Porter, Suns have long talk on coaching vacancy

Detroit Pistons assistant coach Terry Porter got the first - and so far, only - extended interview for the Suns coaching job on Monday.

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The question is, has he now moved into the role of front-runner for the position?

Porter spent much of the day in Phoenix meeting with Suns general manager Steve Kerr, his friend and former teammate in San Antonio, and vice president of basketball operations David Griffin.

Managing partner Robert Sarver was also said to be present at the meetings, which included an extended dinner and more talks Monday night.

Porter, who spent 17 seasons in the NBA, has been seen as a top candidate for the position since his first interview on May15 - due to his close relationship with Kerr and his previous head coaching experience with the Milwaukee Bucks (2003-05).

There were indications that Porter's current boss, coach Flip Saunders, would be fired by Detroit after the Pistons were eliminated by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. But The Detroit News reported Sunday that Saunders met with general manager Joe Dumars over the weekend and all indications are that he will be retained.

A source said the Suns may be within a week of making their choice and that the search isn't likely to last until mid-June, which was believed to be possible. But that doesn't mean the Suns have closed the door on new faces.

San Antonio assistant coach Mike Budenholzer will be in the Valley today for his first interview. The 38-year-old Holbrook native wasn't available for discussions until the Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs late last week.

Meanwhile, former player and current ABC broadcaster Mark Jackson, among the first to interview for the Phoenix job, is apparently out of the running. The New York Post reported Sunday that Kerr told Jackson the Suns plan to hire someone with NBA coaching experience, which jibes with what sources have said as the process has evolved.

Porter is the only known candidate with NBA head coaching experience.

Two other known finalists, Utah's Tyrone Corbin and Houston's Elston Turner, have been assistant coaches.

Budenholzer started with the Spurs as a video assistant in 1994, became an assistant coach in 1996 and was Gregg Popovich's lead assist this season for the first time.

"I would love to be a head coach at some point," Budenholzer told the San Antonio Express-News earlier this season. "But I'm very, very happy where I am. I'll just be a great assistant coach for Pop, and whatever happens, happens. If it never happens, it won't kill me."

Popovich, who has coached the Spurs to four championships and lost lead assistant P.J. Carlesimo to Seattle last summer, told the Express-News Budenholzer "would make a fine coach in the NBA, without a doubt.

"This is the time of year when people look to see if there's a situation that helps them advance their careers," he said.

"If we have someone who is in that situation, and gets some offers, we're always happy for them."

Terry Porter file
Age: 45 (April 6, 1963)
College: Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1985)
Current job: Assistant coach, Detroit Pistons
NBA experience: Played 17 seasons in the NBA, with Portland, Minnesota, Miami and San Antonio. … His teams compiled a record of 815-547 (.598) during his career and only once failed to make the postseason. … In his career, Porter averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 assists and 1.24 steals, scoring 15,586 points while earning two All-Star berths (1991, 1993).
Coaching experience: After one season as an assistant in Sacramento (2002-03), he took over as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks … Led them to a 41-41 record and a playoff appearance in 2003-04, but he lost point guard T.J. Ford for all of the following season. After the Bucks dipped to 30-52 in 2004-05, he was fired. … Has spent the past two seasons as an assistant to Flip Saunders, his former coach in Minnesota, with the Pistons.