Buck Harvey: Popovich coaches Kerr — into a career

[Spurs Brazil]

Buck Harvey: Popovich coaches Kerr — into a career
Web Posted: 06/03/2007 12:26 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News

Last month Gregg Popovich glared at Steve Kerr, and it brought back old memories. It was as if Kerr had failed to rotate on defense again.

Popovich flashed some anger, said a few words. They ended up having a good conversation, and later Kerr reacted as he did when he played for the Spurs. He did what Popovich said.

He chose one career.

Kerr has been weighing his next move for some time, and family has been the key concern. Kerr has enjoyed a more relaxed life these last few years, and his next job will require more hours.

Kerr said during Saturday night's telecast of the Cavaliers-Pistons game that he is giving up his TNT gig to become the Suns president and general manager, and there are some crucial decisions to be made in Phoenix. Paring the payroll while winning the West will be Dilemma No.1.

Kerr's ascent should be no surprise. He starred in college at Tucson and has a good relationship with the Suns owner, Robert Sarver. Furthermore, he's another smart product of this hire-a-Spur era.

Those who have worked for the Spurs this century and who have gone on to other franchises are both a tribute to Popovich and a reflection of his franchise. The list ranges from Mike D'Antoni in Phoenix and Avery Johnson in Dallas, and from Danny Ferry and the mob of ex-Spurs in Cleveland to Kevin Pritchard, the general manager in Portland.

Now Sam Presti interviews in Seattle as P.J. Carlesimo waits for another coaching chance.

While each owes something to the Spurs organization, each can also go from being an old friend to a new enemy in the blink of a playoff series. No one understands this better than Kerr.

This started a few years ago. Then he became a Suns minority investor yet wanted to keep working for TNT and writing for Yahoo!

He always knew this could get sticky. When he traveled with the Suns to recruit Steve Nash, for example, he preferred to downplay his role.

Kerr didn't invent these conflicts of interest. Magic Johnson often sits on the TNT set, too, while also being part of the Lakers organization. Jalen Rose took that to another extreme; he reported for the network while suiting up for the Suns.

This isn't blurring the line. This is dunking on it.

Kerr tried to remedy this with his opinions. He picked the Spurs to beat the Suns two years ago, and he's so heavily praised the Spurs in recent years that some in other cities have seen him as a Spurs homer.

Then came the Horry-Nash controversy last month, and Kerr wrote what many said then. He hoped no one would be suspended.

But he also wrote something else that no one else had knowledge of at the time: "However, if the league decides to suspend (Boris) Diaw and (Amare) Stoudemire, it may have to suspend Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen as well. In a play that went entirely unnoticed until well after the game was over, both Duncan and Bowen actually left San Antonio's bench early in the second quarter after Francisco Elson and James Jones were entangled. Replays clearly show Duncan walking several steps onto the court as Elson and Jones appeared to be ready to get into it."

Take it from someone who has been wrong in print a few times over the last quarter of a century in San Antonio. There are times when writers wish they could take back a few words, if not entire ideas.

Kerr might have felt the same as soon as the next day. The NBA looked at the replays and didn't see anything.

Had another columnist written the same words, Kerr's story would have been taken as opinion and nothing more. But Kerr had advocated something others hadn't said except for, coincidentally, the Suns.

Was he acting as an observer? Or as a Suns investor?

Popovich rarely reacts to anything in print, but he glared at Kerr at their next encounter. Popovich also told him angrily: You are wearing too many hats.

According to those involved, Kerr felt awful about this. And perhaps after always weighing money and family and desire, this was the final push Kerr needed to take Sarver's offer.

Kerr doesn't have much front-office experience, but he will do fine. He's too smart not to.

And if Kerr figures out a few things for the Suns, then the Spurs should know whom to blame for yet another of their own succeeding elsewhere.

Yet again, Popovich.

[SilverPlayer]

Popovich rarely reacts to anything in print, but he glared at Kerr at their next encounter. Popovich also told him angrily: You are wearing too many hats.

According to those involved, Kerr felt awful about this. And perhaps after always weighing money and family and desire, this was the final push Kerr needed to take Sarver's offer.

It's good to see Kerr being a little regretful about this. It was a definite conflict of interest and he went decidedly too far. I'm glad he acknowledges that.

But I do wish him the best, maybe he will help get Nash a ring he is going to have deserved by the end of his career. Just not at the Spurs expense.

[whottt]

Hopefully Kerr will trade Marion to us to make up for that Duncan snafu. It'd be the right thing to do.

[timvp]

Actually, I think Pop called Kerr an azzhat but that hasn't been confirmed.

Either way, it's good see Kerr get off television and perhaps he will soon not be considered a top 7 Spur of all-time.

[SilverPlayer]

Actually, I think Pop called Kerr an azzhat but that hasn't been confirmed.
.

That would have been appropriate. Anymore to that story LJ? I've been trying to tell my family why I've been so pissed at Kerr after he has been Mister Spur for so long.

[picnroll]

Sarver, D'Antoni and Kerr will fit well together. There is a reason Kerr and the chicken man are buddies.

[judaspriestess]

I'm glad Pop told kerr he was wearing to many hats and if he did call him an ahole even better!!

[whottt]

Either way, it's good see Kerr get off television and perhaps he will soon not be considered a top 7 Spur of all-time.

Wouldn't want Spursfans to have misguided loyalty towards the Little GM