Suns coach could be headed to Chicago

The signals suggesting that Mike D'Antoni and the Phoenix Suns will soon part company are only getting stronger.

Suns president Steve Kerr said Monday that he will allow D'Antoni to talk to other teams about potential head-coaching opportunties.

"As we have continued to convey, we value Mike D'Antoni as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and would like him to continue leading this basketball team. Because he has requested to speak to other teams about their head coaching vacancies, we have granted him permission," Kerr said in a statement.

Giving D'Antoni an opportunity to find a new job might be the easiest way for Phoenix to move forward without worrying about the two years and $8.5 million left on his contract. As opposed to firing D'Antoni and paying the full amount or trying to work out a buyout, allowing him to land a new job and thus a new salary would offset whatever the Suns owe him.

It was reported last week that Chicago has emerged as the most likely landing spot for D'Antoni if he leaves Phoenix.

The Bulls also want to interview recently fired Dallas coach Avery Johnson and have already spoken to Mark Jackson and Rick Carlisle, but Johnson would appear to be D'Antoni's only serious competition with the Bulls given Jackson's status as the consensus favorite with the Knicks and Carlisle now widely expected to replace Johnson with the Mavericks.

BULLS