PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns today announced a series of moves within the team’s basketball operations department. Pat Connelly has been named to the role of assistant general manager and Trevor Bukstein has been promoted to assistant general manager. Ronnie Lester has been named a scout, and Emilio Kovacic has been named international scouting consultant. John Treloar will remain the team’s director of player personnel; John Shumate and Bubba Burrage remain scouts.
Connelly joins the Suns following seven seasons in the Washington Wizards organization, most recently as the director of player personnel, where he was one of the team’s top scouting sources of collegiate and international talent.
Bukstein, 31, has spent the last three seasons as the Suns’ director of basketball administration, aiding Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby with interpretation and application of the league’s collective bargaining agreement, salary cap management, and trade and contract negotiations.
Lester, who won an NBA title while playing for the Lakers in 1985, has spent the last 24 years in the Lakers front office, including 10 seasons as assistant general manager.
Kovacic, 45, a native of Croatia, has spent the last six years as European General Manager of Synergy Sports Technology, a scouting service used by all NBA teams. He had a 20-year playing career, including 12 years as a professional in Europe. As a freshman at Grand Canyon, he played for the Antelopes' 1988 NAIA championship team coached by Paul Westphal.
