Steve Kerr Out as GM of the Suns

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/06/15/20100615steve-kerr-quits-phoenix-suns-general-manager.html

This is shocking on so many levels.

[Shastafarian]

His job was done. They beat the Spurs.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Neat joke.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I don't understand this at all. It was almost a sure thing he was coming back, this is completely out of the blue.

[Shastafarian]

Couldn't pass up that golden opportunity.

[Shastafarian]

Could be A'm'a'r'e related.

[LnGrrrR]

Could be A'm'a'r'e related.

Don't you mean A'm'a'r'e'l'a't'e'd?

[Muser]

Wow, don't think anyone expected that.

[Shastafarian]

Don't you mean A'm'a'r'e'l'a't'e'd?

Fuck you for having such a great one upper. :lol

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Could be A'm'a'r'e related.


I think it's more "Sarver being a prick and alienating all the good front office personnel Phoenix has had in the last 5 years" related. I don't get it because whenever Kerr asked Sarver to spend money on something he always did, it's anyone's guess as to what happened here.

Mark West probably gets promoted to GM since he's been the assistant GM for awhile.

[ducks]

if you supported steve starver again was cheap

[Jeremy]

My guess would be David Griffin. He's already been doing a lot of the work for awhile.

[TheMACHINE]

so he overachieves and now he's out? eh. Maybe he knows something we dont know...like they gonna blow up the team!

[Jeremy]

It sounds like it was Sarver's cheapness again, as the Republic article says: "Kerr's contract expires June 30 but he had been expecting and hoping to return until negotiations for his contract and an opportunity to return to television as a NBA commentator prompted him to leave the organization after three years as its GM."

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

My guess would be David Griffin. He's already been doing a lot of the work for awhile.


David Griffin is a dumb sack of shit who couldn't maneuver his way out of a paper bag, the Suns are fucked if he's the choice.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Tbh this has more than Sarver's cheapness to do with it. These two have been buddies for years, Kerr knows something about this team we don't know.

[TheProfessor]

Very surprising. I will admit, I am (selfishly) pretty happy about this, if it means he's back on TNT. Always enjoyed his announcing work.

[lefty]

lol suns
lol kerr
lol amare

[LnGrrrR]

Fuck you for having such a great one upper. :lol

:toast :lol

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

lol suns
lol kerr
lol amare

Well at least it's an improvement over your 1 liners

[TheProfessor]

Tbh this has more than Sarver's cheapness to do with it. These two have been buddies for years, Kerr knows something about this team we don't know.
You think Amar'e's out then? Or that Sarver's restricting their ability to throw money at FA's?

[JamStone]

Kerr didn't overachieve. A couple of players on the team who he wasn't responsible for acquiring overachieved. Kerr gets some praise for what happened this past season, and people forget the disaster he himself created to begin with. Shaq trade. Hiring Terry Porter and then panicking and firing him a couple months later. With all the credit Alvin Gentry got for helping the team become better defensively without completely forsaking the offensive approach, people forget that Kerr never intended for Gentry to be the head coach. He was the interim coach after Porter was fired.

Kerr can have a little bit of credit for lucking out on Jared Dudley in the Jason Richardson deal. But I think that was more luck than anything. And with Michael Jordan's reputation for giving teams great role players (Shannon Brown in the Radman deal), I think it's more of an indictment on Jordan's ability to keep good, young talent. Kerr can take some credit for maybe being a better talent evaluator than some people thought with how Robin Lopez developed. But, again, I'm not sure how much credit Kerr should get for that.

I think he did as much if not more bad than good as Suns GM. And then because they technically did overachieve this past season, some think he's a much better GM than he actually is.

But hey, that's from a non-partisan fan who doesn't know everything that went down with everything in Phoenix. Maybe I have it twisted too. I just don't think he was that good of a GM to begin with. But hey, Sarver is a cheapskate too.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

You think Amar'e's out then? Or that Sarver's restricting their ability to throw money at FA's?


It's anyone's guess IMO. Sarver has a track record of always caving for what D'antoni or Kerr tell him to do. That Nash extension raised a lot of eyebrows, but Sarver gave it. Paying Goran Dragic (a 2nd round pick) top 15 pick money seemed odd but Kerr convinced Sarver to do it. Just my opinion but I think this has very little to do with Amare Stoudemire. We could very well be overthinking it and Kerr just wanted to return to a stress free job, but I doubt it given the sense of achievement he had after this season.

