The Phoenix Suns have agreed upon a three-year agreement with Earl Watson to remain as head coach.

Watson replaced Jeff Hornacek before the All-Star break this season on an interim basis.

The Suns were in the midst of a disappointing season and the players appeared to respond to Watson.

Players strongly supported Watson in exit meetings and were unanimous in wanting him retrained, which helped influence management.

The Phoenix Suns have acquired the Bakersfield Jam and are relocating the team to Prescott Valley, Arizona.

The Suns become the 15th NBA team to own and operate its NBA D-League affiliate. 

The team will be known as the Northern Arizona Suns and will play a 24-game home schedule at the 5,100-seat Prescott Valley Event Center (PVEC) beginning with the 2016-17 season.

“We are thrilled to bring professional basketball to the Town of Prescott Valley,” said Suns President, Jason Rowley. “In addition to the basketball advantages of our D-League affiliate being close to home, today’s announcement creates endless opportunities to strengthen the connection with our fans in northern Arizona.” 

The Bakersfield Jam has served as the Suns’ single-affiliate NBA D-League team the past two seasons, with the NBA franchise running basketball operations during that time. 

Brandon Knight underwent successful surgery to treat a sports hernia. The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers in Philadelphia.

Knight has already begun rehabilitation and will return to Phoenix next week.

In his fifth NBA season and first full season with the Suns, Knight averaged a career-high 19.6 points in addition to 5.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 52 games, one of just 10 players in the NBA to post at least those averages in each of those categories.

Jay Wright has no plans on leaving Villanova for a head coaching job in the NBA, but he also refused to rule it out in the future.

"I can say right now that in my mind I plan to stay at Villanova," he said. "But I also don't want to be a liar. I want to stay. I know I want to stay, but I just say I hope I can stay because I've learned from the past how crazy things can be. I hope I can stay at Villanova because this is where I want to be."

Wright was linked to the Phoenix Suns this week after winning the national championship.

When he turned down the Kentucky job in 2009, Wright said he didn't want to live in the fishbowl that job required. He likes the way Philadelphia sports exist. The city is big on college basketball but easily and happily diverted by pro sports.

"There's a lot of great things about coaching at Villanova, but one that I really enjoy is during basketball season you're like a pro team," he said. "You're big time, but in the offseason there's so many good sports teams and happenings you get to blend in. I really, really enjoy that."

The Phoenix Suns have Jay Wright as their top target to become their next head coach.

The Suns fired Jeff Hornacek before the All-Star break and Earl Watson is serving as interim head coach.

Wright led Villanova to the national championship.

The Philadelphia 76ers discussed their head coaching vacancy in 2009 with Wright.

The word "trust" has come up multiple times recently in relation to the Phoenix Suns.

Markieff Morris and Goran Dragic have both used the word.

“I always felt free to play,” Morris said. “It was just tough to do certain things with no trust and play for people that you really don’t trust.”

Morris would not specify whom he mistrusted.

“I ain’t getting into that but I’m happy where I am now,” Morris said. “I look back on the happy years I had here. It was definitely a great time.”

Morris was traded to the Washington Wizards at the deadline.

“I’ve seen this play out before,” Morris said. “There have been a couple players I’ve been here with that have been the best players on the team that came back next year in a new uniform so it’s nothing new.”

During Morris’ tenure, Goran Dragic asked to be traded because he was disgruntled, Isaiah Thomas was traded because he was not content with his role and Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Channing Frye said they wanted to stay in Phoenix before negotiations soured them on returning.

“I’ve seen so many do it,” Morris said. “I just didn’t think it would be me like that but it is what it is.”