The Phoenix Suns need a new coach and seem to have a particular one picked out. Unfortunately, he works for one of their rivals.
Phoenix fired Monty Williams after he lost a blowout elimination game in the second round for the second straight year. Now the Suns and new owner Mat Ishbia are interested in the coach Williams defeated in the first round, Ty Lue.
Lue is a highly-respected head coach, but he’s also lost to Williams and the Suns in two of the last three playoffs. If the Suns were concerned that Williams wasn’t getting it done in the playoffs, they’d seemingly have even more questions about Lue’s playoff performance — a Conference finals loss to Phoenix in 2021, a first-round loss to Phoenix this year and a play-in tournament loss in 2022.
There’s a difference of opinion from the NBA’s top news breakers about how Williams’ firing happened. Shams Charania reported that firing Williams was “an organizational choice involving everyone from new team owner Mat Ishbia through all segments of team leadership.
But Adrian “Woj Bomb” Wojnarowski reported that Ishbia was running basketball operations, and that the role of GM James Jones had been “diminished.”
Why are we hearing about Lue now, when his Clippers contract runs through 2025? Because Lue likely wants an extension with the Clippers.
Both of the Clippers stars, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, have player options for the 2024-25 season. That’s also the season the Clippers move into their new arena, the Intuit Dome.
If Leonard and/or George decide to move on, the Clippers might well choose to move on from their head coach as well. The Suns’ apparent interest gives Lue leverage – plus he’d likely get at least a four-year deal should he move to the Suns.
As for Williams, the Bucks are reportedly interested, but as for now, he claims he’s planning to spend time with his family. He’s still owed $21M over the next three years from the Suns, so Williams doesn’t need to rush into another NBA job.
The real takeaway from this news is that Ishbia plans to be very aggressive, and no one’s job is safe. Even jobs on other teams.
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