Mike Budenholzer and Nick Nurse are leading candidates for the suddenly vacant Phoenix Suns job

The Phoenix Suns are moving in a new direction amongst their coaching ranks after the firing of head coach Monty Williams on Saturday.

After owner Mat Ishbia chose to part ways with one of the league’s top coaches, he’ll now look to fill that vacancy.

The top candidates for that job include former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and ex-Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse.

Both coaches are previous Coach of the Year award winners and both have recently won NBA titles.

The two coaches were also recently fired after poor results in the playoffs.

Mike Budenholzer (L) and Nick Nurse (R) are leading candidates for the Phoenix Suns job

Phoenix head coach Monty Williams parted ways with the team after their playoff elimination

New Suns owner Mat Ishbia chose to part ways with his head coach on Saturday evening

Budenholzer was canned after his Bucks – the best team in the NBA’s regular season – fell in five games to the Miami Heat.

The Bucks were without star Giannis Antetokounmpo for a good portion of that series – as Budenholzer dealt with a personal tragedy with the loss of his brother in a car accident before Game 4.

Meanwhile Nurse was removed after his team failed to progress in the NBA Play-In game against the Chicago Bulls – where the Raptors missed half their free throws and lost by four points.

Nurse won the 2019 NBA Finals and grabbed a Coach of the Year award in 2020. Budenholzer got a title in 2021 and was picked as the league’s best coach in 2015 and 2019.