[TheProfessor]

Kerr can take some credit for maybe being a better talent evaluator than some people thought with how Robin Lopez developed. But, again, I'm not sure how much credit Kerr should get for that.
Don't forget grabbing the heir-apparent Dragic.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Kerr didn't overachieve. A couple of players on the team who he wasn't responsible for acquiring overachieved. Kerr gets some praise for what happened this past season, and people forget the disaster he himself created to begin with. Shaq trade. Hiring Terry Porter and then panicking and firing him a couple months later. With all the credit Alvin Gentry got for helping the team become better defensively without completely forsaking the offensive approach, people forget that Kerr never intended for Gentry to be the head coach. He was the interim coach after Porter was fired.

Kerr can have a little bit of credit for lucking out on Jared Dudley in the Jason Richardson deal. But I think that was more luck than anything. And with Michael Jordan's reputation for giving teams great role players (Shannon Brown in the Radman deal), I think it's more of an indictment on Jordan's ability to keep good, young talent. Kerr can take some credit for maybe being a better talent evaluator than some people thought with how Robin Lopez developed. But, again, I'm not sure how much credit Kerr should get for that.

I think he did as much if not more bad than good as Suns GM. And then because they technically did overachieve this past season, some think he's a much better GM than he actually is.

But hey, that's from a non-partisan fan who doesn't know everything that went down with everything in Phoenix. Maybe I have it twisted too. I just don't think he was that good of a GM to begin with. But hey, Sarver is a cheapskate too.


:lmao he lucked out? He didn't legitimately just make a good trade? He "lucked out" with Dudley and Richardson?

Also the Shaq trade was D'antoni, Kerr didn't wanna do it. You should know what you're talking about before you talk about it.

[JamStone]

Good point. I failed to mention Dragic. That was a nice move.

[Shastafarian]

The difference between all those other instances and Amare's situation is Amare wants a max deal. Probably one thing Sarver would hesitate on. Who knows. Maybe it was just Kerr's contract and announcing. I find that a bit hard to believe.

[TheProfessor]

It's anyone's guess IMO. Sarver has a track record of always caving for what D'antoni or Kerr tell him to do. That Nash extension raised a lot of eyebrows, but Sarver gave it. Paying Goran Dragic (a 2nd round pick) top 15 pick money seemed odd but Kerr convinced Sarver to do it. Just my opinion but I think this has very little to do with Amare Stoudemire. We could very well be overthinking it and Kerr just wanted to return to a stress free job, but I doubt it given the sense of achievement he had after this season.
And he seemed to really enjoy it, just watching his reactions in the stands. But some guys can't deal with living and dying with a team that way. Maybe it wore on Kerr by the end of the playoffs.

[JamStone]

:lmao he lucked out? He didn't legitimately just make a good trade? He "lucked out" with Dudley and Richardson?

Yeah. Did I stu-stu-stutter?

That's how I saw it. He was a throw-in just like Shannon Brown was a throw-in in the Radman deal. Both turned out to be pretty good role players for their next team.

Let me put it to you this way. If Jordan refused to include Dudley in the deal, I don't think it would have been a deal-breaker for Kerr as long as they could still get the salaries to match up.

[lurker]

I thought this was some kind of lame edited link joke. Definitely didn't expect him to bail after proving everyone wrong this season.


http://i49.tinypic.com/s46idy.gif

[Findog]

Cheapness of Sarver strikes again if he asked Kerr to take a paycut. I can understand not giving him a big ol' raise, but he did a great job retooling that team after they looked done.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Yeah. Did I stu-stu-stutter?

That's how I saw it. He was a throw-in just like Shannon Brown was a throw-in in the Radman deal. Both turned out to be pretty good role players for their next team.

Let me put it to you this way. If Jordan refused to include Dudley in the deal, I don't think it would have been a deal-breaker for Kerr as long as they could still get the salaries to match up.


Richardson for Bell and Diaw still woulda been a good trade. Regardless, Kerr gets credit for asking for Dudley.

[Fpoonsie]

I thought this was some kind of lame edited link joke. Definitely didn't expect him to bail after proving everyone wrong this season.


http://i49.tinypic.com/s46idy.gif

Yeah, that's definitely an "I get to keep my job" pants-cream.

