NBA roundup: Suns name Hunter interim head coach
The Phoenix Suns named Lindsey Hunter as the interim head coach two days after Alvin Gentry was fired.
Hunter played 17 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 2010 and taking a player development role with the Detroit Pistons. He joined the Suns last season and was promoted to player development director this year.
Hunter, 40, has no previous coaching experience. He averaged 8.5 points in 937 career NBA games, winning titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002 and the Pistons in 2004.
The Suns have a 13-28 record, worst in the Western Conference.
Elston Turner, a noted defense guru on the Suns' staff, had also been considered for the interim job.
---The Miami Heat re-signed forward Jarvis Varnado to a second 10-day contract and signed forward/center Chris Andersen to a 10-day contract.
Varnado signed with the team Jan. 9 and appeared in two games, scoring a total of two points with a pair of blocked shots while seeing 12 minutes of action.
Andersen is a 10-year veteran who has averaged 5.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 482 career games.
---Forward/center Jeremy Tyler was re-assigned by the Golden State Warriors to their D-League affiliate, Santa Cruz.
Tyler, 21, has averaged 1.1 points and 3.1 minutes in 16 games with the Warriors this season.
---The Los Angeles Lakers played the second half of their 108-103 loss to Toronto on Sunday without center Dwight Howard, who was ejected in the in the second quarter after getting tangled up with Alan Anderson.
