Phoenix Suns coach updates, speculation, rumors, news: Who will replace Monty Williams?

The Phoenix Suns fired coach Monty Williams over the weekend and speculation immediately swirled about who could become the next coach of the NBA franchise.

Follow the updates below for the latest chatter, rumors, news and reports on the Phoenix Suns' open head coach position, where Tyronn Lue, Nick Nurse and Mike Budenholzer are among the rumored candidates.

Fansided: Suns would be making a mistake hiring Kevin Young as head coach

Luke Duffy writes: "Kevin Young is not only an excellent assistant for the Suns, but somebody who will one day run his own team. There is overwhelming evidence that this situation is not the one for him, and that the organization would be better off seeking a veteran voice, as long as their name is not Doc Rivers. The Suns need to win, and the variance in hiring Young to be head coach is too great to go for it."

More: Phoenix Suns coach odds: Nick Nurse, Kevin Young, Doc Rivers or Jordi Fernandez?

Valley of the Suns: Frank Vogel a 'maybe' for Suns coach

Matt Escobar ranked the candidates to become the next Suns' coach and wrote of Vogel: "The fact that he was so recently a successful coach and that the Lakers’ failures after their title win of 2020 were due to poor roster decisions and injuries play heavily in his favor. He would get the absolute most out of the Suns defensively, and against the high powered Western Conference teams, that is vital."

The Arizona Republic: Nick Nurse, Doc Rivers, assistant Kevin Young among Phoenix Suns head coach finalists

Duane Rankin writes: "Three of them have won NBA titles as head coaches. The other two were head coaches in the G League. The Phoenix Suns have five finalists – Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, Doc Rivers, Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez and Suns associate head coach Kevin Young – for their head coaching job, sources confirmed Tuesday night to The Republic."

Bleacher Report: Suns expected to meet with Charles Lee, Kenny Atkinson

Chris Haynes tweeted: "Phoenix has yet to reach final stage of interviewing candidates for its head coaching vacancy and are expected to meet with Milwaukee associate head coach Charles Lee and Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson, sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport."

Bill Simmons: 'It's going to be Kevin Young' as Suns coach

The NBA writer said on his latest podcast: “From the producers of I told you Bronny (James) was going to USC six weeks ago, it’s gonna be Kevin Young."

Yahoo Sports: Mike Budenholzer not a candidate for Suns' job

Jake Fischer writes: "Sixers head coach Doc Rivers is expected to receive consideration from Phoenix’s new regime under owner Mat Ishbia, sources said. Kevin Durant is a known fan of Nurse’s tact. Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, meanwhile, is not seen as a likely candidate for the Suns, sources said, while he’s among the six names Philadelphia is considering for its position."

SB Nation: Suns face challenge in trying to land Ty Lue

John Voita writes: "I am in the Tyronn Lue camp, if that is even a possibility. The challenge is much akin to how the organization will have to strategically piece together a roster: Phoenix lacks the assets to make it happen if the opportunity presents itself. Lue is under contract and the Clippers, unless they mutually agreed to part ways, would demand compensation for him. And my guess is, seeing that they depleted their draft stock in an effort to obtain Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, they would want draft capital the Phoenix Suns don’t possess."

Locked on Suns: Why Phoenix should be patient in coaching search

It writes: "Phoenix Suns candidate Nick Nurse is a finalist to coach the Bucks this season, but the Suns should not panic aboard the NBA coaching carousel this summer."

ESPN: Nick Nurse 'looms prominently' in Suns' coaching search

Adrian Wojnarowski writes: "Nurse looms prominently in not only the Bucks' search but those with the Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers, sources said. The Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons also have ongoing searches for a new head coach."

Larry Brown Sports: Doc Rivers a candidate for Suns job?

Dan Benton writes: "Although Rivers hasn’t advanced past the conference semifinals in a decade, he hasn’t posted a losing record since 2006-2007 and has two NBA Finals appearances (and one championship) since then. Rivers has also missed the playoffs just once since 2007-2008, and that came in 2017-2018 with the Los Angeles Clipper (42-40)."

More: 'Monty ain't the problem': Mikal Bridges addresses Phoenix Suns firing Monty Williams

Fansided: Mike D'Antoni an option for Suns head coach?

Christopher Kline ranks the three best options to be the next Suns head coach and former Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni is No. 2 on his list.

He writes: "Kevin Durant would probably benefit from D’Antoni’s up-tempo, spaced-out offense too. The Rockets were very different from the SSOL Suns, but both teams were absolute juggernauts on the offensive end. D’Antoni generally knows how to get the most out of elite offensive players. Maybe he’s not the best Ayton coach, but swap Ayton for another good wing and get serviceable center minutes from Jock Landale and committee and the Suns are cooking with grease."

NESN: Suns' job is best open coaching position in NBA right now

The site had the Bucks at No. 2, 76ers at No. 3, Pistons at No. 4 and Raptors at No. 5.

