Adrian WojnarowskiSenior NBA Insider May 23, 2023 11:07pm ET3 minute read
Danny Green: Monty Williams lost out
Danny Green reacts to the Phoenix Suns firing of Monty Williams.
The Phoenix Suns are sending four candidates for a final round of interviews this week, including two NBA championship coaches: Nick Nurse and Doc Rivers, sources told ESPN Tuesday night.
Nurse and Rivers will meet with executives as well as two rising stars in the coaching profession: Suns assistant head coach Kevin Young and Sacramento Kings assistant head coach Jordi Fernandez, sources said.
According to sources, Nurse has emerged as a prominent candidate for the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks’ coaching searches. Nurse is one of three finalists in Milwaukee, sources say, including Golden State assistant head coach Kenny Atkinson and Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin. According to sources, he also conducted an interview with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Suns are looking to replace ex-coach Monty Williams, who was fired after the Suns lost to eventual conference champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Suns are offering a job that includes two of the league’s best players: Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Nurse’s five seasons as Toronto’s coach included an NBA title in 2019, NBA Coach of the Year honors in 2020, and a record 227-163 (.582).
Rivers averaged a 154-82 (.653) record over his three seasons, including 54 wins in the 2022-23 season — the franchise’s highest since 2000-01. According to a study by ESPN Stats & Information, the Sixers were one of three teams in the top 10 for both offensive and defensive efficiency. Rivers has won 16 straight seasons as head coach.
Young spent eight years coaching in the G League — including as a head coach at the Utah Flash, Iowa Energy and Delaware 87ers — and has picked up momentum as a head coach candidate at openings this year, including with the Milwaukee Bucks. Toronto Raptors and Suns. Young has interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Sixers, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards in recent seasons.
Fernandez was a key part of Michael Malone’s coaching staff with the Nuggets for six seasons before becoming assistant head coach with the Sacramento Kings in 2022 under NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown. He hails from Badalona, Spain.