October 3, 2007

Rivera: Savvy Kerr right man to settle Marion dispute
STEVE RIVERA
Tucson Citizen

If there's one thing about the career of former Arizona basketball star Steve Kerr, he's always found his niche.

It helps when he's savvy and smart enough to make the right decisions, such as:

• Turning down a scholarship to Cal-State Fullerton to accept an offer at Arizona in 1983.

• Realizing he wasn't the swiftest afoot, and becoming one of the game's sharpest outside shooters.

• Making the most of being a second-round draft pick of the Phoenix Suns in 1988, learning from Kevin Johnson and Jeff Hornacek.

• Deciding to play for the Chicago Bulls, even though Michael Jordan was retired when Kerr got there. Eventually, Jordan returned from playing baseball and Kerr won three straight NBA titles.

• And, in the twilight of his career, going to San Antonio to align himself alongside Tim Duncan and win two more rings.

Now comes Kerr's role as president and general manager of the Phoenix Suns, where he's a big decision maker.

It's a perfect fit.

"My strengths are communicating, having played for 15 years," said Kerr, 42, as the Suns began their preseason camp at McKale Center on Tuesday.

"And having played for five championship teams gives me credibility and experience to have been through situations just like this one."

It helps also that Kerr is a multi-tasker, able to deal with the seemingly minute-to-minute minutiae that goes with the job.

If he's not on the phone, he's in a meeting or he's dealing with the media wanting to know inside information of what's really going on behind closed doors.

Then there's his job of soothing over of drama - money, playing time, fame - that many teams go through in the NBA.

Much like he's experiencing now - just four months on the job - with the Shawn Marion situation. Marion, an eight-year veteran forward, reportedly has requested a trade after not getting a contract extension.

Kerr is confident the matter will get corrected. After all, he's seen it play out for the better in Chicago in 1998, when an unhappy Scottie Pippen, in the shadow of Jordan, smoothed over things with the Bulls and they won a title.

"We won the championship because guys played for each other,'' Kerr said. "We didn't let allow distractions to get to us.''
Kerr, ever pragmatic, feels that will occur with the Suns and Marion, too. It's his job to facilitate the matter. His past will help.

Still, he said, he's "learning on the fly.''

But he has an edge: Kerr is close to most his new co-workers, having been a consultant for the team the past few years.

"I've had a chance to sit in on drafts and team meetings,'' he said. "I didn't feel like I was coming in totally naked.''

He then - jokingly - apologized for even bringing up that image.

Then again, he's probably used to half-naked images of himself on the beach in San Diego, where his family now lives while he lives part-time in Phoenix.

"I do have a little less free time,'' he said, when asked about no more beach time. "It's a little stressed now and again, but this is something I enjoy.''

The stress is something he can handle. What bigger stage was there than in 1997, when he hit the game-winner against Utah in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to give the Bulls the title?

"As a player you more stressed about yourself,'' he said. "You don't have a lot of responsibility other than making sure you're getting your work done and being a good teammate.

"Now, I'm taking care of a lot of other people. I have to be aware of who's doing well and who is struggling.''

Seemingly easy work for the efficient Kerr.

"Talk to me in a year,'' he said, "I might want to go sit on the beach the rest of my life. We'll see how it goes. But I'm enjoying it and looking forward to the season.''