The Phoenix Suns are conducting an extensive coaching search right now after firing Mike Budenholzer in April.
Budenholzer only last one season with the Suns, who missed the playoffs and play-in tournament this year despite having Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, new Suns general manager Brian Gregory was scheduled to interview Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss over the weekend.
The Thunder are playing the Indiana Pacers in this year's NBA Finals.
Per Stein, Phoenix has also been linked to Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant and Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney.
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Stein reports that Devin Booker, who has spent his entire career with the Suns, is involved with the team’s coaching search.
However, Kevin Durant hasn't been involved because the two-time Finals MVP is most likely going to be on a new team next season.
"There have been strong indications during the search process, sources say, to reinforce the notion that Phoenix is likely to move on from Kevin Durant after Durant's 2 1/2-season run in the desert," Stein wrote.
"It has been anticipated for some time that Phoenix, no matter who is hired as the new coach, will explore its Durant trade options this offseason — in collaboration with the future Hall of Famer and his business manager Rich Kleiman — after Phoenix unilaterally pursued a Durant trade in February that the 36-year-old ultimately urged them not to make."
Durant turns 37 in September. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Suns this season while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from 3 and 83.9% from the free-throw line.
A future Hall of Famer, Durant has one year left on his contract. He’ll make $54.7 million next season.
Durant has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists with the Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Suns. He hasn't reached the conference finals since leaving the Warriors in 2019.