Irony.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Cheapness of Sarver strikes again if he asked Kerr to take a paycut. I can understand not giving him a big ol' raise, but he did a great job retooling that team after they looked done.


He shoulda gotten a raise, but like I said it doesn't seem like this is as simple as Sarver being cheap. I could be wrong, but my guess is there's an underlying storyline.

But I agree Kerr has done a good job retooling. This hurts.

[Jeremy]

I suppose he's going to replace Doug Collins on TNT.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I thought this was some kind of lame edited link joke. Definitely didn't expect him to bail after proving everyone wrong this season.


http://i49.tinypic.com/s46idy.gif

Yeah, that gif symbolizes how random and odd this is.

[lefty]

People don't give a shit about what I think

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Kerr, who could not be reached for comment, reportedly was asked to take a cut in salary during negotiations.

Nevermind, this was just edited into the article. Findog was right. Fuck Sarver.

[JamStone]

Richardson for Bell and Diaw still woulda been a good trade. Regardless, Kerr gets credit for asking for Dudley.

And like I said, Jordan gets credit for being a dipshit.

Didn't Kerr after trading for Shaq say something to the effect that if it didn't work out then he's an idiot? Nice foreshadowing on his part.

Do you give Kerr credit for Alvin Gentry actually being a decent coach?

Do you give Kerr credit for putting Phoenix's fortune on a Shaquille O'Neal gamble?

Didn't Kerr negotiate Barbosa's $30+ million contract extension?

Wasn't Kerr at the helm when picks that became Rajon Rondo and Rudy Fernandez (I think that was the other pick right?) were sold for money? Sarver can take some heat for being cheap, but it's also been said that Sarver would listen to Kerr and D'Antoni if they pressed hard enough.

I just think he did as much bad if not more than good. Was he horrible? Nah, I wouldn't say that. I do think Shaq was a calculated gamble that simply didn't work out. But I just think Kerr got way too much praise for this past season when he had done limited good things prior to this season anyway. Dragic and Dudley were his best personnel moves. That isn't all that impressive.

[Pistons < Spurs]

WojYahooNBA

Kerr departure could have dramatically negative impact on ability to re-sign Amar'e, sources say. Suns star had gained strong belief in him.

[Kriz-Maxima]

Didn't see that one coming.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

And like I said, Jordan gets credit for being a dipshit.

Didn't Kerr after trading for Shaq say something to the effect that if it didn't work out then he's an idiot? Nice foreshadowing on his part.
D'antoni said countless times he wanted the trade and Kerr was hesitant. Kerr said that knowing he'd be held responsible if the trade didn't work, probably why he was hesitant.


Do you give Kerr credit for Alvin Gentry actually being a decent coach?
No, but I give him credit having no problem admitting Porter was a mistake.


Do you give Kerr credit for putting Phoenix's fortune on a Shaquille O'Neal gamble?
No I don't. He didn't want that trade, D'antoni did.


Didn't Kerr negotiate Barbosa's $30+ million contract extension?
Wrong again. Barbosa signed that extension summer of 06. Kerr wasn't hired as GM till Summer of 07 and didn't really take full control till the Summer of 08.


Wasn't Kerr at the helm when picks that became Rajon Rondo and Rudy Fernandez (I think that was the other pick right?) were sold for money? Sarver can take some heat for being cheap, but it's also been said that Sarver would listen to Kerr and D'Antoni if they pressed hard enough.
Rondo was sold the Summer of 2006 when Kerr was still a broadcaster, and since D'antoni left and Kerr took control, he's used every draft pick Phoenix had. Get your timeline straight before blaming him for bad moves.

[Mel_13]

And like I said, Jordan gets credit for being a dipshit.

Didn't Kerr after trading for Shaq say something to the effect that if it didn't work out then he's an idiot? Nice foreshadowing on his part.

Do you give Kerr credit for Alvin Gentry actually being a decent coach?

Do you give Kerr credit for putting Phoenix's fortune on a Shaquille O'Neal gamble?

Didn't Kerr negotiate Barbosa's $30+ million contract extension?

