The Phoenix Suns have parted tactics with Monty Williams, their head trainer, following the crew’s second-round playoff go out by the hands of the Denver Nuggets, and at the moment are among a handful of groups taking a look to fill the emptiness. With a skilled core of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, they’re one of the vital horny choices for coaches, and they’ve reportedly narrowed down their applicants to a last four of names, as per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The four finalists are Doc Rivers and Nick Nurse, either one of whom have been fired from their earlier coaching positions with the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors respectively, at the side of Suns affiliate head trainer Kevin Young and Sacramento Kings affiliate head trainer Jordi Fernandez. All four applicants will meet with Phoenix’s crew management within the close to long term.
Nurse has been prime at the coaching marketplace since parting tactics with the Raptors, with each the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers reportedly pursuing him. He is alleged to be among the 3 finalists for the Bucks process, at the side of Golden State Warriors affiliate head trainer Kenny Atkinson and Raptors assistant trainer Adrian Griffin.
Interestingly, that is the primary time that Rivers has been discussed in a coaching seek since being let pass by means of the Sixers, and for it to be with the Suns is reasonably sudden given his previous historical past with Chris Paul. Rivers and Paul have been in the past attached throughout their days with the Los Angeles Clippers, and it’s been reported that Paul left the Clippers partly because of Rivers. While Paul will not be a member of the Suns subsequent season, relying on whether or not or now not Phoenix trades the veteran guard so that you could get more youthful and improve the roster round Durant and Booker, interviewing a head trainer with a rocky previous with him is slightly puzzling.
Aside from Rivers and Nurse, the opposite two names on Phoenix’s listing are regarded as “rising stars” within the coaching international. Young has already been at the coaching workforce for the Suns because the 2020-21 season, and he has gained passion for the highest coaching positions with the Bucks and Raptors, in addition to when the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards have been taking a look for a brand new trainer. Meanwhile, Fernandez served as an assistant underneath Mike Brown this season and used to be the Summer League trainer in 2022, the place the Kings earned a 6-2 report. Prior to becoming a member of Sacramento’s workforce, he spent six years as an assistant trainer with the Denver Nuggets and used to be a G League trainer for the Canton Charge from 2014 to 2016.