Majerle angry he didn’t get shot as Suns coach
by Paul Coro, USA TODAY Sports
Dan Majerle is one of Phoenix’s favorite sons and Suns, so promoting him to interim head coach would have been a huge hit with the fan base in such a dire time for the organization.
Popularity is not what made Majerle as a coach, although he would have been the popular choice with players, too. That sentiment, which ignores his coaching ability and potential, is what infuriates Majerle about the weekend’s two-day process that produced first-year player development coordinator Lindsey Hunter as interim head coach.
Majerle said he believes the interview process to replace former head coach Alvin Gentry was a charade because he thinks General Manager Lance Blanks already had settled on Hunter over the assistant coaches.
“It’s been a hard pill to swallow,” Majerle said. “The first thing that disappoints me is usually in a situation like this, the interim gets the jobs and that is Elston (Turner) with his 14 years of experience. Once he didn’t get it, I thought I deserved it. The thing I keep hearing management say on the radio is that hiring me would’ve been the popular and easy thing to do. I earned it. I deserved a shot if it’s not going to be Elston. I coached 5 ½ years. I coached the summer leagues. I didn’t need a favor. Picking Elston would’ve been the easy thing to do.”
Majerle told the team he did not want to return as an assistant under Hunter and received his full salary while Turner is still weighing his future, although he has not participated in the past three practices and did not join the team for Hunter’s first game as coach Wednesday night in Sacramento.
“They talk about integrity,” Majerle said. “To skip over two qualified people didn’t make sense. They chose Lindsey, a guy not even on the coaching staff and who they told us was only there to help us. I think they had their minds made up already before the interviews. I was going to lay low and not comment but I heard people from the organization get on the radio and say I would’ve been … [For more on Dan Majerle angry he didn't get shot as Suns coach, click here.]
Loading ...