Wasn't Kerr at the helm when picks that became Rajon Rondo and Rudy Fernandez (I think that was the other pick right?) were sold for money? Sarver can take some heat for being cheap, but it's also been said that Sarver would listen to Kerr and D'Antoni if they pressed hard enough.

I just think he did as much bad if not more than good. Was he horrible? Nah, I wouldn't say that. I do think Shaq was a calculated gamble that simply didn't work out. But I just think Kerr got way too much praise for this past season when he had done limited good things prior to this season anyway. Dragic and Dudley were his best personnel moves. That isn't all that impressive.

I agree with your overall assessment and conclusions, but the Barbosa, Rondo, and Fernandez decisions were made by the previous management.

[JamStone]

D'antoni said countless times he wanted the trade and Kerr was hesitant. Kerr said that knowing he'd be held responsible if the trade didn't work, probably why he was hesitant.


No, but I give him credit having no problem admitting Porter was a mistake.


No I don't. He didn't want that trade, D'antoni did.


Wrong again. Barbosa signed that extension summer of 06. Kerr wasn't hired as GM till Summer of 07 and didn't really take full control till the Summer of 08.


Rondo was sold the Summer of 2006 when Kerr was still a broadcaster, and since D'antoni left and Kerr took control, he's used every draft pick Phoenix had. Get your timeline straight before blaming him for bad moves.

I apologize for the mistakes I made. As I said earlier, I don't have all the personal knowledge of everything. Obviously, I did have the timeline wrong.

But I don't back off from the overall point I made. Kerr didn't do an awful job, but I don't see him as doing that great of a job either. And I think he got a lot more credit than he deserved for the team over-achieving last year.

But hey, I'm sorry for making those couple mistakes I did and putting them on Kerr.

[lefty]

Let me take a guess


Kerr has already an agreement with another team, and will take Amare with him.

[JamStone]

I agree with your overall assessment and conclusions, but the Barbosa, Rondo, and Fernandez decisions were made by the previous management.

Correction noted as per DoK.

[crc21209]

I think Kerr just isnt good enough to do "business" in the front-office life of the NBA...

[Vinnie_Johnson]

They asked him to take a huge pay cut he said Hell to the NO! He will go work with Philly now.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

He does a good job during his tenure and then he's asked for a paycut? Fuck that, I would've left too.

[da_suns_fan]

It was suppose to be a secret but Ill let you guys in:

Theyre gonna make me GM.

[tdunk21]

wow....didnt see this comin

[Jeremy]

KTAR's Gambo says Kerr was offered a 3-year contract with no paycut involved.

[Fpoonsie]

It was suppose to be a secret but Ill let you guys in:

Theyre gonna make me GM.

This just made lefty groan.

[Jeremy]

http://twitter.com/Gambo620/status/16254284007

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

KTAR's Gambo says Kerr was offered a 3-year contract with no paycut involved.


Gambo, you mean Sarver's bitch? The day he reports something that paints Sarver in a negative light is the day hell freezes over, I call bullshit.

[Jeremy]

Gambo now says he just got a confirmation directly from Steve Kerr that there was no paycut involved.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I apologize for the mistakes I made. As I said earlier, I don't have all the personal knowledge of everything. Obviously, I did have the timeline wrong.

But I don't back off from the overall point I made. Kerr didn't do an awful job, but I don't see him as doing that great of a job either. And I think he got a lot more credit than he deserved for the team over-achieving last year.

But hey, I'm sorry for making those couple mistakes I did and putting them on Kerr.

Sorry, I just get really defensive when people blame Kerr for stuff that D'antoni did. The one thing Kerr can't be blamed for is how Phoenix handles drafts. Since he took over the Suns have drafted like well run NBA teams do.

[JamStone]

He does a good job during his tenure and then he's asked for a paycut? Fuck that, I would've left too.

Will be interesting to see if Buss can put his foot down in the same manner when re-negotiating with Phil. And subsequently, how Phil responds to the suggestion to take a paycut if Buss really has his mind set on it.

I mean, Kerr did an ok job with the Suns. Phil Jackson just helped bring the Lakers to their third consecutive NBA Finals.

[Jeremy]

No deal with Amare Stoudemire and the Suns is expected to take place before he hits free agency July 1st.

http://twitter.com/Gambo620/status/16255476732

[JamStone]

Sorry, I just get really defensive when people blame Kerr for stuff that D'antoni did. The one thing Kerr can't be blamed for is how Phoenix handles drafts. Since he took over the Suns have drafted like well run NBA teams do.

You don't have to apologize. I did make some errors in what I thought Kerr was responsible for. Hey, I can admit when I'm wrong.

I wasn't suggesting Kerr did an awful job. More to my point, I feel that Kerr has gotten more credit than he deserves. He did an "ok" job, imo. You disagreeing with that is perfectly fine.

[TDMVPDPOY]

well his been infiltrated there long enough...

why dont he sell his shares?

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I wasn't suggesting Kerr did an awful job. More to my point, I feel that Kerr has gotten more credit than he deserves. He did an "ok" job, imo. You disagreeing with that is perfectly fine.


Tbh Kerr probably gets too much credit for certain things, but he probably doesn't get enough credit for the fact Phoenix was an absolute mess when D'antoni bolted for NY and left him with an abortion to clean up.

[Pero]

Shocking...

[Pero]

Next to Amare, I wonder if this will have a negative effect on Dragic, it seemed like he and Kerr were buddies.

[Giuseppe]

Time to visit Sose's Joint.

tee, hee.

[NBAdime]

Griff has been doing the GM gig for some time anyhow. Dragic trade included.

[Edward]

David Griffin is a moronic joke who engineered the Boris Diaw disaster. May god help us if that stupid fuckstick takes over.

[NBAdime]

David Griffin is a moronic joke who engineered the Boris Diaw disaster. May god help us if that stupid fuckstick takes over.

Well thankfully, it isn't fans who have no knowledge of the front office or players that make decisions and rather people with knowledge.

[Edward]

Coming from the Spurs fan.

[Pero]

Well thankfully, it isn't fans who have no knowledge of the front office or players that make decisions and rather people with knowledge.

So this David Griffin guy is a fan? :lol

[Edward]

^:lol

[Pistons < Spurs]

Kerr parting ways with Suns


Less than three weeks after the Phoenix Suns’ surprising run to the Western Conference finals, general manager Steve Kerr is parting ways with the franchise after owner Robert Sarver asked him to take a 10 percent pay cut, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Kerr’s stunning departure threatens to throw the franchise into turmoil and could hasten the departure of free-agent forward Amar’e Stoudemire(notes) this summer. Stoudemire’s agent Happy Walters met with Kerr as recently as last week to discuss his contract status, but is still waiting on a formal proposal for the team.

“Aside from the money, obviously an important factor for where Amare will sign is the direction of the organization and Steve leaving signals a new direction for the Suns,” Walters told Y! Sports. “We need to see what that direction is. Amar’e has a great deal of respect for Steve, and so do I. Steve and [coach] Alvin Gentry made a great team there and now a big part of that team is gone.”

Kerr’s contract expires after the June draft, but both he and Gentry appeared to be in line for raises after the Suns’ surprising run to the conference finals. The team began the season with a modest goal of making the playoffs, but won 54 games and finally beat the San Antonio Spurs, their longtime nemesis, in the second round before taking the Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the conference finals.

Several of Kerr’s moves and draft picks factored heavily in the team’s success. After Kerr acquired Jason Richardson(notes) and Jared Dudley(notes) from the Charlotte Bobcats last season for Raja Bell(notes) and Boris Diaw(notes), both players were among the Suns’ standouts in the postseason. Center Robin Lopez(notes) and point guard Goran Dragic(notes), both taken in the 2008 draft by Kerr, showed considerable development this season.

The Arizona Republic first reported Kerr’s departure. Sarver told the newspaper that financial differences with Kerr during negotiations played only a “small part” in his exit, but team and league sources told Y! Sports that the proposed pay cut was the initial impetus for Kerr’s exit.

“It’s definitely been an interesting three years for both of us and the organization,” Sarver told the Arizona Republic. “Overall, I think he did a very good job to put us on solid ground with players and coaches, getting a defensive emphasis and got the ground laid on teamwork and chemistry. We’re in a pretty good spot moving forward and a lot of it has to do with moves he’s made. There were some good moves and bad moves, which goes with the job. But overall, I think he’s done a very good job.”


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-kerrsuns061510

[Jeremy]

More on the Suns and money issues: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/87062

"There are mixed messages out of the building on whether Kerr was asked to take a pay cut, as is being asked of other Suns staffers whose contracts are up at the end of the month."

