HoopsHype.com Rumors

Marc Stein: Jeff Hornacek also scheduled to interview for Bobcats' opening by end of coming week. Alvin Gentry and Elston Turner interviewed already Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Alvin Gentry, Jeff Hornacek, Elston Turner 

Lucas also runs a pre-draft workout group. Last year’s group included 16 of the 60 players that were selected. Among the players working with Ledo in Houston are Solomon Hill (Arizona), Zeke Marshall (Akron) and Elston Turner (Texas A&M). Lucas says what he does is tell talented, young players what they don’t want to hear. Providence Journal

Draft, John Lucas, Elston Turner, Ricky Ledo, Zeke Marshall, Solomon Hill 

Clifford becomes the sixth known candidate to fill the opening created when the Bobcats fired Mike Dunlap last month. The others: Former Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry and four assistants: Nate Tibbetts (Cleveland), Kelvin Sampson (Houston), Jeff Hornacek (Utah) and Elston Turner (most recently with the Suns). Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Alvin Gentry, Jeff Hornacek, Elston Turner, Nate Tibbetts 

he list of known candidates for the Charlotte Bobcats head-coaching job is at five and probably growing. Various news sources have identified four current NBA assistants, plus Shelby native Alvin Gentry, who has been a head coach with four NBA teams. The assistants (in alphabetical order): Jeff Hornacek (Utah Jazz), Kelvin Sampson (Houston Rockets), Nate Tibbetts (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Elston Turner (most recently with the Phoenix Suns). Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Alvin Gentry, Jeff Hornacek, Elston Turner, Nate Tibbetts 

Marc J. Spears: Long-time NBA assistant Elston Turner slated to interview with the Bobcats next Wednesday in Charlotte, a source told Y! Sports. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Elston Turner 

David Aldridge: Former Suns coach Alvin Gentry will interview w/Bobcats next week. Also confirm Yahoo! report that CHA will also talk w/Elston Turner. Twitter @daldridgetnt

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Alvin Gentry, Elston Turner 

Marc J. Spears: Longtime NBA asst. coach Elston Turner will interview for Bobcats head coach job, a source said. CHA interviews expected to start next week. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Speaking of Phoenix, some executives believe former Suns assistant Elston Turner will join Rick Adelman's coaching staff in Minnesota, with the understanding being that if Adelman steps down, Turner will take over as head coach. Turner, one of the league's most respected assistants, has worked much of his career with Adelman and the two are very close. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Rick Adelman, Elston Turner 

Ex-Suns assistant coach Elston Turner is back home in Houston. He has spoken with his good friend, Wolves coach Rick Adelman. It's very possible Turner joins the Wolves' staff in the summer. 1500 ESPN

Minnesota Timberwolves, Coaching, Rick Adelman, Elston Turner 

New Suns interim coach Lindsey Hunter won his first two games, but it’s highly doubtful that Alvin Gentry sent a congratulatory note to his successor. Suns insiders say that Gentry more than once had Hunter removed from practices when Hunter was serving in his role as a first-year player development coordinator. Hunter was regarded as a spy for the front office, which was all but confirmed after the Suns fired Gentry and tabbed Hunter over Gentry’s longtime assistants, Elston Turner and Dan Majerle, each of whom was more deserving for the interim post New York Daily News

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Alvin Gentry, Elston Turner, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

Considering Adelman badly wanted to bring Elston Turner onto his staff when he first got the job in September 2011, it makes sense to think Turner could end up with the Wolves eventually. Turner was released from his contract on Thursday. Phoenix wouldn't let him out of it previously. 1500 ESPN

Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Even then, Turner's emotional heat had cooled a little and he was ready to fulfill his contractual obligation — just as he said he'd relayed to General Manager Lance Blanks that he would should he not be selected. 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. USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Turner went to a coaches meeting Tuesday morning but was told by Hunter that Suns management wanted to speak to him before he took up the offer to return to the staff. "The whole meeting had a dark cloud hanging over it," Turner said. "It just gave me the impression that roles may change. Instead of viewing me as an asset, it made it seem like they couldn't use my experience or they would have to try to work me in. The whole tone was negative." Turner, 53, said the time away made him feel like he had an obligation to return to players, fans and basketball. "I owed the players a chance to help them get better and I'm sure they'd welcome the most qualified coach," Turner said. "I felt an obligation to the paying customer to give them the best product possible. And I love the damn game." When he mentioned wanting to stay, he said one executive asked him, "Well, why would you?" USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

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 morning. Turner went to a coaches’ meeting Tuesday morning but was told by interim coach Lindsey Hunter that Suns management wanted to speak to him before he took up the offer to return to the staff. “The whole meeting had a dark cloud hanging over it,” Turner said. “It just gave me the impression that roles may change. Instead of viewing me as an asset, it made it seem like they couldn’t use my experience or they would have to try to work me in. The whole tone was negative.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner, Lindsey Hunter 

When Elston Turner joined the 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 over 1 ½ seasons and then turned fiercely upset when the Suns let Gentry go Friday and turned to player assistant coordinator Lindsey Hunter on Sunday to be the interim coach for the season’s second half. Even then, Turner’s emotions simmered and he was ready to fulfill his contractual obligation, just as he said he had relayed to General Manager Lance Blanks that he would should he not be selected. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

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 morning. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Turner went to a coaches’ meeting Tuesday morning but was told by interim coach Lindsey Hunter that Suns management wanted to speak to him before he took up the offer to return to the staff. “The whole meeting had a dark cloud hanging over it,” Turner said. “It just gave me the impression that roles may change. Instead of viewing me as an asset, it made it seem like they couldn’t use my experience or they would have to try to work me in. The whole tone was negative.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

“I owed the players a chance to help them get better and I’m sure they’d welcome the most qualified coach,” Turner said. “I felt an obligation to the paying customer to give them the best product possible. And I love the damn game.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Meanwhile, Hunter already had named Igor Kokoskov to the role of lead assistant, which had been Turner’s title. Turner said he was openly upset with management when he was not chosen to be interim head coach because he had served as the lead assistant and had been denied the opportunity in 2011 to go to Minnesota to join Rick Adelman, who had coached with for his entire career. “It’s tough to stay somewhere where you’re really not wanted,” said Turner, who follows fellow assistant coach Dan Majerle out the door. “It was almost like they wanted what they wanted.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Elston Turner 

Suns Ring of Honor member Dan Majerle will not resume his role as assistant coach for the second half of the season. Majerle was in his fifth season as a Suns assistant coach but had stopped working with the team Sunday when Lindsey Hunter was selected as the interim head coach in place of Alvin Gentry. Hunter was selected Sunday over lead assistant coach Elston Turner, assistant coach Igor Kokoskov and Majerle, who had been the suggestion of many Suns players to General Manager Lance Blanks during interviews Friday and Saturday. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lance Blanks, Elston Turner, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter