HoopsHype.com Rumors

Vincent Goodwill: Lindsey Hunter interviewed with the Pistons yesterday, McMillan is interviewing today Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Nate McMillan, Lindsey Hunter 

Jeff Weltman, as has been reported, is the frontrunner to be the Phoenix Suns' next GM, and one source said he was team president Lon Babby's preference when he first joined the Suns but that owner Robert Sarver was eager to tap the San Antonio Spurs' braintrust and therefore preferred the now-deposed Lance Blanks. The bigger question is, how much longer will Sarver be calling the shots? One source says the increased evaluation of franchises inspired by the Seattle-Sacramento fight over the Kings has Sarver wondering if it's time to cash out. Sulia

Phoenix Suns, Jeff Weltman, Lon Babby, Robert Sarver, Lance Blanks 

We can only speculate what his role would be in Chicago next season if he resigns with the Bulls, which will have Derrick Rose back, but you can expect a number of other teams to consider Robinson on a multi-year deal. Teams like Dallas and Detroit could be in the market for a veteran guard who can handle the ball and score, but that will be much clearer after the NBA draft in June, when Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams are expected to both be selected in the first 14 picks. Other teams like Portland and Phoenix with money to spend and the need for guard depth could also be suitors. ESPN.com

Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Nate Robinson 

Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Utah and Cleveland are interested in Scotty Hopson, currently playing for Israeli team Hapoel Eilat. Hopson could play the Summer League with one of these teams. Walla Sport

Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Summer League, Scotty Hopson 

Bucks assistant general manager Jeff Weltman is in the mix as a strong candidate for the Phoenix Suns' general manager position. And the Bucks have granted Weltman permission to interview with the Suns, a basketball source indicated Saturday. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Jeff Weltman 

Suns interim coach and full-time candidate Lindsey Hunter will be interviewed by the Detroit Pistons for their head- coaching position. With the Suns’ coaching decision on hold while they select a new general manager, the Pistons asked for permission to interview Hunter, who has returned to his family home in Detroit. “It’s just an interview, like any other,” said Hunter, who was interviewed for Orlando’s head-coaching job last summer. “They (the Pistons) have a coaching opening and I was fortunate that they’d consider me. Hopefully, I’ll continue to gain interest from other people.” Arizona Republic

Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lindsey Hunter 

Blanks was fired Monday but Suns President Lon Babby, who said Hunter remains a strong candidate for the full-time job. “From talking to him, I do feel that way,” Hunter said of Babby’s statement. “I think he still feels I’m a strong candidate. Although Lance and I were really close, I felt like I was equally respected in the organization by all parts. I was hurt for my friend, but I wasn’t concerned about anything.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lon Babby, Lindsey Hunter 

With the Suns’ head coach decision on hold while they select a new general manager, the Pistons asked for permission to interview Hunter, who has returned to his family home in Detroit. “It’s just an interview, like any other,” said Hunter, who was interviewed for Orlando’s head coaching job last summer. “They (the Pistons) have a coaching opening and I was fortunate that they’d consider me. Hopefully, I’ll continue to gain interest from other people.” Arizona Republic

Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lindsey Hunter 

Suns President Lon Babby all but dismissed the possibility of hiring Charles Barkley as the team’s next general manager on Tuesday, but Barkley told Brad Cesmat on his “Big Guy on Sports” radio show on XTRA Sports 910-AM that he’s interested in the job. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley, Lon Babby 

Barkley put his finger on the problem with the scenario when he said, “For me personally, I need another challenge and that challenge is running an NBA team.” He also said of club president Lon Babby and managing partner Robert Sarver: “The notion of Lon and Robert telling me about basketball players. . .that’s not going to happen.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley, Lon Babby, Robert Sarver, Owners 

A good number of executives felt Lance Blanks got a raw deal when he was fired as the Phoenix Suns' GM earlier this week. Blanks, who comes out of the Spurs' highly regarded front office tree, is respected around the league and several execs thought he became the Suns' scapegoat. Blanks was indeed pushed out front on a few moves that weren't his doing, sources said. While blamed on Blanks, sources say the heavily panned signing of Michael Beasley to a three-year, $18 million deal was president Lon Babby's call. Blanks, having worked with the volatile Delonte West in Cleveland, warned Babby that paying Beasley that much guaranteed money would take away his incentive to work hard and change. But Babby didn't listen and got a disappointing 10 points per game on 40 percent shooting out of Beasley. Blanks also had little to do with the firing of Alvin Gentry, sources said. Milwaukee assistant GM Jeff Weltman, a longtime league executive who has worked for Detroit, Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers, is widely regarded as the frontrunner to replace Blanks in Phoenix. ESPN.com

Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Jeff Weltman, Lance Blanks 

Now that the Suns’ GM job came open this week, the more likely GM candidates are names that are largely to the general fan – Milwaukee assistant GM Jeff Weltman and former Indiana GM David Morway, for examples. But Barkley is interested, but not desperate for the job. Barkley has not been contacted by the Suns he did talk Wednesday on Brad Cesmat’s “Pros 2 Preps” show (KGME-AM) and addressed the topic in his usual candid way. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Jeff Weltman, Charles Barkley, David Morway 

On Babby’s comment that Barkley might not want to do the “rowing” that the job requires: “Trust me, the people who have been rowing the boat, they’ve been rowing the Titanic, just for the record. The Suns are the Titanic. So the notion that I can’t do better than them is ridiculous. The Suns stink. So whoever has been rowing the boat has just done a horrific job so let’s just get that straight and out of the way. I made it perfectly clear that I’m going to be a GM. The Suns know my number. They know that I want to be a GM. I’ve had a couple opportunities that wasn’t very good. I mean I’m not going to give up a great job unless I get what I want. I’m in the driver’s seat. I don’t need their job. I want to be a GM. But the notion that I can’t do better than what they’re doing is ridiculous. Brad, just for the record, you could probably do a better job.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley 

On whether he is serious about becoming a GM: “I’ve talked openly the last couple years about wanting to be a GM. I didn’t even know the suns job was going to be open so it has nothing to do with that. Listen, I know my basketball. I know my players. That’s what the job is about. The Suns have not made good draft picks. Whoever you want to blame, you could just blame all of the above because they have not made good draft picks. The two best players on the roster are Goran Dragic and Marcin Gortat. I like both of those players. I like both of those players a lot. But to say the rest, the jury is still out, would be an understatement. They need somebody in there who knows what they’re doing. I’m not going to beg them for a job. I’m not going to worry about it if I don’t get the job. Listen, the people who have been running that ship, crashed and burned it. They need somebody else who actually knows what they’re doing.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley 

On whether he wants the Suns GM job: “I will listen to the job. I want to be a GM. I will listen to the job. I ain’t going to let anybody down there tell me about basketball. Let’s get that straight. Their track record ain’t that good. Their track record is not that good down there. I don’t know Lon Babby that well. And I don’t know Robert (Sarver) that well. Robert has always treated me good. But the notion that I would let Lon and Robert tell me about basketball players. That’s not going to happen. I can tell you that right now. Robert has treated me great and I don’t know Lon that well. But the notion that I would let them tell me who to draft and who to pick and who to trade, that’s not going to happen. I like my chances better. If they want to hire somebody they can control, who’s going to be a flunky, they’ve already did that once. They already did that once. I’ve had this same conversation and I’ve criticized Michael Jordan. If you’re just going to hire flunkies and you’re going to throw them under the bus when you make bad draft picks, I don’t want that job. The notion that Lance Blanks has been running the Suns organization, the notion that he’s been drafting these players and making trades, if they think I’m stupid enough or you’re stupid enough to believe that, if they think I’m going to put my name out there and let somebody make bad draft picks and then throw me under the bus, that’s not going to happen, bro. I promise you that.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Charles Barkley 

Matt Dery: Source: Lindsey Hunter has asked #Suns for permission to interview for #Pistons HC vacancy. It will likely be granted soon. Twitter

Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lindsey Hunter 

Babby would like for the Suns to tab a new GM before addressing the coaching situation, although he did call interim head coach Lindsey Hunter “a good strong candidate.” The GM search began this week with the Suns considering Milwaukee assistant GM Jeff Weltman (a finalist in 2010 when Blanks was hired), former Indiana Pacers GM and Arizona graduate David Morway and former Lakers assistant GM Ronnie Lester. Assistant GMs Ryan McDonough (Boston), Wes Wilcox (Atlanta) and Troy Weaver (Oklahoma City) are potential candidates too. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Ronnie Lester, Jeff Weltman, Troy Weaver, Wes Wilcox, David Morway, Ryan McDonough 

The first step in returning the franchise to its winning ways is hiring a player personnel man to replace Blanks and complement Babby’s skillset. “First and foremost what we need is a first-rate talent evaluator, a chief talent officer if you will,” Babby said. “That will be my focus. Wherever that leads us, that will be the decision we make on the person. That person is going to have the loudest voice on basketball decisions, as has been the case the last three years. We have to get that person right.” NBA.com

Phoenix Suns, Lon Babby 

Paul Coro: Babby will target a #Suns GM hire in hopes of working with that GM on a coaching choice. He's inclined to not hire one person for both jobs. Twitter @paulcoro

Phoenix Suns, Lon Babby 

Hunter remains a viable candidate to be the future full-time head coach despite Blanks’ ouster. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Lindsey Hunter