Top 25 Phoenix Sports Stories of 2008 - #14 - Suns hire Terry Porter

Here at Fanster.com, we’ll be spending the last few weeks of 2008 counting down the biggest sports stories in the Valley over the last 12 months.

After Mike D’Antoni bolted for the bright lights and dollar signs of New York (or was pushed out, depending on what side you’re on), GM Steve Kerr was looking for a new coach. A coach that would play a deeper rotation. A coach that would stress defense. A coach who would de-emphasize the Suns’ reliance on the running game. In June, Kerr tabbed his man—former NBA point guard and Milwaukee Bucks head coach Terry Porter. Porter was blessed with a roster that has been NBA-championship quality for the last 4 years, but Kerr is changing the deck of cards, and possible the Suns’ planned style in the process.

The Suns swung a deal that shipped off Raja Bell and Boris Diaw in exchange for Jason Richardson, marking at least a “mini-return” of the run and gun Suns. As of Thursday, Phoenix is 15-10, and sitting in 7th place in the Western Conference, 6.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

Links from around the web about the hiring of Terry Porter to guide the Suns…

• Porter to become Suns’ next head coach [ESPN.com]
• Phoenix will hire Terry Porter [AOL Fanhouse]
• New Suns’ Coach Terry Porter discusses the upcoming season [AOL Fanhouse]

Read the rest of Fanster’s Top 25 Sports stories of 2008 here

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Tags: Boris Diaw, Jason Richardson, Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix Suns, Raja Bell, Steve Kerr, Terry Porter