Jones (l) as the Suns GM will have the final say on all of the team's personnel decisionsNBAE/getty images
In Phoenix, Duane Rankin notes the Suns on Thursday named James Jones GM after the former NBAer "served as the interim" following the firing of Ryan McDonough. The Suns also officially named former Pistons GM Jeff Bower Senior VP/Basketball Operations and "retained" Trevor Bukstein as Assistant GM. Suns Owner Robert Sarver hired Bower to "help Jones in turning around [a] franchise that just experienced its second-worst season ever" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 4/12). ESPN's Amin Elhassan noted Jones "has the final say" on personnel decisions though Bower "does not report to him," reporting to Sarver instead. Elhassan: "Already you've got a situation where you're the boss, but he doesn't report to you" ("The Jump," ESPN2, 4/11).
GETTING A HEADSTART: Bulls Exec VP/Basketball Operations John Paxson said that he "already has approached ownership about extending" coach Jim Boylen's current deal, which "expires after next season." Paxson said an extension is "very possible." While sources said that no specific contract details have been discussed, those talks "will occur 'sooner rather than later.'" A two- or three-year extension with a team option is the "norm in such situations" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 4/12).
NOT ALL DOOM & GLOOM: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted the Lakers are "going to find out there is tremendous interest" in the vacant President of Basketball Operations role following Magic Johnson's resignation this week. Wojnarowski: "There are all the elements of having a good basketball team there, and they have an ability now to take a look at their management structure, whether it's to go out and hire a GM from the outside (and) a president." He added despite the current "vacuum of leadership" in the Lakers organization, they still "can be a very good team" ("OTL," ESPN, 4/11).
