Suns notebook: Kerr focuses on 4 coach candidates

The interviews are complete; the final four candidates identified.

But Suns general manager Steve Kerr remains in no hurry to name the next coach of the Phoenix Suns, preferring to pore over the information gleaned from more than a dozen first and second interviews before deciding who will replace Mike D’Antoni as coach.

Q & A: Kerr sheds light on Suns coaching search

Porter appears to be Suns' top candidate

“We’re getting a lot closer,” Kerr said in between some individual workouts Wednesday at US Airways Center.

“Our interview process is probably completed. There may be a few more phone conversations, but … we’ve whittled down the list and we’re zeroing in on our goal.”

Detroit assistant coach and close friend Terry Porter is still believed to be Kerr’s No. 1 choice.

Kerr admitted that Porter’s previous head coaching experience in Milwaukee “helps, for sure,” and “I don’t think anybody can know what it’s like to be a head coach in the NBA until they actually have been one.”

But Kerr quickly pointed out that the other three candidates – San Antonio’s Mike Budenholzer, Utah’s Tyrone Corbin and Houston’s Elston Turner all have significant experience as assistants. Kerr played for Budenholzer for four seasons in San Antonio and with Corbin in Phoenix.

While Kerr said no negotiations are under way with anyone and no offers have been extended, he intimated that this drawn-out process is finally in the final days and was too far down the road to add Flip Saunders – fired by Detroit on Tuesday – to the conversation.

“I worked with Flip (when both were TNT analysts) and like him a lot. I think he’s been a really good coach in the league and done a good job everywhere he’s gone,” Kerr said. “(But) we’re pretty far in our process. … We really feel good about it, and I don’t feel like changing course altogether and just doing something that’s totally out of the blue.”

None of the Phoenix finalists are up for any others jobs, with Doug Collins expected to be the new coach in Chicago and Michael Curry expected to succeed Saunders in Detroit.

RANDOLPH, GREENE WORK OUT

The Suns scouting staff got a look at LSU forward Anthony Randolph and Syracuse small forward Donte Greene in separate, one-hour, individual workouts on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-10 Randolph is projected by many to a top-10 pick but might slide a bit after weighing in at just 197 pounds at the Orlando pre-draft camp. He chose not to speak with the media Wednesday.

Greene, who was born in Germany and seen as one of the better shooters and leapers in the draft, will work out for almost a dozen teams and is likely to go in the 10-15 range. The Suns pick 15th, but are likely interested in talking to teams like New Jersey (10th) and Portland (13th) about moving up.

Greene (6-9, 221 in Orlando) freely admitted his defense needs work and has been his emphasis since the end of the college season, but said he knows he can fill a need for Phoenix.

“In the playoffs (against the Spurs) when Grant Hill got hurt, it hurt the team as a whole,” said the 20-year-old Greene, who averaged 17.7 points on 42 percent shooting for Syracuse last year. “I feel my shooting ability and athleticism is good for the team and I have the chance to learn from Amaré Stoudemire, Shaquille O’Neal and Steve (Nash) would be great for me.”

The Suns will have larger-scale workouts scheduled for Friday, Sunday and next Thursday with as many as six draft hopefuls taking part each time.

Texas point guard D.J. Augustin is the big name expected on Friday while Stanford center Robin Lopez and Florida’s Marreese Speights are scheduled to be among Sunday’s group.