PHOENIX — Terry Porter will be the Phoenix Suns’ next coach, ending the club’s monthlong search for a successor to Mike D’Antoni.
Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr said Saturday he had agreed to terms with Porter, who was an assistant with the Detroit Pistons.
The 45-year-old Porter played in the NBA for 17 seasons and teamed with Kerr in San Antonio.
“He’s got a great combination of leadership skills,” Kerr said in a telephone interview. “He’s a great communicator. And his coaching experience, two years as a head coach, is important to me. The fact that he’s sat in that chair, that was a key factor. He’s very tough-minded.”
Porter is expected to sign a three-year deal worth about $7 million, and he likely will be introduced at a news conference early next week. His hiring was first reported by ESPN.
Porter emerged from an extensive list of candidates interviewed by the Suns. Last week, Kerr said the list had been pared to four — Porter and assistants Elston Turner of Houston, Tyrone Corbin of Utah and Mike Budenholzer of San Antonio.
Porter was the only one with head coaching experience, with two seasons at the helm of the Milwaukee Bucks.
“We interviewed some great candidates, and we wanted to take our time and make sure we made the right choice,” Kerr said. “He’s the right guy, and I’m glad to have him on board.”
Porter will become the Suns’ seventh coach since 1993, when they made their last NBA Finals appearance.
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