The Suns have wrapped up the second round of interviews in their search for a new head coach, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix (Twitter link).
Gambadoro states that most of the interviews with the nine reported candidates were conducted via Zoom. He expects the finalists for the job to be notified within the next two days that they have advanced to in-person meetings.
It’s been nearly six full weeks since former head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired after one disappointing season on the job. With the 2021 championship on his resume, there was hope that Budenholzer could turn Phoenix into a legitimate title contender, but the team stumbled to a 36-46 record and failed to reach the play-in tournament.
The Suns have the luxury of taking their time in finding Budenholzer’s replacement because no other NBA team currently has a head coaching vacancy.
They went through an exhaustive process as the search began, reportedly holding initial conversations with between 15 and 20 candidates as they try to set a new direction for the team. Owner Mat Ishbia said in a press conference shortly after the season ended that he wants to find a coach who will bring increased toughness to the organization.
As reported last week, current Suns assistant David Fizdale is among the finalists for the job, along with Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, Cavaliers assistants Johnnie Bryant and Jordan Ott, Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Thunder assistant Dave Bliss and Heat assistant Chris Quinn.
The Suns haven’t revealed when they hope to hire their next coach, but with the draft one month away and free agency starting in a little more than five weeks, there’s likely a sense of urgency to get the position filled.