Phoenix Suns
Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns had built their very own version of a Big 3, with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. That trio only reached the first round of the NBA Playoffs last year, so they swapped out head coaches, going from Frank Vogel to Mike Budenholzer. Considering both coaches had led their previous teams to NBA championships, each seemed more than qualified to lead the Suns.
Yet, Budenholzer couldn’t even get the Suns back to the playoffs, which led to his dismissal after the season. Now, the Suns are embarking on a wide-ranging coaching search featuring a number of unique candidates, and there is already a group of five finalists.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Suns’ final five head coaching finalists are Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Oklahoma City assistant Dave Bliss, Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant, Cleveland assistant Jordan Ott, and Dallas assistant Sean Sweeney.
Interestingly enough, none of the Suns’ finalists have ever been a head coach before, yet Phoenix seems to be banking on uncovering a hidden gem. Considering they’ve already tried hiring two highly accomplished coaches, it makes sense to evaluate their other options.
Of course, doing so comes with great risk. While the others were proven, there’s no guarantee the next Suns coach can do any better. What if he does worse? Either way, it’s a gamble the Suns are willing to take.
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