BLOG UPDATE: Most of Porter's comments didn't 'make tomorrow's paper, so I've added them to the end of this blog post.
I'm not the biggest fan of mini-blog posts, but it's a necessity since I spilled the Terry Porter beans on Mike Lamb's KHTK show minutes ago.
The former Milwaukee and Phoenix coach told me today in a phone interview that he would not be joining the Kings as an assistant to head coach Paul Westphal. Porter said he did speak with Westphal about the job, but his current plan is to sit next season out while continuing to survey the landscape. He is being paid through next season on his Suns contract after being fired midway through last season. More in tomorrow's Bee...
ADDENDUM...Porter was fired midway through the Suns' 2008-09 season, with a 23-18 record that clearly wasn't enough to keep owner Robert Sarver and GM Steve Kerr content.
His was a tough situation, with Porter entering as the coach to follow Mike D'Antoni and his high-octane offensive ways and implement a defensive approach that simply didn't fit so much of the personnel. And after he provided an update on the fact that he wouldn't be coming on board as a Kings assistant, Porter touched on his firing and whether he thought it was fair.
"Coaches know you get hired and you get fired," he began. "Am I disappointed? Yeah. Anybody who has played this sport or been in any situation or job where they thought they'd like to be given a fair chance would be. It didn't turn out that way long enough.
"You know, it is what it is. It's the wonderful world of NBA coaching. I'm more concerned on the next phase, on my family."On his upcoming relocation away from the Phoenix area (he didn't say where the new home court would be) and how he is getting plenty of family time now...
"You do get a chance to reconnect with your family somewhat. Coaching is such a grind, a 24-hour demand a lot of the time. There's a lot of people pulling at you, a lot of people you've got to touch bases with. When you don't have that, it's an abrupt stop. You need to reconnect with the family, and that's always nice too."
On whether he's willing to be an assistant in his next NBA job or if he is only interested in head jobs...
"I really just have to see when (job opportunities) come. I left Milwaukee and got a chance to be an assistant in Detroit with Flip (Saunders). It was a great experience, and I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot. I was blessed being in a situation where you're going to learn. You never stop learning." - Sam Amick
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