NBA

Bickerstaff has already interview for several other openings and has emerged as one of the hotter candidates in this summer's job market. The Suns also plan to interview Jeff Hornacek, Steve Clifford, Kelvin Sampson and Quin Snyder for the opening.

The names come as expected, but it's a sign Lindsey Hunter is anything but a lock to return as head coach. New GM Ryan McDonough will want to install his own personnel now that he's in charge, so we'd be surprised if Hunter got to hold onto the gig.

Hunter was referred to as "one of the top guys" previously by GM Ryan McDonough, but it's hard to imagine the former guard getting another chance after his abysmal showing last season. McDonough hasn't set up any formal meetings with candidates, but according to Yahoo!, he has Jeff Hornacek, Quin Snyder, J.B. Bickerstaff, Kelvin Sampson and Steve Clifford on the radar.

McDonough was referring to both the current sexual assault investigation surrounding Beasley and his play on the court. He's 24 years old, has already played for three teams and has been labeled as a team cancer. "Michael has made mistakes and has some growing to do, but he is a talented young player," said McDonough. "Whoever the next coach is, he and I are going to try and help him see the value of hard work and hope he learns from those mistakes." Beasley is entering the second year of a three-year deal he signed with the Suns last offseason.

This is much different than calling Hunter a "candidate." Although we still don't expect Hunter to retain his position as head coach after looking lost on the sidelines when he took over this year, it's clear McDonough hasn't slammed the door shut on that possibility completely. "The most important thing to find in our head coach is someone who is a leader," McDonough said.

Dragic frustrated many fantasy owners expecting big things from him this season in Phoenix, but it's a good thing that the new GM has already gone on the record in favor of the starting point guard. "Goran Dragic is a very good, tough point guard, a player I've liked for a while," McDonough said. The new GM also complimented Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley and Luis Scola.

McDonough, speaking at his introductory presser Thursday, said finding a new coach will be his first order of business and nothing he said made us think that reports of Hunter's impending ouster are untrue. We fully expect Hunter will get a cursory interview with McDonough but will likely be let go before long so the new GM can pick his own guy.