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

lol Suns
lol money issues
lol Sarver
lol please sell the team

[Jeremy]

Looks like Sarver is once again trying to destroy the Suns. Too bad we couldn't have "accidentally" won a championship this year.

[Roddy Beaubois]

:lol Sarver is such a dick.

[Lars]

Stage is set for Barkley to be the new Suns GM!

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

More on the Suns and money issues: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/87062

"There are mixed messages out of the building on whether Kerr was asked to take a pay cut, as is being asked of other Suns staffers whose contracts are up at the end of the month."


:lmao I thought Gambo said Kerr wasn't asked to take a pay cut?

[baseline bum]

Sucks for Kerr, but it'd be such a trade up to see him back doing color on TNT over that POS Collins.

[Roddy Beaubois]

New GM:

http://retrosport.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/charles-barkley.jpg

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

As much as David Griffin is gonna suck, I'd rather get sodomized by a rusty machete than see them bring Bryan Colangelo back, that's a worst case scenario.

[kamikazi_player]

Wow, I don't know how to make of this. I was hoping the Suns would stay with Kerr because the team looked like it was headed in the right direction. Seems like there was light and a future for the Suns, but the Sarver had to mess it up for them again.

[mingus]

hiring Gentry as coach was a good move. so was getting Dragic, drafting Lopez and Tucker. Amundson is also good and he was a d-league player. i think he did a good job of building this team with an owner who isn't willing to spend.

[mingus]

also, looking for to seeing him commentating again. there's really only a couple guys i can stand and he was one of them.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Agreed accept w/ the Tucker part. He was a waste of a pick.

[mingus]

Agreed accept w/ the Tucker part. He was a waste of a pick.

Tucker is pretty good. why is he a waste of a pick?

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Tucker is pretty good. why is he a waste of a pick?


How is Tucker good, he's not even on the Suns anymore.

[mingus]

my bad, Duncan, i don't know y but i always confuse Tucker with Dudley.

[mingus]

also, didn't he bring in Richardson? that's another good move.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Yeah, Dudley + Richardson for Doris and Bell. Best Suns trade in recent history.

[kamikazi_player]

also, didn't he bring in Richardson? that's another good move.
I thought that was a good move from the get-go. Sure his stats has declined, but he has a lesser role on this team. Alot of people disagreed with me, but when he gets going especially with his shot, he would be the x-factor with the Suns. His stock definitely went higher after this playoff series.

[mingus]

also, i think part of the decision is on the basis of Amare not coming back. he prolly has a good feeling he won't be back and he doesn't want to be there during the shitty years that will inevitably follow his departure. he wants to go out with some success, and that'll position him better for a future GM job if he decides to pursue it, no doubt.

[pauls931]

Party time!! W000t!!!!

[MiamiHeat]

damn that sucks for PHX fans

I am fortunate for being a Heat fan, Pat Riley has been running things down here quite well since the mid 90s

[MiamiHeat]

Perhaps this is a signal that the Suns are about to be exploded and go into rebuilding mode?

Sarver would love a rebuilding mode. save money

[mojorizen7]

One step forward,two steps back.
The only possible good thing that may come out of this is a Sarver sell.

[ElNono]

Kerr probably asked for a raise... Sarver was just being Sarver...

[mojorizen7]

Kerr did a fine job here after initially fucking things up by trying to go from a paper tiger to a legit contender in one season.
If Sarver hires a foam finger GM to keep the 50+ and fade culture going i'm DONE.

Shall be an intere$ting $ummer. $arver i$ a banker and thi$ i$ what happen$ when a banker run$ a franchi$e.

[duncan228]

Quotes from the news conference.

Kerr won’t stay on as Suns general manager (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-suns-kerrout)
By Bob Baum

Steve Kerr won’t return as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, despite building a team that made a surprising run to the NBA’s Western Conference finals.

Kerr said at a news conference Tuesday that the decision was a personal one. He insisted that reports of a contract disagreement with owner Robert Sarver were untrue.

“This has nothing to do with money or contracts or anything like that,” he said. “This is a professional and a personal decision that I’m very, very comfortable with. My family’s excited about it, too.”

The announcement of his departure came just 2 1/2 weeks after he expressed excitement about his future with the Suns and confidence that he and Sarver would come to an agreement on a new contract.

