How a Cavs Early Playoff Exit Could Impact Suns’ Coaching Search

Phoenix's search for its next head coach could speed up if Cleveland is eliminated.

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) speaks to Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant during a time out in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

PHOENIX — With the Cleveland Cavaliers down 3-1 to the Indiana Pacers entering Tuesday’s Game 5, another loss by the Cavs could help speed up the Phoenix Suns’ coaching search. 

Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott have been frequently mentioned as names to watch in the process, and Phoenix could start talking with them more if Cleveland is eliminated.

Bryant was hired as Cleveland's associate head coach under Kenny Atkinson last summer after spending 2020-24 as the New York Knicks associate head coach. Bryant has been key in Donovan Mitchell's development and has a close relationship with the star guard after serving as an assistant with the Utah Jazz from 2014-20.

Atkinson also added Ott as an assistant last summer after Ott spent two years as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers (2022-24) and four seasons before that as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets (2018-22), overlapping with Suns star Kevin Durant's time in Brooklyn, as well as Atkinson's.

With the Suns firing Mike Budenholzer back on April 14, new general manager Brian Gregory said at his end-of-season press conference last week that there was no timetable for hiring the next head coach.

Gregory added:

"I want to make sure that we get this (coach) right. This is very, very critical for us moving forward, finding that head coach that is aligned, finding that head coach that has the attributes that are important to us: unbelievable basketball IQ, tremendous communicator, shares our vision and what we understand needs to be done to be successful in basketball, in this new NBA."

Houston Rockets assistants Royal Ivey and Ben Sullivan, Dallas Mavericks assistants Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Dave Bliss, Miami Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn, Milwaukee Bucks assistant Dave Joerger, Washington Wizards assistant coach Adam Caporn and New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego have also been potential names linked to Phoenix, as reported by HoopsHype and The Stein Line.

"We're going to make sure that we cast a wide net on that, and at the same time, evaluate and interview coaches from a diverse background with diverse experiences and so forth," Gregory said.

"And I think that will put us in a good position."