Who will become next Phoenix Suns head coach? Here are some candidates
The Phoenix Suns will have a fourth head coach in as many seasons after firing Mike Budenholzer on Monday, April 14.
Here are some potential candidates:
Taylor Jenkins. Memphis Grizzlies fired him late this season, but he had a successful run there — 250-214 record with three playoff appearances. Great at developing talent.
Michael Malone. Won an NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2022-23. Was fired late this season as well, is old school, but he’s viewed as one of the NBA’s best coaches.
Sam Cassell. Longtime assistant coach who is currently an assistant with the Boston Celtics. Was part of their championship team last season as an assistant and won two NBA championships as a player with the Houston Rockets in the 1990s.
Steve Nash. He’d be a home run hire for Suns fans. Two-time MVP with the franchise. His first run as a head coach was solid in Brooklyn, but not good enough when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving are on the roster — 94-67 (two playoff appearances), fired after 2-5 start in 2022-23. He talked last summer about not wanting to be a “career coach,” but having a chance to coach in Phoenix could make Nash reconsider that thought.