“It’s always important to take a little down time after a season ends to let the emotion kind of simmer and make a clear-headed decision,” Kerr said.

He said “a couple of opportunities” to get back into broadcasting have surfaced in the last few weeks.

Kerr was a TNT color commentator for NBA telecasts for four years before Sarver hired him three years ago. He said in an interview with The Associated Press a month ago that he sometimes longed for the simpler days behind the microphone.

Kerr, who commutes from his home in San Diego, said he would stay on the job until his contract expires at the end of June. The NBA draft is June 24.

He said he wouldn’t leave if the organization wasn’t in good shape.

“I wouldn’t have left a year ago, where we were,” he said. “But given where we are right now with a really good young base of talent, a great coaching staff, a lot of stability, a lot to be excited about in the future, I’m very comfortable making this move.”

One of the hardest things, Kerr said, is leaving coach Alvin Gentry.

“There are a lot of relationships that are very important,” he said. “That’s a big one … Given where we were when he took over, I feel like I owe everything to him, the job he did to resurrect this team. He’s the guy who returned this team to our rightful place.”

Sarver didn’t attend the news conference. Rick Welts, Suns president and chief executive officer, said the owner had “a prior commitment.”

The owner issued a statement thanking Kerr “for all the contributions he has made to our club during his tenure, and for helping to lay the foundation for our current and future success.”

The search for Kerr’s successor will include people inside and outside the organization, Welts said. In the meantime, Welts said, Gentry will take a bigger role in personnel matters.

Kerr was extremely well-liked throughout the Suns organization and there was a lot of sadness around US Airways Center on Tuesday.

“There can’t be anybody more respected or better liked anywhere in the NBA than Steve Kerr,” Welts said.

Kerr tried to explain why people should believe that he is leaving on his own accord.

“This is a very taxing job,” he said. “My kids are 17, 15 and 12. They’re only under my roof a few more years and I haven’t seen a lot of them the last few years, and that’s a very important factor to me. My family’s always more important than my job and this is a big reason for this decision.”

Yet he said he would love to get back into a front-office job sometime in the future.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “I enjoy this. It’s not always easy but it’s eventful and it’s very challenging and I love the competition.”

Kerr starred at the University of Arizona and played in the NBA for 15 years. Known for his precise long-range shooting, he was on five teams that won the championship.

His departure from the Suns comes as the team negotiates with All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who can opt out of the last year of his contract on July 1. Stoudemire has said agent Happy Waters has developed a close relationship with Kerr.

Kerr met Sarver through mutual friend Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame former coach at Arizona. Kerr helped Sarver buy the Suns from Jerry Colangelo, then was hired to run the team despite no front-office experience.

Kerr learned on the job.

Some moves worked out, such as the trade of Boris Diaw and Raja Bell to Charlotte for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley and the 2009 drafting of Robin Lopez and Goran Dragic.

Some didn’t, such as the expensive experiment with Shaquille O’Neal and hiring of Terry Porter as coach.

Suns coach Mike D’Antoni left after the 2008 season, taking the same job with the New York Knicks after what were described as philosophical differences. Kerr said he simply wanted D’Antoni to emphasize a little defense and use more, preferably younger, players.

Last season’s team was predicted to barely make the playoffs, at best. Instead, the Suns went 54-28 and were the No. 3 seed in the West. Phoenix beat Portland in six games in the first round, then swept longtime nemesis San Antonio in four before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the Western Conference finals.

“This is a huge roller-coaster ride, this job, the emotional swings,” Kerr said. “There’s nothing like when you’re up on top of the mountain, and there’s nothing worse than being on the bottom. The last two years, I feel like I’ve much seen it all. Last year was miserable, this year was euphoric.”

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

OK so he just wanted to spend more time with his family and be less stressed about his job. Fair enough, given how people were throwing shit at him during games last season I can see why he feels that way. These dumbass ASU fans who blindly hated Kerr for no reason are gonna get the dumb bitch they want when ASU alum Griffin is promoted to GM, you fucksticks have no excuse if he screws up.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Perhaps this is a signal that the Suns are about to be exploded and go into rebuilding mode?

