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Scola said he thought Hunter did “a great job. Circumstances were bad and he did as good as he could. But I don’t make those decisions. I’m just a player.” Would a third coach in less than a year be unsettling for the team? “I think it would be a sign of things being bad,” Scola said. “But things are bad.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, Lindsey Hunter 

It's safe to say in terms of wins and losses little progress has been made (10-27) since Lindsey Hunter was tagged as the interim head coach back on January 20. So is Hunter a shoe-in to have his tag removed this off-season? "It's a fair question," Suns president Lon Babby told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Tuesday. "We're in a results business, so you have to look at the results. But I think also in fairness you have to put the results in context where we are in the season and how difficult it is to persevere, which I don't think we've fully done by any stretch of the imagination." When pressed further on whether that meant the organization had already made a decision on Hunter's future, Babby wouldn't commit to anything. "You can interpret (my comments) any way you want," said Babby. "I'm not going to answer one way or the other...there's plenty of time to sort it out and make the right decision and move forward." Arizona's Sports Page

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lon Babby, Lindsey Hunter 

One source with knowledge of the situation said this week that Hunter has a "good shot" to see his interim label switched to permanent head coach at season's end. Makes sense with Babby staying and general manager Lance Blanks already under contract for next season … and with Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley and Marcin Gortat -- if Dudley and Gortat aren't dealt to teams better equipped to use -- needing so much more help for the coaching to really make a difference. ESPN.com

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lindsey Hunter 

The interim title attached to Suns’ coach Lindsey Hunter won’t disappear before the end of the season. Lon Babby, Phoenix’s president of basketball operations, reaffirmed Thursday that no decision on Hunter’s future would be decided until the off-season. The Suns are 10-18 under Hunter, who replaced Alvin Gentry as head coach in mid-January. “We said all along we’re going to wait until the end of the year to assess the full body of work, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Babby said. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lon Babby, Lindsey Hunter 

Asked what has encouraged him about Hunter, Babby said: “There have been positives but you’re not going to trick me into answering your question. I’m not going to give an interim report on the interim coach.” Hunter said he’s OK with not knowing his status beyond the final 13 games this season. “The least of my worries is that,” he said. “I would not even want to talk about that right now. I’ve got bigger things to do. I’ve got a lot to handle.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lon Babby, Lindsey Hunter 

With the Suns struggling to forge an identity under interim coach Lindsey Hunter, Scola’s role often has been reduced as Hunter experiments with different rotations. The 6-foot-9-inch Argentinian admits to feeling discouraged at times. “It’s hard for me. It’s hard,” Scola said. “It is (frustrating), but I try to use that frustration to work a little harder. Just try to stay ready and in shape.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Luis Scola, Lindsey Hunter 

Whatever frustrations he may be feeling, Scola is keeping them private, living up to his reputation as a team player. “We have no problems with Scola whatsoever,” Hunter said. “He’s the ultimate professional. If he plays 30 or he plays three (minutes), he’s the same guy — consistent. So he’s been great for us.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Luis Scola, Lindsey Hunter 

Dudley did reiterate that the lack of communication between he and the coach isn't a bad thing. "You can't even say this is Lindsey's first year -- he's been on the job for what, two months," he asked. "He's got a lot of stuff thrown at him and and I'm one of things that 'hey, I'm not worried about Jared, Jared takes care of his business. Right now I'm worried about trying to change the culture to my style of coaching.'" Arizona's Sports Page

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Jared Dudley, Lindsey Hunter 

Hunter said his comment last week that forward Michael Beasley doesn’t respond well to a coach yelling at him shouldn’t be misconstrued as a referendum on Beasley’s toughness. “It’s just like raising kids,” Hunter said. “One kid you may be able to raise your voice with, the other kid if you raise your voice they break down and cry.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Michael Beasley, Lindsey Hunter 

But how does Beasley then handle things not going well on the floor? “Nobody is yelling at him on the court,” Hunter said. “I know a lot of kids that thrive on the basketball court but can’t take a coach yelling at them. It’s just the way some personalities are. As a coach I have to recognize that and get the best out of the kid. I have to coach him in a way that he’s receptive to.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Michael Beasley, Lindsey Hunter 

