Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 21 – NBA Blog

Suns hire Bob Hill as assistant coach

The Phoenix Suns have added experienced NBA head coach Bob Hill as an assistant coach, the team announced today.

“Coach Hill is a creative and innovative teacher of basketball,” said Suns Interim Head Coach Earl Watson. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to our program and will be very beneficial to everyone involved in our basketball family.”

Hill compiled a 310-293 (.514) record over parts of nine seasons as an NBA head coach, last leading Seattle in 2005-06 and 2006-07 where he coached Watson. In addition to Seattle, Hill served as head coach for New York (1986-87), Indiana (1990-93) and San Antonio (1994-96), guiding his teams to the playoffs on five occasions. Hill’s best season as a head coach came in 1994-95 when he led the Spurs to a 62-20 record and reached the Western Conference Finals.

Suns name Earl Watson interim head coach

The Phoenix Suns have named assistant coach and former NBA player Earl Watson interim head coach, the team announced today.

Now the 17th head coach in franchise history, Watson joined the Suns as an assistant coach this past offseason after working last season as an assistant coach for the Austin Spurs of the NBA Development League. Watson became a coach following a 13-year NBA career as a point guard in which he appeared in 878 career games with Seattle/Oklahoma City, Memphis, Denver, Indiana, Utah and Portland from 2001-2014. Watson averaged 6.4 points, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals for his career, posting highs of 10.7 points and 6.8 assists with the SuperSonics in 2007-08. Watson played for three NBA Coach of the Year Award winners throughout his 13-year career (Hubie Brown, George Karl, Scott Brooks), as well as Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan.

Prior to being selected 40th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, the Kansas City, Kan. native was a four-year starter at UCLA, helping guide the Bruins to three Sweet 16 appearances and earning All-Pac-10 First Team honors in 2000-01.

Suns fire coach Jeff Hornacek

The 14-35 Phoenix Suns weren’t expected to come anywhere close to competing for an NBA championship this season, or even be one of the league’s better teams, but they certainly seemed capable of being respectable. But through Sunday’s games they are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 4th worst record in the league. And this morning, they took action.

The Suns announced today that they have relieved Jeff Hornacek of his duties as head coach following his two-plus seasons in the position. The Suns plan to have an interim head coach in place by Tuesday.

Hornacek was named the 16th head coach in franchise history on May 28, 2013, returning to the team with whom he spent his first six professional seasons as a player. In two-plus seasons as head coach of the Suns, Hornacek’s teams compiled a 101-112 (.474) record, including a 14-35 (.286) mark this season. In Hornacek’s inaugural season of 2013-14 the Suns went 48-34 followed by a 39-43 record last season.

Suns sign Jordan McRae to 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns today signed guard Jordan McRae to a 10-day contract. McRae ranks third in the NBA Development League with an average of 23.1 points in 28 games with the Delaware 87ers this season, including a D-League record 61 points in his most recent outing on Tuesday.

In addition to 23.1 points, McRae is averaging 5.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 35.5 minutes in his second D-League season, both with the 87ers. In a 130-123 overtime win over the Canton Charge on Tuesday, McRae shot 21-of-34 from the field and 16-of-18 from the free throw line to score an NBA D-League single-game record 61 points, the highest individual point total in any NBA or D-League game this season.

The 14th D-League-to-NBA Call-Up this season, this is McRae’s first career NBA regular season signing. Originally selected by San Antonio with the 58th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft then traded to Philadelphia on draft night, McRae played professionally in Australia in 2014-15 before joining Delaware for the season’s final 13 games and averaging 18.4 points. A 6-5, 179-pound guard, McRae played for Philadelphia at NBA Summer League in 2014 and 2015, also playing with the 76ers this past preseason before being waived on Oct. 26.

A native of Savannah, Ga., McRae played collegiately at the University of Tennessee where he averaged 13.3 points in 114 games over four seasons. McRae earned First Team All-SEC honors as a senior in 2013-14 when he ranked fourth in the conference with a scoring average of 18.7 points, helping the Volunteers to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

McRae will wear number 52.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 15.

Suns sign Lorenzo Brown to second 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns announced today they have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract.

Brown signed his first 10-day contract with the Suns on Jan. 8. The 25-year-old guard has appeared in three games with Phoenix, totaling 13 points and six assists in 34 minutes.

