The Heat are out and the Suns are in as an affiliate for the Iowa Energy basketball team.
Phoenix Suns and Energy officials Tuesday announced the NBA and D-League franchises have agreed to an affiliation for next season, replacing the Miami Heat.
The Chicago Bulls will continue their association with the team that plays home games at Wells Fargo Arena and is coming off its inaugural season.
"I met with (Energy ownership group member) Jerry Crawford during the season, and he expressed an interest in an affiliation,"
Suns general manager Steve Kerr told The Des Moines Register in a telephone interview. "I ended up taking a trip to Des Moines, looking at the facility, meeting the ownership group, meeting (coach) Nick Nurse, and seeing the whole operation and being impressed."
The Suns-Bulls connection adds another new dynamic today, when Chicago is expected to name Vinny Del Negro as its new coach. He spent the past two years as Phoenix's assistant general manager.
The Suns were eliminated in the first round of this year's playoffs by San Antonio, and next season's squad will be directed by new coach Terry Porter, who was introduced Monday.
Former coach Mike D'Antoni rarely went deep into his bench during tight games, so 2007 draft choices Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry gained experience playing for the Suns' former D-League affiliate in Albuquerque.
Tucker was a first-round selection out of Wisconsin.
"We need to get deeper,"
said Kerr, who will have the 15th and 48th picks in this year's draft. "And having the ability to send young guys down to the D-League is a huge benefit to us."
"We envision using our D-League affiliate quite a bit in terms of player development. I think the important thing for us is (the Energy) have a great environment, an NBA-type facility and an incredibly well-run operation. It's probably a better working environment for us in terms of developing our young guys."
Energy coach Nick Nurse said he has known Del Negro for a long time.
"I hope to meet Terry Porter shortly,"
Nurse said. "I think they will have some good young players."
Last season, the Bulls made eight roster moves affecting the Energy and involving players JamesOn Curry, Demetris Nichols, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons.
The Heat made two moves — assigning 2007 first-round draft choice Daequan Cook and Joel Anthony to the Energy before recalling them 10 days later.
"The Heat people were great,"
Nurse said. "They had a lot of injuries and they kind of had to hang on to their young guys."
Kerr can relate to the challenges a young player encounters when trying to make an NBA roster and find playing time. The former University of Arizona guard was drafted by Phoenix in 1988 with the final pick in the second round.
He averaged 6 minutes of action in 26 games as a rookie.
His career lasted 14 seasons and included four championships.
"It would have been really important for me because I didn't play at all my first year,"
Kerr said of how the developmental league could have enhanced his first season. "I love what the league has done now, putting together these affiliations, because it's important for players to play and develop."
