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May 2, 2008 - 10:24AM
Updated: May 2, 2008 - 4:45PM
No decision on D’Antoni before next week
Comments | RecommendJerry Brown, Tribune
After taking two days to decompress, Suns coach Mike D’Antoni met Friday afternoon with general manager Steve Kerr and managing partner Robert Sarver for two to three hours at Alice Cooperstown in Phoenix across the street from US Airways Center.
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“We met. We had some positive discussions but there’s no resolution and we’ve agreed to meet again next week,” Kerr said. “Other than that there’s nothing else to report.”
D’Antoni has two years and $8.5 million remaining on his Suns contract.
Despite admitted philosophical differences between D’Antoni and Kerr — centering mostly on commitment to defense and developing a deeper bench — both men said earlier this week that they want to find a way to continue their relationship and move forward.
Kerr has not granted permission for D’Antoni to speak with any other team and denied a report in the New York Daily News that the Suns contacted former Dallas coach Avery Johnson about a possible opening here.
“I haven’t talked to anyone and the Suns haven’t talked to anyone,” Kerr said Friday morning. “Anything reported by anyone about us talking to anyone is completely false.
“We have a head coach. We’re going to see if we can move forward and continue the quest together.”
D’Antoni limited his contact with the media during the final two games of the playoff series with the Spurs, reportedly after being upset with several articles that showed a lack of support by management.
His normally extended, folksy interview sessions became quick and terse, leading to speculation that his future in Phoenix had already been decided.
Rumors have already been swirling that he could land in Dallas or Chicago, although Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo, in several published statements, nixed the idea of D’Antoni rejoining him there. Colangelo said Raptors coach Sam Mitchell’s job is safe.
Kerr wouldn’t comment on whether he would ask D’Antoni to make any changes to his coaching staff or his practice approach.
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