By Jordan Long
The Phoenix Suns lost in the second-round to the Denver Nuggets in 6 games. With the disappointing exit the Suns fired Monty Williams after 4 years. Now they are looking for his replacement.
Williams took over the Suns for the 2019-2020 season. The Suns were one of the better teams in the Western Conference with him as Head Coach. They earned a playoff spot in 3 of his 4 seasons advancing to the NBA Finals in 2021. The Milwaukee Bucks beat them in 6 games.
This year, the Suns’ expectations were high. They made a trade on February 9th with the Brooklyn Nets. The Suns sent Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Juan Pablo Vaulet, as well as 5 future first-round picks, and 2 second-round future selections to the Nets for Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren. The Suns mortgaged their future for Durant. They expected to win an NBA Championship this year.
The Suns finished 45-37, 4th in the Western Conference. They knocked off the L.A. Clippers in 5 games but failed to beat the Nuggets in the second-round in 6 games. The Suns thought it was time to let Williams go even though he was a great coach. He ended with an impressive record with the Suns of 194-115, a winning percentage of .628.
Now that the Suns are looking for a new Head Coach, there are a few names to consider. They are Nick Nurse, Mike Budenholzer, Frank Vogel, and Terry Stotts.
Nurse’s only Head Coaching experience was with the Toronto Raptors. It lasted from 2018 to this season. Nurse turned them into one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, earning a playoff spot 3 times. They even won the NBA championship in 2019. His overall record as the Raptors’ Head Coach was 227-163, a winning percentage of .582. He was dismissed this season after a 41-41 record and failed to earn a playoff spot. Nurse showed he can coach a team to be one of the top ones in the NBA and will do it with the Suns.
Budenholzer has 10 years of NBA Head Coaching experience with Atlanta and Milwaukee. His teams earned a playoff spot 9 times including winning the NBA Championship in 2021. The Bucks went 58-24 this year. Most franchises’ goal is for their team to have the best record in the league. That usually ensures the coach will be back another year. Not Milwaukee. They canned Budenholzer following a first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat in 5 games.
Budenholzer could be the best name out there. He knows how to coach superstars. The Suns have Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker under contract for next year. Budenholzer might be a candidate to get these players to play their best basketball. It may end in a deep run in the NBA playoffs.
Vogel coached 820 games for Orlando, Indiana, and the L.A. Lakers. His record is 431-389, a winning percentage of .526. His teams earned a playoff spot 7 times. Vogel was the Laker’s coach when they won the NBA Championship in 2020 in the bubble setting. He is another name the Suns should put high on the list because of his history.
Stotts is the only one on this list who didn’t win an NBA Championship. Stotts has been successful as a Head Coach. He coached for Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Portland. With Atlanta, he was there from 2002 to 2004. The Hawks went 52-85 with Stotts. Atlanta never earned a playoff spot with him as Head Coach. In Milwaukee Stotts’ record ended at 63-83. In two years with the Bucks, Stotts went to the playoffs once, in 2006. They were beaten in the first-round by Detroit.
Stotts was successful with Portland. He was in Portland from 2012 to 2021. Portland earned a playoff spot 8 times. Stotts couldn’t coach Portland to an NBA Championship. Portland fired Stotts following a first-round series loss to the Nuggets in 2021. He ended with a record of 402-318 with Portland, a winning percentage of .558. Stotts isn’t even a name being considered right now. The guy should be on the list. He showed that he can turn a franchise into a winner.
The Suns will take their time to find their next Head Coach. Whoever they hire could be on a short leash. They want to win an NBA Championship. If the next coach fails to deliver, they will likely be gone.
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