Suns coach Alvin Gentry confirmed his selection of Elston Turner, a head coach finalist for Phoenix in 2008, as his new defensive assistant coach, a choice that became apparent last week with Jim Boylan re-signing with Milwaukee, Don Newman opting to stay in San Antonio and Pete Myers taking a job with Golden State.

No other candidate had been offered the "defensive coordinator" job, although talks with Boylan also had progressed.

Turner was favored all along for how well he would fit with the Suns on two fronts -- as a defensive coach on offensively driven teams and with a personality that will not ruffle a coaching staff that already has Bill Cartwright, Dan Majerle, Igor Kokoskov and Noel Gillespie in place.