Suns Reportedly Hire David Fizdale as Assistant Coach

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns took awhile to find their replacement for Monty Williams, going for nearly three weeks before ultimately landing on Frank Vogel.

The search for Vogel's top assistants hasn't taken nearly as long.

The Suns are reportedly bringing on David Fizdale as an assistant coach according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who said the Suns made a "significant financial play" for Fizdale.

The move comes days after it was announced that Kevin Young was remaining in Phoenix as an assistant as well.

The Phoenix Suns are hiring Jazz associate GM David Fizdale as an assistant coach, sources tell ESPN. Suns made a significant financial play for Fizdale and drew upon his history with new coach Frank Vogel and GM James Jones. Fizdale is a former HC with Knicks and Grizzlies.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2023

Fizdale (nearly 49 years of age) is a two-time NBA champion as an assistant coach.

He first got his start in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors in 2003. The following season, he joined the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-08 before landing with the Miami Heat, where he won those two titles. In 2016 he took his first role as a head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies for two seasons before accepting a move to coach the New York Knicks from 2018-20.

He has a career winning percentage of .346 as a head coach and made the playoffs just once in his four seasons at the helm.

After being fired from New York, he joined Vogel's staff under the Los Angeles Lakers as an assistant before making a move to be the associate general manager for the Utah Jazz this past season.

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro - who first suggested Fizdale was a target for the team three days ago - offered more after the news broke:

Fizdale and Vogel coached together in LA. He was happy in Utah with a front office position and only would have come back to coach with Frank from what I am told. Did triple his $$$ though as word is Suns are paying him in neighborhood of $1.3, $1.4, $1.5 million.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 5, 2023