Suns GM refutes report D'Antoni won't be back

by FOXSports.com

Updated: April 30, 2008, 9:14 PM EST 394 comments

Big changes in Phoenix?

The Bulls and Knicks are in hot pursuit of Mike D'Antoni. Will the Suns coach take his offensive prowess to the Eastern Conference?

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News:
• Reports: Bulls, Knicks vying for D'Antoni
• Spurs end Suns' season in Game 5
  
  Analysis:
• Hill: Suns should keep D'Antoni
• Rosen: Suns' fun-n-gun may be done
• Kahn: End of an era in Phoenix


Other changes:
• Report: Carlisle, Mavs close to deal
• Johnson out as Dallas coach |

"There's no truth to that," Kerr told the Arizona Republic. "I asked Mike when the story came out and he denied it. Mike's our coach and has done a great job for four years. We'll get together soon and talk about where this team can go from here."

Sportsillustrated.com posted a report late Tuesday saying D'Antoni would not be back, and it followed a story in the magazine last week that painted a picture of strife between the coaching staff and management.

D'Antoni came under fire in the past week as the Suns struggled badly in their first-round playoff series with San Antonio, and Kerr said personnel evaluations would be made after the season, which came to a close Tuesday with a 92-87 loss to the Spurs,

D'Antoni has two years and $8.5 million left on his contract, the newspaper reported.

The Suns lost to the Spurs in the playoffs for the second consecutive year despite a major midseason deal to bring Shaquille O'Neal to Phoenix, a trade that sent Shawn Marion to Miami. The deal proved largely fruitless, as the Suns never seemed to hit their stride with O'Neal on the floor and and San Antonio took advantage of the 7-foot-1 center's lack of proficiency at the free-throw line.