Hunter understands the frustration from Turner and Majerle, but, "I don't feel guilty," he said. "This is what we all work for. We never know how it's going to come or when it's going to come. The thing we have to do is prepare the best we can for when it does come." Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

Lindsey Hunter had staying power as an NBA player, sticking around the league largely as a reserve point guard for 17 seasons as a product of Jackson State. Now he's looking to prove he can stay in the league as more than just interim head coach of the Phoenix Suns, a promotion that didn't go over well with some in the Suns' organization. "I've been hated on my whole life," Hunter told Yahoo! Sports. "Why should it be any different now? "I don't care. But if people aren't hating on you that means you're not making an impact. Prominent people in our country were hated on because they made an impact." Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

Hunter has taken the lead on the defense while Kokoskov is in charge of the offense. With no training camp or much practice, Dudley said Hunter can't put his stamp on the team and break bad habits. "No situation will ever be ideal," Hunter said. "But what are you going to do? You go in with your hardhat on and go to work." This wasn't Hunter's first shot at a head coaching job. The Orlando Magic were so intrigued by Hunter that he interviewed last summer for their top spot despite a lack of coaching experience (Hunter started his front-office career with the Chicago Bulls in 2010 when he became a player development assistant). He was brought back for a second interview before the Magic hired Jacque Vaughn. "That was great preparation for me, perfect preparation for me," Hunter said. Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

Hunter said he received 102 text messages after he became interim coach. Texters included one of his ex-coaches, Larry Brown, as well as former teammates Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Grant Hill. He also talked to Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson, both former point guards who landed coaching jobs without experience. "He's a guy who doesn't think he knows all of the answers," Jackson said. "He loves the game. He has been around some great minds. He is going to be just fine. I think it's great that he has the opportunity." Yahoo! Sports

Phoenix Suns, Doc Rivers, Rasheed Wallace, Coaching, Mark Jackson, Larry Brown, Grant Hill, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

Last item on Suns (promise): third source on the whole Hunter/Gentry/Majerle issue discounts core-guys-behind- Hunter view because "guys like (Jared) Dudley, (Goran) Dragic and (Luis) Scola are going to play hard for anybody since they have great character." Sulia

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Dan Majerle, Lindsey Hunter 

I reported a team source saying that if the Suns' players voted, they would've picked Dan Majerle as their choice to succeed Alvin Gentry, not Lindsey Hunter. A second team source doesn't categorically dispute that but said more core players were in favor of Hunter than Majerle. The results since Hunter has taken over supports that. Sulia

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

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 

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, Lindsey Hunter 

"First off, it was clear that he was the right guy based on what I was hearing from the support staff, from players, and others," said Blanks, who - like Babby - joined the Suns after Steve Kerr's abrupt resignation as general manager and the Sarver-led free agency period in 2010 in which Phoenix added the likes of Hakim Warrick (now in Charlotte) and Channing Frye on long-term deals and Amar'e Stoudemire signed in New York. "And the thing that I kept hearing is that they wanted to have the level of accountability, structure, leadership, honesty, someone who was willing to tell them the truth to their face. And they were all saying — as I saw it, and as we saw it in the interview process — they were saying 'Lindsey' without saying 'Lindsey.' "He's a 17-year NBA veteran player. He's been around the business, roughly, about 20 years. He's worked in front offices, he worked for us scouting for little to nothing. He's a workaholic. He gets in the office at 6 in the morning, easy. He's up late at night with the guys getting shots up. …There is a precedent for (this sort of hiring). We've seen other teams recently who have hired young guys who have played who can relate to the players well and who are willing to develop them and challenge them and make them as good as they can be. It just made sense." USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lance Blanks, Lindsey Hunter 

Blanks said there was another Western Conference team that wanted Hunter on its coaching staff as well, so the Suns were relieved when he stayed put. Yet because of the widely-held perception that Hunter had been deemed the heir apparent on the bench going into the season, his presence put unwelcome pressure on the coaching staff. That much was clear in the reaction of the assistants to the Hunter hire, as Majerle has since eviscerated his former bosses publicly and Turner made the decision to leave. USA Today Sports

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lance Blanks, Lindsey Hunter