Lindsey Hunter Named Phoenix Suns Interim Head Coach

Following Alvin Gentry’s dismissal, the Phoenix Suns tabbed Lindsey Hunter as their new, interim head coach. (As for Gentry, the man is already bored out of his mind.) Per the AZ Republic: The Suns selected first-year player development coordinator Lindsey Hunter to be the interim coach for the second half of the season. After former four-year coach Alvin Gentry’s departure Friday morning, Suns General Manager Lance Blanks led the decision on picking an internal replacement and chose Hunter over Suns veteran assistant coaches Elston Turner, Dan Majerle and Igor Kokoskov. Majerle likely will choose to not return to the staff. He left US Airways Center before practice began Sunday morning, when Hunter, coaches and players learned of the decision. Turner, the lead assistant for the past two years, was meeting with Hunter at US Airways on Sunday morning and then with vice president of player programs Mark West. The Suns other assistants joined Hunter’s first practice. Hunter, 42, joined the Suns last season as a scout and was named the head of a new player development unit in the summer. Hunter has sat in the second row behind the Suns’ coaching staff during most games but had not coached since ending his 17-year NBA playing career in 2010. Hunter was a part of 12 playoff teams and two championships (the 2001-02 Lakers and the 2003-04 Pistons).”