NBA Rumors: Suns Considering Ex-Pistons GM Jeff Bower for Front Office

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is interested in bringing former New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons general manager Jeff Bower to a "high-ranking front office role," per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.

Bower, 57, was the Pistons' general manager from 2014 to 2018. He worked under Pistons head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy, who Wojnarowski said made "final decisions on personnel."

He was the Hornets' general manager from 2001 to 2003 and then 2005 to 2010.

The hiring seems imminent, per Wojnarowski's comments.

"Sarver has begun to inform other serious candidates that he's retreating from them and toward a hiring that could be complete early next week," he wrote.

The Suns already have front-office leaders in interim general managers James Jones and Trevor Bukstein, who have co-run the show since general manager Ryan McDonough was fired eight days before the 2018-19 season began.

Wojnarowski mentioned how the front office could break down with a new voice joining:

"Sarver has discussed with prospective job candidates a senior advising role that will allow interim GM James Jones to continue in a lead front office capacity with decision-making power, league sources said. Jones had sat in on interviews, along with Arizona Cardinals All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald, league sources said."

Fitzgerald, who signed a one-year deal to stay with Arizona, has been handling various tasks for the Suns. Of note, he did some scouting during the Duke vs. UNC basketball game in March 2018.

As far as Bower goes, Wojnarowski wrote that the ex-NBA exec has "been a well-respected executive in the league for two decades, earning praise for his organization and scouting acumen in 11 seasons as GM."

The Pistons didn't fare particularly well during the Van Gundy-Bower era, although the 2015-16 team earned the franchise's first winning season since 2007-08. Detroit also won more games in each of the Van Gundy-Bower era's four seasons than it had any year from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

The Hornets landed Chris Paul and David West during Bower's general manager tenure, and those two players helped form the core for a 2007-08 team that went 56-26. Had the Hornets beaten the Los Angeles Lakers in the last week of the season, New Orleans would have finished first in the Western Conference.

Still, the team won its first playoff series since the team was in North Carolina as the original Charlotte Hornets in 2002.

Hoops Habit editor-in-chief Gerald Bourguet didn't seem too enthused by a potential move, although he mentioned that Bower may not be in charge regardless.

The 19-61 Suns have intriguing talent with Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton leading the way, but they are tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA's second-worst record.

Still, they are on tap to have a high pick in the 2019 NBA draft, so that could certainly help a turnaround.

The bottom line, though, is that whoever is in charge come June has a lot of work to do to boost a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2009-2010.