Phoenix Suns Targeting Multiple 76ers Coaching Candidates
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When the Philadelphia 76ers made the call to move on from their head coach Doc Rivers last week, they became the fifth team to create a head coaching vacancy.
At this point, the Sixers are on the search for a new head coach, joining the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Phoenix Suns.
When Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey addressed the media for the first time since making the call to part ways with Rivers, he confirmed that the Sixers have interest in six candidates.
The Sixers are expected to take a look at former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, former Suns head coach Monty Williams, former Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer, former Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni, former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel, and current Sixers assistant Sam Cassell.
With other championship-contending organizations in the market, there are a couple of the Sixers’ candidates are receiving attention from other teams as well.
Last week, it was reported that the Milwaukee Bucks are reaching the final stage of their hiring process. With their search narrowed down to a few candidates, Nick Nurse is reportedly a potential candidate to fill the Bucks’ vacancy.
However, the Suns were reportedly interested in Nurse as well. On Tuesday night, an ESPN report considered Nurse one of the five rumored finalists for Phoenix’s search. This week, the Suns are expected to fast-track their hiring process, which could be a sign they think highly of Nurse, who is expected to be high up on Milwaukee and Philadelphia’s lists.
Along with Nurse, the Suns are also showing notable interest in Frank Vogel. Not only was the former Lakers head coach an original candidate for the Sixers, but he received a formal interview with the team on Tuesday, according to a league source.
As of now, Vogel and Nurse are two popular names on the market. Considering they both have previous head coaching experience and each have an NBA Championship under their belt, they are prominent names for Phoenix and Milwaukee, two teams that intend to compete for a title next season.
