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The Phoenix Suns are entering the finalist stage of their head coaching search after interviewing more than 15 candidates.
They narrowed it down to nine: Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, New Orleans assistant James Borrego and Suns assistant David Fizdale.
Out of those nine, here are the likely finalists according to multiple league sources — Sweeney, Ott and Quinn, with Nori being considered as well.
The Suns conducted finalist interviews in 2023 in Michigan with team owner Mat Ishbia, whose company, United Wholesale Mortgage, has its main campus in Pontiac.
More: Why David Fizdale may remain with Phoenix Suns even if he is not hired as head coach
They hired Frank Vogel to replace Monty Williams at that time.
Phoenix is now seeking its fourth head coach in four seasons. Mike Budenholzer was fired after one season as the Suns finished the 2024-25 season 36-46 in suffering their first losing season and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.
Williams, Vogel and Budenholzer were fired after each of the past three seasons with Ishbia as team owner. Ishbia bought the Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury for a record $4 billion during the 2022-23 season.
League sources informed The Republic that Phoenix has placed great emphasis on asking candidates about their defensive philosophy, defensive strategies, game plans and coverage schemes.
The Suns were 27th in defensive rating this season under Budenholzer.
The Mavs assistant is viewed as a “winner that will hold players accountable” and has an unrivaled work ethic.
League sources added Sweeney is a “great leader” who has tremendous command, is a student of the game and is a very good “Xs and Os guy.”
He worked under Jason Kidd with the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18) and Mavs (2021-Present). The Mavs reached the 2022 Western Conference finals and 2024 NBA Finals with Kidd as head coach and Sweeney as an assistant.
Sweeney started his NBA coaching career as a video coordinator for the New Jersey Nets (2011-13) under Avery Johnson. He later worked for Dwane Casey with the Detroit Pistons from 2018-21.
Before coaching in the NBA, Sweeney was a video coordinator on the college level at Northern Iowa. He was the director of basketball operations at the University of Evansville.
Ott has worked for four NBA teams, the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He played a major role in the Cavs posting the best record in the Eastern Conference this season (64-18) in his first year as an assistant in Cleveland.
League sources describe Ott as someone who is ready to be an NBA head coach. He’s viewed as a grinder who studies the game and has very sound offensive and defensive strategies. He’s strong in player development and film sessions, is organized and a teacher of the game.
The Michigan State connection with Suns general manager Brian Gregory and Ishbia has factored into Ott’s candidacy for Phoenix’s head coaching position.
Gregory served as an assistant under Tom Izzo when the Spartans won the 2000 men’s basketball national championship with Ishbia as a walk-on player. Ott was MSU’s video coordinator for five years, earning a master’s degree in athletic administration from the university during that time.
He left the Spartans in 2013 for a video coordinator position with the Atlanta Hawks, where he worked under Budenholzer for three seasons from 2013-16.
Ott then joined the Nets (2016-22), where he worked under Kenny Atkinson, Steve Nash and Jacque Vaughn. He spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (2022-24) under Darvin Ham before reuniting with Atkinson in Cleveland.
Atkinson won NBA Coach of the Year this season. The fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers eliminated the Cavs in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in five games.
Ott also has ties to Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who was in Brooklyn from 2019 until just before the 2023 trade deadline when the Suns acquired him in a blockbuster deal.
Durant’s future with the Suns is uncertain as the team entertained trade talks for him before the 2025 trade deadline, but he and Ott have worked together.
Quinn has been in contention for NBA head coaching vacancies in recent years.
The Heat assistant’s ability to connect with players is deemed impressive by league sources. He’s big on player development, having led the charge to have coaches available 24/7 for players to work on their game.
Quinn played a role in the development of shooting guard Tyler Herro, who became a first-time All-Star for the Heat this season.
Quinn has been an assistant under Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra since 2015. Quinn is Spoelstra’s “right-hand man” when it comes to in-game adjustments, sources say.
He also worked as an assistant for the Heat’s G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in the 2014-15 season. Quinn was a director of player development on the college level at Northwestern before joining the Heat.
A Notre Dame graduate, Quinn played three seasons for the Heat, with the first two under Pat Riley (2006-08) and the third one for Spoelstra (2008-09).
For starters, Nori was on the same Pistons staff with Sweeney under Casey from 2018-21.
Nori is known for his coaching ability on defense. He’s been instrumental in the Timberwolves being one of the league’s top defensive teams over the past two years.
Minnesota ranked first in defensive rating last season, sixth this season.
The T-Wolves face a 3-1 deficit to the Thunder in this year’s conference finals. The top overall seed, OKC will look to close the series in Game 5 on Wednesday, May 28, at home.
Nori worked with four previous NBA teams before joining the T-Wolves in 2021 in working under Chris Finch. He served as an advance scout with the Toronto Raptors from 1998 to 2009 before being elevated to assistant coach under Jay Triano.
He then worked for Casey in Toronto until 2013. Nori went from there to serve as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings (2013-15) and Denver Nuggets (2015-18). He worked under Michael Malone at Sacramento and Denver before reuniting with Casey in Detroit.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here are the likely finalists for the Phoenix Suns' head coaching job
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They narrowed it down to nine: Cleveland Cavaliers assistants Jordan Ott and Johnnie Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant Dave Bliss, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Dallas Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney, Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel, Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn, New Orleans assistant James Borrego and Suns assistant David Fizdale.
