(Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns have agreed to coach Mike D'Antoni's request to talk with other teams, the club announced Monday. "As we have continued to convey, we value Mike D'Antoni as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and would like him to continue leading this basketball team," Suns general manager Steve Kerr said in a statement. "Because he has requested to speak to other teams about their head coaching vacancies, we have granted him permission. We will have no further comment until this process further evolves."

The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls will both reportedly speak with D'Antoni, who led the Suns to a 55-27 record this past season before Phoenix was ousted by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

The 2004-05 NBA Coach of the Year, D'Antoni led the Suns to a 253-136 record in nearly five full seasons with the team after taking the helm 30 games into the 2003-04 campaign. D'Antoni also coached 50 games with the Denver Nuggets in 1998-99 and amassed a 14-36 mark.

The Suns have won at least 54 games in each of D'Antoni's four full seasons, including three straight Pacific Division titles from 2005-07, but Phoenix was just 26-25 in the postseason under D'Antoni and never reached the NBA Finals.







Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved