few seasons at the end of their playing careers. He’s Steve’s choice 100 percent and I am sure during the last few weeks they discussed the Suns agenda, an agenda that I believe could look more or less like that:

1. Play Defense. It won’t be easy, but at least trying could help.
2. Develop a point guard one that could back up Nash and eventually take over in a couple of years.
3. Stay competitive while rebuilding, that’s the tough part…as it’s never been done in the NBA.

I think the 3-year deal is the key as Porter should be allowed to work with a long-term perspective of guiding the Suns transition from an aging but still very talented and competitive team to a new younger version. In a couple of years Steve Nash will be a full-time film producer or an amateur soccer player, Shaq will be a full-time Super Cop and STAT will still trying to become the Man in the Locker Room.

Kerr and Porter will now have a few weeks to evaluate the situation and get ready for the draft. It’ll be the first real test for the new coach. So, Welcome to the Valley, Coach Porter.

Go Suns !