Out of those nine, here are the likely finalists according to multiple league sources — Sweeney, Ott and Quinn, with Nori being considered as well.
The Suns conducted finalist interviews in 2023 in Michigan with team owner Mat Ishbia, whose company, United Wholesale Mortgage, has its main campus in Pontiac.
More: Why David Fizdale may remain with Phoenix Suns even if he is not hired as head coach
They hired Frank Vogel to replace Monty Williams at that time.
Phoenix is now seeking its fourth head coach in four seasons. Mike Budenholzer was fired after one season as the Suns finished the 2024-25 season 36-46 in suffering their first losing season and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20.
Williams, Vogel and Budenholzer were fired after each of the past three seasons with Ishbia as team owner. Ishbia bought the Suns and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury for a record $4 billion during the 2022-23 season.
League sources informed The Republic that Phoenix has placed great emphasis on asking candidates about their defensive philosophy, defensive strategies, game plans and coverage schemes.
The Suns were 27th in defensive rating this season under Budenholzer.
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Sean Sweeney (Mavericks assistant)
The Mavs assistant is viewed as a “winner that will hold players accountable” and has an unrivaled work ethic.
League sources added Sweeney is a “great leader” who has tremendous command, is a student of the game and is a very good “Xs and Os guy.”
He worked under Jason Kidd with the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18) and Mavs (2021-Present). The Mavs reached the 2022 Western Conference finals and 2024 NBA Finals with Kidd as head coach and Sweeney as an assistant.
Sweeney started his NBA coaching career as a video coordinator for the New Jersey Nets (2011-13) under Avery Johnson. He later worked for Dwane Casey with the Detroit Pistons from 2018-21.
Before coaching in the NBA, Sweeney was a video coordinator on the college level at Northern Iowa. He was the director of basketball operations at the University of Evansville.
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Jordan Ott (Cavaliers assistant)
Ott has worked for four NBA teams, the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He played a major role in the Cavs posting the best record in the Eastern Conference this season (64-18) in his first year as an assistant in Cleveland.
League sources describe Ott as someone who is ready to be an NBA head coach. He’s viewed as a grinder who studies the game and has very sound offensive and defensive strategies. He’s strong in player development and film sessions, is organized and a teacher of the game.
The Michigan State connection with Suns general manager Brian Gregory and Ishbia has factored into Ott’s candidacy for Phoenix’s head coaching position.
Gregory served as an assistant under Tom Izzo when the Spartans won the 2000 men’s basketball national championship with Ishbia as a walk-on player. Ott was MSU’s video coordinator for five years, earning a master’s degree in athletic administration from the university during that time.
He left the Spartans in 2013 for a video coordinator position with the Atlanta Hawks, where he worked under Budenholzer for three seasons from 2013-16.
Ott then joined the Nets (2016-22), where he worked under Kenny Atkinson, Steve Nash and Jacque Vaughn. He spent two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (2022-24) under Darvin Ham before reuniting with Atkinson in Cleveland.
Atkinson won NBA Coach of the Year this season. The fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers eliminated the Cavs in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in five games.
Ott also has ties to Suns superstar Kevin Durant, who was in Brooklyn from 2019 until just before the 2023 trade deadline when the Suns acquired him in a blockbuster deal.
Durant’s future with the Suns is uncertain as the team entertained trade talks for him before the 2025 trade deadline, but he and Ott have worked together.
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Chris Quinn (Heat assistant)
Quinn has been in contention for NBA head coaching vacancies in recent years.
The Heat assistant’s ability to connect with players is deemed impressive by league sources. He’s big on player development, having led the charge to have coaches available 24/7 for players to work on their game.
Quinn played a role in the development of shooting guard Tyler Herro, who became a first-time All-Star for the Heat this season.
Quinn has been an assistant under Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra since 2015. Quinn is Spoelstra’s “right-hand man” when it comes to in-game adjustments, sources say.
He also worked as an assistant for the Heat’s G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in the 2014-15 season. Quinn was a director of player development on the college level at Northwestern before joining the Heat.
A Notre Dame graduate, Quinn played three seasons for the Heat, with the first two under Pat Riley (2006-08) and the third one for Spoelstra (2008-09).
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Micah Nori (Timberwolves assistant)
For starters, Nori was on the same Pistons staff with Sweeney under Casey from 2018-21.
Nori is known for his coaching ability on defense. He’s been instrumental in the Timberwolves being one of the league’s top defensive teams over the past two years.
Minnesota ranked first in defensive rating last season, sixth this season.
The T-Wolves face a 3-1 deficit to the Thunder in this year’s conference finals. The top overall seed, OKC will look to close the series in Game 5 on Wednesday, May 28, at home.
Nori worked with four previous NBA teams before joining the T-Wolves in 2021 in working under Chris Finch. He served as an advance scout with the Toronto Raptors from 1998 to 2009 before being elevated to assistant coach under Jay Triano.
He then worked for Casey in Toronto until 2013. Nori went from there to serve as an assistant with the Sacramento Kings (2013-15) and Denver Nuggets (2015-18). He worked under Michael Malone at Sacramento and Denver before reuniting with Casey in Detroit.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here are the likely finalists for the Phoenix Suns' head coaching job
Continue reading...
