Category: Phoenix Suns Blog

The Phoenix Suns have exercised the third-year option on head coach Alvin Gentry’s contract for the 2011-12 season, the club announced today.

“Alvin has done a phenomenal job as our head coach,” said Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver. “His leadership and ability to connect with and lead our players was exceptional.”

Originally elevated as the 14th head coach in franchise history on an interim basis on Feb. 16, 2009, Gentry was named the club’s head coach on May 9, 2009.  In just 113 games under his leadership, Gentry’s Suns have compiled a 72-41 (.637) record, giving him the third-highest winning percentage among coaches in franchise history (Paul Westphal, Mike D’Antoni).

The 30-year coaching veteran in both the professional and collegiate ranks took the reins of the Suns in 2009 with the stated goals of establishing a homecourt advantage, returning the club to its trademark offensive explosiveness, and developing a young, productive bench.

In just a season-plus under his leadership, the Suns own a 46-12 (.793) home mark, seventh-best of any NBA team in that span, and perhaps most impressively are 31-6 (.838) at home against the ultra-competitive Western Conference.  Phoenix has led the NBA in scoring in each of the last two seasons and averaged 112.3 points during his tenure, even more than the trendsetting Suns posted from 2004-05 to 2007-08 (109.8).  In 2009-10, the Suns bench ranked 10th in the NBA, averaging 33.2 points.  Gentry and the bench gained national attention during the playoffs when the group increased its scoring average to 34.1 points, best in the NBA, as Gentry played 10 or more Suns in 16-straight postseason games for the first time since 1993.

In his first full season on the bench in 2009-10, Gentry was a two-time NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month for November 2009 and March 2010.  In leading the Suns to 54 wins, his career-high as a coach, and the conference’s third-best record, Gentry finished fifth in NBA Coach of the Year voting.

Gentry became just the fifth head coach in franchise history to lead his team to a Western Conference Finals berth in his first full season.  Gentry coached the Suns to 10 postseason victories in 2010, tied for the second-most in a single postseason in franchise history.

In 21 seasons in the NBA, Gentry has enjoyed three other head coaching stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2000-03), Detroit Pistons (1997-2000) and Miami Heat (1995).  He has worked alongside some of the game’s most respected coaches, including Larry Brown, Kevin Loughery, Doug Collins and Mike D’Antoni.  Gentry joined the Suns organization as an assistant coach on June 1, 2004.

A point guard at Appalachian State under Press Maravich and Bobby Cremins, Gentry earned a degree in management in 1997 and began his coaching career as a graduate assistsant at the University of Colorado the following season.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver picked up the team option in coach Alvin Gentry’s contract for the 2011-12 season.

The performance of Gentry’s team to make the playoffs last season already had guaranteed a portion of that season’s salary. Picking up the team option guarantees another portion but half of his $2.15 million salary for that season remains subject to whether there is a lockout once the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in July 2011…

Gentry still ranks among the lowest paid coaches for the coming season at $1.95 million, which is less than the $2.5 million Terry Porter will receive from Phoenix for being a fired coach. Suns GM Steve Kerr had advocated picking up Gentry’s option and adding a year to the contract.

Steve Kerr will leave the Phoenix Suns as president of basketball operations and general manager when his contract runs out June 30th.  Kerr will pursue opportunities in broadcasting.

“After much thought and deliberation, I have decided this is the right time for me to move on both professionally and personally,” said Kerr.  “The past three years have been exceptional for me.  The work and dedication of everyone with the organization is tremendous and I appreciate the passion and commitment that Robert Sarver has for the Phoenix Suns and creating a perennial winner.  I feel the team is well poised for the future, with strong leadership both on the roster and in the front office, and a good mix of veterans and young talent that will continue to grow together and succeed at the highest level.”

Kerr will explore opportunities in broadcasting.

“A broadcasting opportunity would allow me to spend more time with my family which is very important to me.  I will certainly miss the relationships I’ve forged here with the players, coaches and members of the organization. It’s a special group of people and I wish the organization nothing but success moving forward.”

Commenting on Kerr’s departure, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver said, “We wish Steve nothing but the best and thank him 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.”

Originally named to the role of president of basketball operations and general manager on June 6, 2007, Kerr saw the Suns average nearly 52 wins per season in his three-year tenure in the club’s front office and compile an overall mark of 155-91 (.630) in that span.

Just three players remain from the roster inherited by Kerr in 2007, as he assembled a balanced roster of stars and role players, comprised of both veterans and developing prospects.  It resulted in the third-best regular season record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference in 2010 and a berth in the Western Conference Finals.

In the process, Kerr turned one of the NBA’s oldest rosters into one that includes only two players over the age of 30, and did so without taking away the club’s trademark offensive explosiveness and deep-shooting accuracy. The Suns led the league in scoring in both 2008-09 (109.4) and 2009-10 (110.2), and shot a franchise-record 41.2 percent from three-point range in 2009-10, second-highest in NBA history.

The five-time NBA Champion as a player was a 15-year NBA veteran and played for six teams during his career.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports:

Phoenix Suns All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire said today that there is “no chance” he will play for his $17.7 million contract option with Phoenix next season but remains hopeful that scheduled upcoming negotiations will result in a contract extension to remain with the Phoenix Suns.

Stoudemire, speaking at his youth basketball camp in Gilbert, said he does not want to leave the Suns.

Asked if there was a chance of picking up his option on the last year of his current contract, Stoudemire said, “There’s no chance of that at all.”

Phoenix Suns forward Grant Hill has exercised the one-year player option on his contract and will return to Phoenix for the 2010-11 season, the club announced today.

“We’re thrilled that Grant has decided to exercise his option and return to the Suns next season,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Steve Kerr.  “He is a critical part of our success, both because of his skill as a player and also his leadership and professionalism that help guide our team.  Grant sums up what the Phoenix Suns are all about.”

The 6-8, 225-pound forward is coming off a 2009-10 regular season in which he averaged 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds, his highest rebounding average since 2002-03 and his most total rebounds (445) in a single season since 1999-00.  In the playoffs, Hill averaged 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, second-most on the squad, in the Suns’ run to the 2010 Western Conference Finals, the deepest postseason run of Hill’s career.

“The decision to stay in Phoenix was easy,” said Hill.  “Our team’s success on the court last season was the result of the efforts of a great group of guys and I’m looking forward to building on that with them and being a part of this team next season.”