Sarver would love a rebuilding mode. save money

Na man, Sarver's goal is a team below the luxury tax threshold that is exciting, wins 50 games and is somewhat competitive in the playoffs. Rebuilding mode will cost him money, the fans in Phoenix don't buy tickets when the team is rebuilding. The funny thing is, this was Jerry Colangelo's M.O. as much as it's Sarver's, only difference is Colangelo knew how to come across as a nice guy who legitimately cared.

[Agloco]

so the team overachieves and now he's out? eh. Maybe he knows something we dont know...like they gonna blow up the team!

fify

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

They didn't overachieve really. We all knew a team with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire could win 50+ games and earn a top 3 seed with fast breaks, whoring p/rs, and 3 point shooting, nothing about that was surprising or new. In the playoffs, they were simply a 3 seed that beat a 6 and 7 seed.

I will say that while they didn't really overachieve, people are getting way to high on them calling them a near contender and shit just because of a regular season we've seen from them in the past coupled with lucky playoff seeding.

[Roddy Beaubois]

IMO, they overachieved getting that 3 seed (did anyone predict that) and they overachieved taking LA to 6 (almost 7) games.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

IMO, they overachieved getting that 3 seed (did anyone predict that) and they overachieved taking LA to 6 (almost 7) games.


What's so shocking about a team led by Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire winning 54+ games? They've done it multiple times in the past, I know no one thought they were capable of it but it's certainly not overachieving to do something you've already done.

And no, losing in 6 isn't overachieving. They won 2 home games. That's not some huge achievement. It's not over achieving, and it's also nothing to take pride in.

[kamikazi_player]

:lol hey I like ASU!

[da_suns_fan]

I hated some of Kerrs moves (most notably Shaq and Terry Porter), but it was somewhat comforting to know that there was someone with some weight in that front office who was primarily concerned with winning.

This definitely isnt good for the Suns. Especially when the Dragic/Lopez picks and Richardson/Dudley trades looked like complete steals right now.

*sigh* :depressed

Such is the life of a Suns fan.

[mojorizen7]

New GM:

http://retrosport.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/charles-barkley.jpg

Not crazy. Stupid, but not crazy.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

I hated some of Kerrs moves (most notably Shaq and Terry Porter), but it was somewhat comforting to know that there was someone with some weight in that front office who was primarily concerned with winning.

This definitely isnt good for the Suns. Especially when the Dragic/Lopez picks and Richardson/Dudley trades looked like complete steals right now.

*sigh* :depressed

Such is the life of a Suns fan.


If they get Pritchard or Presti I'd be thrilled. They're both on expiring contracts, chances are OKC is gonna do whatever it takes to keep Presti, but they can probably get Pritchard if they have interest.

[Jeremy]

We finally get to the bottom of the money issue. This Republic article explains how Kerr can deny the offer was a paycut even though it really was:


Kerr was offered a one-year contract to stay at his current salary or a three-year deal that would repeat his previous one except for adding a third-year bonus. That meant Kerr's first-year salary would be a cut of about 10 percent from last season, when his salary ranked in the upper one-third of West GMs.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/2010/06/16/20100616phoenix-suns-kerr-ON.html

[Jeremy]

From his KTAR interview, it sounds like Sarver does NOT want to hire David Griffin as GM.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

From his KTAR interview, it sounds like Sarver does NOT want to hire David Griffin as GM.


Well that earns him some points in my book.

[Killakobe81]

His job was done. They beat the Spurs.

LOL

Not sure of his reason (havent read story) but it seemed like he was taking the games really, really hard when they lost and getting way too faggoty happy when they won.

I think it's important to care of course ... but the Spur crew and even Mitch (who i wasnt a fan of at first) stay calm and cool under pressure.

I loved West and to me he is the greatest but he burnt out oo quick because he took things too hard as well ...

IMHO

[Killakobe81]

:lol hey I like ASU!

One of the best party schools in the nation ...strip clubs close to the campus blow LA's outta the water!!!

[Goran Dragic]

One of the best party schools in the nation ...strip clubs close to the campus blow LA's outta the water!!!


If you like STDs then ASU is a great party school.

[NBAdime]

According to AZcentral David Griffin quit his position and will be leaving the Suns and the end of the month, too. LOL now that's even a worse loss than Kerr. Griff has been with the Suns for 18 years, I know for a fact he would get good offers and will take his front office people with him. Suns are dead.