RSS
Suns Fire Coach Alvin Gentry After 13-28 Start
Fitzgerald Cecilio
Phoenix, AZ
The Phoenix Suns have fired head coach Alvin Gentry after a disappointing 13-28 start that landed them in last place in the Western Conference.
In a press statement, the Suns said they will name an interim head coach in the next 24-48 hours.
"I have grown so much under @AlvinGentry. I wish him and his family the best. He's a great coach and a better man," Suns forward-center Channing Frye said on his Twitter account.
Suns forward Jared Dudley later re-tweeted Frye's message.
The Suns have struggled since losing guard Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers. They acquired Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson in the offseason but the two have struggled with their new team.
After their home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday, the Suns have matched the franchise's worst midpoint record since the 1987-88 team went 13-28.
Gentry had a late-night meeting with Suns managing partner Robert Sarver and president of basketball operations Lon Babby but a decision to replace him wasn't reached. The move to fire Gentry happened Friday morning.
The Suns have lost 13 of their past 15 games and 20 of their past 26 games, falling to last in the Western Conference and the fourth-worst record in the NBA, ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Charlotte Bobcats and the Washington Wizards.
The 58-year-old Gentry was in the final contract year of his contract and the Suns will owe him $1.2 million for the remainder of it.
He became the team's interim coach during the 2009 All-Star weekend in Phoenix when Terry Porter was fired during his first season as head coach.
The interim title was lifted in the offseason and Gentry guided the Suns to the 2010 Western Conference Finals in his first full season as head coach, finishing the season with a 28-7 mark.
The Suns contended for a playoff spot the past two seasons but fell short with 40-42 and 33-33 records.
Overall, Gentry had a 158-144 with Phoenix in his fourth stint as a head coach after previous turns with Detroit, Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Bobcats Ben Gordon Dangled for Nets Kris Humphries
- Bulls Carlos Boozer for Raptors Andrea Bargnani Trade Explored
- New Ownership Group Files to Relocate Sacramento Kings to Seattle
- Dwight Howard Seeks to Salvage Season with Lakers
- Reggie Evans: Comments on LeBron, Heat Blown Out of Proportion
- Grizzlies Trade Forward Rudy Gay to Raptors
- Allen Iverson Rejects Offer from D-League Texas Legends
- Duncan and Harden Among Top Reserves Selected to NBA All-Star Game
- New Orleans Name Change to Pelicans Also Has Charlotte Buzzing
- Forbes Rates Knicks as Highest Valued NBA Team
- 7th Grader Becomes Sporting Superstar Knocking Down Treys
- Raptors Exploring Trade for Lakers Pau Gasol
- Kupchak Says Lack of Effort, Not Coach is Lakers Problem
- Grizzlies Cut Payroll by $6M in Trade with Cavs
- Kings Owners Reach Deal to Sell Team to Seattle Group
- Suns Fire Coach Alvin Gentry After 13-28 Start
- Lakers Struggling, But Kobe Tops NBA All-Star Balloting
- Lawsuit Claims Spurs Cheated Fans in Resting Top Players Against Heat
- Dallas Mavericks 'Bank of Cuban' Ready to Deal
- Lakers Executive Jim Buss Wants 'Very Solid' Lakers Team Kept Intact
- P.J. Carlesimo Sees Phil Jackson Pursuing His Nets Coaching Job
- Kobe Posts Staged-Fight Pic with Dwight Howard on Twitter
- Carmelo Anthony Extends Dispute with Garnett Offcourt
- With Team at .500, Scott Skiles Out as Bucks Coach
Copyright © 2013 AHN. All rights reserved
Advertisement
|