Report: Suns Could Target These Coaches

An inevitable coaching search awaits the Phoenix Suns in the upcoming weeks.

A catastrophic 2024-25 season that resulted in a 36-46 record resulted in the firing of first-year head coach Mike Budenholzer.

The firing of the former NBA champion, expected trading away of Kevin Durant, and overall reshaping of the roster are signals that the approach behind hiring the new coach will be different this time around.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported some potential names to watch out for in the search earlier today - many of the names were touched upon here.

From Scotto:

"Following the dismissal of former head coach Mike Budenholzer, the Phoenix Suns are expected to have an extensive, wide-ranging coaching search."

The dismissal of Budenholzer ended up not being suspenseful at all. Any uncertainty surrounding the future of the embattled head coach was likely estringuished when the Suns were eliminated from play-in contention last week.

The extensive approach to this particular process also makes sense - as the previous two searches were limited to a small handful of candidates. The front office and Mat Ishbia will likely be patient throughout this search.

Scotto listed some preliminary names that could garner attention from the franchise - many of them are rising assistants that are widely perceived to be ready to take over as a head coach.

"Several coaching candidates are expected to be in the mix, including potential first-time NBA head coaches, including Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, Houston Rockets assistant coaches Royal Ivey and Ben Sullivan, Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn, Dallas Mavericks assistants Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley, etc."

The Suns could begin to talk to Quinn, Sweeney, and Dudley as soon as tomorrow - if the Heat/ Mavericks get eliminated in the play-in matchups today.

Bryant, Ivey, and Sullivan could take more patience to wait, but it appears to be the course that will be taken - Bryant has gained significant steam as a top-tier candidate in the previous weeks.

The numerous assistants being linked to the franchise doesn't necessarily mean that coaches with experience leading franchises won't be considered.

"Former head coaches Mike Brown and James Borrego are also expected to draw consideration for Phoenix’s coaching opening," said Scotto.

"BYU coach Kevin Young could also garner interest after being in the running for the Suns’ job last offseason and was a favorite of star Devin Booker as an assistant coach. Young was a strong candidate to become head coach of the Brooklyn Nets before Jordi Fernandez got the job last offseason."

Brown would make sense for the franchise, as the 2023 coach of the year is widely respected by players across the league and has generally held positive relationships with star players in his time as a head coach.

Borrego did a solid job as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, especially taking into account what the franchise has done since his firing - but he could also serve as one of the riskier hires of any of the names mentioned.

Young is a major curveball - as he departed the Suns last season to move to the college ranks. He currently has little reason to part with a basketball program at BYU that is funded by Utah Jazz governor Ryan Smith and could reasonably contend for a title in 2026.

No matter what the result of the search is, it's apparent that the approach this time around will be far different compared to the two previous smaller-scale processes.