Posted: June 15, 2010
Steve Kerr will leave the Phoenix Suns as president of basketball operations and general manager when his contract runs out June 30th. Kerr will pursue opportunities in broadcasting.
“After much thought and deliberation, I have decided this is the right time for me to move on both professionally and personally,” said Kerr. “The past three years have been exceptional for me. The work and dedication of everyone with the organization is tremendous and I appreciate the passion and commitment that Robert Sarver has for the Phoenix Suns and creating a perennial winner. I feel the team is well poised for the future, with strong leadership both on the roster and in the front office, and a good mix of veterans and young talent that will continue to grow together and succeed at the highest level.”
Kerr will explore opportunities in broadcasting.
“A broadcasting opportunity would allow me to spend more time with my family which is very important to me. I will certainly miss the relationships I’ve forged here with the players, coaches and members of the organization. It’s a special group of people and I wish the organization nothing but success moving forward.”
Commenting on Kerr’s departure, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver said, “We wish Steve nothing but the best and thank him for all the contributions he has made to our club during his tenure, and for helping to lay the foundation for our current and future success.”
Originally named to the role of president of basketball operations and general manager on June 6, 2007, Kerr saw the Suns average nearly 52 wins per season in his three-year tenure in the club’s front office and compile an overall mark of 155-91 (.630) in that span.
Just three players remain from the roster inherited by Kerr in 2007, as he assembled a balanced roster of stars and role players, comprised of both veterans and developing prospects. It resulted in the third-best regular season record in the ultra-competitive Western Conference in 2010 and a berth in the Western Conference Finals.
In the process, Kerr turned one of the NBA’s oldest rosters into one that includes only two players over the age of 30, and did so without taking away the club’s trademark offensive explosiveness and deep-shooting accuracy. The Suns led the league in scoring in both 2008-09 (109.4) and 2009-10 (110.2), and shot a franchise-record 41.2 percent from three-point range in 2009-10, second-highest in NBA history.
The five-time NBA Champion as a player was a 15-year NBA veteran and played for six teams during his career.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Arizona, the 44-year-old Kerr and his wife Margot have three children: Nicholas, Madeleine and Matthew.