Report: Suns narrow coaching search to Nurse, Rivers among others
The Phoenix Suns have narrowed their coaching search to a quintet of finalists, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Former NBA head coaches Nick Nurse, Doc Rivers, and Frank Vogel are all under consideration. Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez and Suns associate Kevin Young will also interview for the position.
Ex-Coach of the Year and NBA champion Nurse was fired this offseason by the Toronto Raptors. Doc Rivers suffered a similar fate when the Philadelphia 76ers dismissed the veteran bench boss after a third consecutive second-round playoff exit.
Vogel last held a head coaching position with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2019-2022. He won a title with the team in 2019-20 after enjoying spells in charge of the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.
Fernandez has been frequently mentioned this offseason as a potential head coaching candidate. Young has been with the Suns organization since 2020 following a spell as an assistant with the 76ers and is also considered a popular choice.
The Suns fired Monty Willians in mid-May following the second-round playoff defeat to the Denver Nuggets. Williams compiled a regular season record of 194-115 (.628 winning percentage) across four seasons and guided the Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals. He was named Coach of the Year after the 2021-22 campaign for leading the Suns to a 64-18 record.