Dallas Basketball

Two Mavericks assistants amongst candidates for Suns head coaching job

Apparently, Phoenix is high on the two Dallas personnel.
Keenan Womack|
Oct 7, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley and assistant coach Greg St. Jean and head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Sean Sweeney during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Oct 7, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; (from left) Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley and assistant coach Greg St. Jean and head coach Jason Kidd and assistant coach Sean Sweeney during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Orlando Magic at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

According to Marc Stein's The Stein Line, the Phoenix Suns are interested in two Mavericks assistants as they attempt to fill their head coaching vacancy. This will be the third time in as many years that Phoenix will have fired and hired a new head coach after letting go of Mike Budenholzer, which followed a highly disappointing 36-46 season that landed the Suns in 11th place in the Western Conference.

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Phoenix has Mavericks assistants Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley on its shortlist of candidates, per the report.

The organization is clearly in turmoil, evident in the revolving door of personnel, as well as trade rumors floating around about the team's two stars in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Considering the team's precarious situation in regards to draft capital, the job looks to be a rebuild going forward, but a head coaching opportunity is still valuable, especially for two guys in Sweeney and Dudley that have yet to hold that position in the NBA.

Jared Dudley
Nov 6, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jared Dudley works with the Mavericks before the game against the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Sean Sweeney, who worked under Mavericks lead man Jason Kidd in Milwaukee and in Brooklyn, was with the Detroit Pistons before that for three seasons. Jared Dudley, who played in the NBA from 2007-21 for several different teams, began coaching in 2021 with Dallas, where he has spent his entire career as an assistant.

Some of the other candidates to replace Budenholzer in Phoenix are Washington Wizards assistant and Australian men's national team head coach Adam Capcorn, New Orleans Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Philadelphia 76ers assistant David Joerger, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Johnnie Bryant, and the Houston Rockets' Royal Ivey.

READ MORE: Mavericks linked with Lakers on trade to reunite Luka Doncic with $40 million center

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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