Michael Curry will be the Detroit Pistons head coach next season after only one year as an assistant.

A former teammate is not surprised.

Curry is set to be introduced as Detroit's new coach at a news conference today, Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars told The Associated Press.

Dallas Mavericks guard Jerry Stackhouse, who played with Curry in Detroit, said Curry was like a player-coach during his career on the court.

"It was just a matter of time," Stackhouse said in a telephone interview with the AP yesterday. "Everybody who knew Michael from his playing days knew this is where he would end up.

"He's going to do great for Detroit because he already has great rapport with those players, who will give him a different kind of respect because he played in the league."

Curry was an assistant last season in Detroit under Flip Saunders, who was fired last week.

The Pistons and Curry agreed on a three-year deal worth $2.5 million a season. The team holds an option for a fourth season.

Before going to the bench, Curry was the NBDL's vice president of player development following a playing career that started as an undrafted free agent during the 1993-94 season in Philadelphia and ended during the 2004-05 season with the Indiana Pacers.

He averaged 4 1/2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 20 minutes a game over his career, which included two stops in Detroit along with stints in Milwaukee, Toronto and Washington.

BULLS

DEL NEGRO REPORTEDLY OFFERED COACHING JOB

Vinny Del Negro has been offered the Chicago head coaching job, according to a person within the league who is familiar with the situation.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because an announcement had not been made yesterday.

An official announcement, which could come this week, would end a nearly two-month search that included courtships of Mike D'Antoni and Doug Collins.

Del Negro, the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Suns who has never been a head coach, would take over a team that went from 49 wins to 49 losses this past season and missed the playoffs after making the second round in 2007.

A sluggish start cost coach Scott Skiles his job in December, and interim coach Jim Boylan was fired April 17.

Messages left for Del Negro and Bulls GM John Paxson were not immediately returned.

Del Negro, who played collegiately at N.C. State, was drafted in 1988 by Sacramento and also played for San Antonio, Milwaukee, Golden State and Phoenix, averaging 9.9 points in 771 NBA games. He also played in Italy.

SUNS

PORTER INTRODUCED AS NEW HEAD COACH

Phoenix has introduced Terry Porter as its new coach.

The 45-year-old Porter comes to the Suns from the Detroit Pistons, where he served as an assistant coach. His hiring ends a monthlong search for a successor to Mike D'Antoni, who left last month to coach the New York Knicks.

Porter inherits a talented but aging roster that features former MVPs Steve Nash and Shaquille O'Neal, along with Amare Stoudemire.

"I think it is a championship-caliber team," said Porter, who reportedly agreed to a three-year contract worth about $7 million. "I think they have some pieces in place that have obviously competed at that level over the last four years."

Porter played guard in the NBA for 17 seasons, retiring after the 2001-02 season.

ELSEWHERE

Wizards: Gilbert Arenas lived up to his word and opted out of the final year of his contract, Washington said yesterday. Arenas has repeatedly said he would forgo the final year of his six-year, $65 million deal so that he could re-sign with the team for an even larger amount. While he has expressed a desire to remain with the Wizards, he has also said he won't return unless the team also re-signs Antawn Jamison. Arenas can begin negotiating with any team July 1. Arenas, a three-time All-Star, missed most of last season with a knee injury.