A 6-5, 189-pound guard, Brown is a third-year NBA player who appeared in 55 total games with Philadelphia in 2013-14 and Minnesota in 2014-15. Originally selected with the 52nd overall pick by Minnesota in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown played in 29 games (seven starts) with the Timberwolves last season seeing action in each of their final 22 games. Brown has four career double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 13 points in his final appearance of last season on April 15 against Oklahoma City.

The sixth Call-Up of 2015-16 at the time he signed with the Suns on Jan. 8, Brown averaged 16.4 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 16 games this season with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League.

Earl Clark currently playing in D-League

Here’s the Arizona Republic with an update on Earl Clark, who is averaging 20.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 35.1 minutes per game in the D-League this season:

After 4 1/2 NBA seasons, Earl Clark had to swallow hard on his basketball-sized pride this season to play in the D-League.

With credentials as a former Suns draft lottery pick bumped to the bottom of his resume, Clark left his family and nice cars in Florida to share an apartment and rides to the grocery store while rebuilding his name in the game on a $26,000 salary for Suns affiliate Bakersfield.

Passing up more money overseas, Clark bet on his ability to prove his NBA worth with hopes pinned on January call-ups as 10-day contracts began.

Instead, Clark was traded Saturday by Bakersfield, which sent him to Delaware for a D-League second-round draft pick. The move, a familiar one after three NBA trades, keeps his quest alive with a clean slate after a frustrating stretch for Bakersfield.

Ronnie Price undergoes toe surgery

Phoenix Suns guard Ronnie Price today underwent successful surgery to remove loose bodies in his right great toe. The surgery was performed by Dr. Gus Armendariz in Phoenix. Price is anticipated to return to basketball activities around the All-Star break.

Currently in his 11th NBA season and second with the Suns (also 2011-12), Price is averaging 4.2 points, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 14.8 minutes in 34 games (one start) this season.

Suns sign Lorenzo Brown to a 10-day contract

The Phoenix Suns announced today they have signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a 10-day contract. The sixth “Call-Up” in the NBA this season, Brown has averaged 16.4 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 16 games with the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League.

A 6-5, 189-pound guard, Brown is a two-year NBA player who has appeared in 55 total games with Philadelphia in 2013-14 and Minnesota in 2014-15. Originally selected with the 52nd overall pick by Minnesota in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown played in 29 games (seven starts) with the Timberwolves last season seeing action in each of their final 22 games. Brown has four career double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 13 points in his most recent NBA appearance on April 15 of last season against Oklahoma City.

With Grand Rapids this season, Brown ranks sixth in the D-League with 6.1 assists per game and ninth with 1.9 steals per game, in addition to averaging 16.4 points on 47.8 percent shooting from the field and 87.7 percent from the free throw line. In 2014-15, Brown was named an NBA D-League All-Star as he averaged 16.8 points and 3.9 assists in 19 games with the Drive prior to signing with the Timberwolves. As a rookie in 2013-14, Brown averaged 17.3 points and 6.3 assists in 20 total games with the Delaware 87ers and Springfield Armor of the D-League.

A native of Roswell, Ga., Brown played collegiately at North Carolina State University where he averaged 11.6 points in 101 games over three seasons. Brown earned Second Team All-ACC honors as a junior in 2012-13 when he averaged 12.4 points, led the ACC with 7.2 assists per game and ranked second in the conference with 2.0 steals per contest. Brown and Suns forward T.J. Warren were teammates at N.C. State for the 2012-13 season, helping the Wolfpack to an NCAA tournament berth.

Brown will wear number 41. The Suns’ roster now stands at 14

Phoenix Suns waive Bryce Cotton and Cory Jefferson

The Phoenix Suns have waived guard Bryce Cotton and forward Cory Jefferson.

Cotton originally signed with the Suns on Nov. 25. The second-year NBA player saw action in three games, totaling four points and three assists in 33 minutes.

Jefferson signed with the Suns prior to training camp on Sept. 16. He appeared in six games with Phoenix in his second NBA season, posting totals of 12 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes.

The Suns’ roster now stands at 13 players.

Kings score 142 points on Suns

Coach George Karl moved into a tie for fifth on the NBA wins list with 1,155 when DeMarcus Cousins had 32 points and nine rebounds Saturday to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 142-119 victory over the Phoenix Suns, who lost their eighth in a row.

Karl matched Phil Jackson with the milestone win. The 63-year-old Karl is 1,155-795 in 27 seasons…

Darren Collison had 21 points and six assists and Marco Belinelli had 19 points for the Kings. Rudy Gay added 16 points and Rajon Rondo had 15 points and 15 assists.

— Associated Press