Ranking All Seven Suns Head Coach Candidates
The Athletic Senior Insider Shams Charania created quite the wave of reactions among both Phoenix Suns fans and the NBA world at-large last night with a report claiming that the Suns are focused on five names as finalists for the coveted head coach position.
Those names were Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, Suns associate head coach Kevin Young, Doc Rivers, and Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez.
Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes responded not long after with two more names that are potential strong candidates as well: Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson and Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee.
The process to find the right man for the job may not find a solution overnight with as many as seven strong candidates in the fray. Suns owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones must be considerate and calculated during the process to make sure the next coach is a fit in all aspects of the organization.
We will take a dive into the backgrounds of all seven candidates and settle on a rough ranking of the candidates from least to most desirable for the franchise moving forward:
Number 7- Kenny Atkinson
To be clear- this isn't a shot at Atkinson's ability as a coach. He actually did an absolutely fantastic job of bringing the Brooklyn Nets out of their tenuous rebuild. The main reservation when it comes to Atkinson is that he's known as more of a player-development focused coach and he may not be the best man for a job that's going to require bringing Phoenix it's first title to have any sense of job security.
Number 6- Doc Rivers
Rivers certainly is an accomplished coach and has had some impressive seasons, including winning NBA Coach of the Year with the Orlando Magic in 2000. However, his playoff shortcomings are extremely difficult to ignore, as are his personal relationships with former players such as James Harden and Paul George. There's simply too much baggage here to feel good about making this move.
Number 5- Frank Vogel
Vogel is a good coach. He had substantial success with the Indiana Pacers, and one could certainly argue those Pacers teams were the biggest challenge for LeBron in his quest for East dominance outside of perhaps the Celtics. He won the NBA title in the bubble with the Lakers, and it can certainly be argued that he was a scapegoat when the Lakers decided to move on after last season.
This wouldn't be a bad hire, but this doesn't feel like the best fit or the most inspiring hire. Vogel's philosophies could directly contradict what the franchise intended to do when Durant was acquired.
Number 4- Charles Lee
Charles Lee is a former player for Bucknell University and various overseas clubs, and has been an assistant in the NBA since 2014. He is extremely well respected by the Milwaukee Bucks' franchise top to bottom, as evidenced by reportedly being one of three finalists to succeed Mike Budenholzer.
He's known for being a well-rounded coach, but he's especially lauded for being a players' coach and being easy to connect with. He could be a breath of fresh air, as he's only 38 years old and could be seen as more of a peer who can connect to his players than an imposing authority figure that may or may not be responded to. This is a hire that should be well received if it comes to fruition.
Number 3- Kevin Young
Kevin Young has been on Monty Williams' staff since 2020 and became the associate head coach when Willie Green left to New Orleans. He reportedly has a lot of support from the locker room to earn the promotion to head man on the sideline. The idea of promoting him may make the most sense logically and logistically as well.
He has much more familiarity and camaraderie built up with the team, is a clear players' coach, is always very professional in media appearances, and most of all had some tactical ideas that contrasted enough from Monty to make things interesting. The main reservation here is this hire wouldn't be a "splashy" one, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a good decision.
Number 2- Jordi Fernandez
Jordi Fernandez hails from Spain, and began coaching in the U.S. in 2006. He got a player development position with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, and was heavily credited for working with the likes of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Matthew Dellavedova.
He then became a coach with the Canton Charge of the D-league before joining the Denver Nuggets in 2016. He again was highly praised for his all-around ability as a coach, working with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and other young players along the way. Monte Morris was especially strong in his endorsement, going as far as saying Fernandez is "all about business."
Fernandez feels like the perfect balance of tactics, personality, and leadership that could be exactly what the Suns are looking for. Look out for this name.
Number 1- Nick Nurse
Nurse is the most obvious combination of valuable experience, tactical mastery, and previous success to back the hype up. Frequently listed as a top five coach in the entire league during his Raptors' tenure. The post-Kawhi era teams usually overachieved, and he lead very potent offensive units that were also disciplined on the defensive side.
The thought of pairing Nurse with the NBA's best duo and a potentially revamped supporting cast is more than intriguing. On the flip side, there are reasons for concern. Multiple NBA reporters mentioned issues Nurse was having with assistant coaches and perhaps even the front office this past season, especially Raptors' assistant Earl Watson.
Watson was the Suns head coach from 2016-2017 and formed a close relationship with franchise player Devin Booker in those years. Could that be something that gives Booker a reason to hesitate? Could Nurse need some real checking and accountability from his new organization? Both are possible. The other cause for concern is a belief that the Raptors focused more on doing everything to stop the opponents' best player than actually winning games.
Could that just be smoke? Could it actually be a cause for concern in Phoenix? Only time will tell if the Nurse hire comes to fruition, but this is probably the best route Mat Ishbia and James Jones can take.
