It didn't take Terry Porter long to understand the expectations facing him as he takes over the Phoenix Suns.
One of the first questions at Porter’s introductory news conference on Monday came from Phil Gordon, a Suns fan who also happens to be the mayor of Phoenix.
“Coach, are we going to have a world champion team this year?” Gordon asked.
As many in the US Airways Center practice court laughed, general manager Steve Kerr turned to Porter and said, “The chair’s hot already, isn’t it?”
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Gordon’s question has dogged the Suns throughout their 40-year history. Though they have been among the NBA’s most successful franchises — the Suns’ .558 winning percentage ranks fourth in the league — the Suns have not won a title.
After failing to bring home a trophy with Mike D’Antoni’s up-tempo style, the Suns hope the 45-year-old Porter will provide a new approach, combining a fastbreak offense with a stronger emphasis on defense.
After reaching the Western Conference finals in 2005 and 2006, Phoenix was eliminated in the second round last year and made a first-round exit this spring. But Porter embraced the high expectations.
“I think it is a championship-caliber team,” said Porter, who reportedly agreed to a three-year contract worth about US$7 million. “I think they have some pieces in place that have obviously competed at that level over the last four years.”
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Porter inherits a talented but aging roster that features former MVPs Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal, along with one of the league’s best front-line players in Amare Stoudemire.
Porter comes to the Suns from the Detroit Pistons, where he served as an assistant coach. His hiring ends a monthlong search for a successor to D’Antoni, who left to coach the New York Knicks.
Under D’Antoni, the Suns employed an attack predicated on firing shots in seven seconds or less, a style that won many admirers. But the Suns’ inability to play consistent defense haunted them.
Kerr said he believes Porter will help toughen the Suns’ defense without sacrificing their appealing offense.
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