When Elston Turner joined the Phoenix Suns as the lead assistant coach in 2011, one of the lures to Phoenix was that he would be next in line should the head-coach position come open.

Turner was fiercely loyal to head coach Alvin Gentry and then turned fiercely upset when the Suns let Gentry go last week and turned to player assistant coordinator Lindsey Hunter on Sunday to be the interim coach for the season’s second half.

After missing three practices and a road game, Turner and Suns management agreed to part ways with his full salary paid.

“The impression that I got was that it may be tough to find a spot for a 16-year veteran with 15 straight years of winning experience,” Turner said Thursday.

via Paul Coro for USA TODAY Sports