It wrote: "Monty Williams was let go as the head man for the Suns after a second round flame out at the hands of the Nuggets. Still, this job remains the best one on the market. To start, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are arguably the most dynamic duo in the NBA, and any coach would love the opportunity to coach them. Additionally, new owner Mat Ishbia has expressed a strong desire to win quickly and appears fully committed to doing whatever is possible. Giving a new coach a featured duo, an eager owner, and the opportunity to live in Phoenix through the winter, who wouldn’t want this gig?"

The Athletic: Nick Nurse expected to be in 'high demand' for coaching job

Shams Charania writes: "One major name on the carousel is Nick Nurse, who was let go by the Raptors after five seasons that included Toronto's first NBA title. He is expected to begin his formal process with meetings with Milwaukee, Phoenix and Philadelphia and is expected to be in high demand and could possibly have his job to choose from, essentially his own selection process."

Yahoo Sports: 'Pessimism' Suns can get Ty Lue from Clippers

Jake Fischer writes: "Lue has been often mentioned as a primary target for both the Milwaukee Bucks’ and Phoenix Suns’ head-coaching jobs, but there is similar pessimism among people familiar with Lue and the Clippers’ front office that the respected play-caller can truly be poached from Los Angeles. Ballmer is known to have a strong affinity for Lue and his coaching acumen, sources said, and the Clippers still very much harbor championship aspirations despite another playoff shortcoming from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George."

More: 'It's not right': NBA on TNT analyst Reggie Miller sounds off on Phoenix Suns firing Monty Williams

ESPN: Suns gathering permission on assistants for head coaching interviews

Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted: "ESPN Sources: The Suns have started to gather permission on several assistants for head coaching interviews, including Sacramento’s Jordi Fernandez, Milwaukee’s Charles Lee and Memphis’ Darko Rajakovic."

More: Devin Booker. G League. Fiery: Inside look at Phoenix Suns head coaching candidate Kevin Young

The Arizona Republic: Suns getting inquiries from college ranks for head coaching job

Duane Rankin writes: "There have been a significant number of inquiries about the vacant Phoenix Suns coaching job including some from the college ranks, sources have informed The Arizona Republic."

SB Nation: Bob Myers, Ty Lue dream GM-coach scenario for Phoenix Suns?

Dave King writes: "Ty Lue would definitely be the biggest coaching ‘get’ on the market this summer if he actually hits the market. Sounds like the Suns want to find out if that’s a possibility before settling on someone else. But why stop there? Why not get the soon-to-be best free agent front office exec this summer too? Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers’ contract expires this summer. There’s been speculation for a year now that Myers and the Warriors might not agree on a contract extension, and with six weeks to go before he’s a free agent there does not appear to be any extension in place."

Bleacher Report: Kevin Young has support of many Suns players

Chris Haynes writes: "Kevin Young, an associate head coach under Monty Williams, will interview with the Suns as early as next week, sources say. Young appears to have the backing of many Suns' players."

Deseret News: Getting to know Suns coach candidate Kevin Young

Ryan McDonald writes: "Young, 41, was born in Salt Lake City but spent his formative years in Georgia. At the age of 23, he became a head coach in Ireland before becoming an assistant at UVU (then UVSC) a year later. After multiple additional stops — mostly in the NBA G League (then the D-League), Young became an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017 and stayed there until 2020 when he was hired by the Suns."

GoPhnx.com: Is Frank Vogel a fit as Suns head coach?

Gerald Bourguet writes: "The expectation here is that the Suns have a lot more work to do aside from just making a head coaching swap. They need to add more depth around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and if they’re able to do so, Vogel would be more than capable of knowing what to do with it. He’s more of a defensive-minded coach, though, which could be a problem considering how much offensive firepower the Suns will have to work with. Phoenix will need a modern, fast-paced offense — traits Vogel’s teams in LA and Indiana never really had."

ESPN: Deandre Ayton question looms over Suns head coach search

Bobby Marks told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM: "I think when James and Mat start interviewing head coaches … I think what you’re going to ask with Booker and Kevin on the roster (is) ‘how would you use Deandre Ayton?'. I think that’s going to be the big question here: Who you hire as your next head coach, how he could use Deandre? “Or you say, you know what, I think we should try to split up that contract, this is how we’ll do it. … I think a lot of it is to-be-determined."

The Arizona Republic: Doc Rivers a fan of Suns' Devin Booker

The former Philadelphia 76ers coach, who was fired Tuesday, spoke highly of Devin Booker in November.

"I just like his makeup," Rivers said of Booker before Philadelphia defeated the Suns. "He gets a lot of flak sometimes for the trash talk stuff, but I don’t think he does it for any other reason that when the game starts, he’s mean, and he means it. He’s not a trash talker for show. He just talks because he wants to destroy you and I don’t if that’s ‘it’ or whatever, but I love ‘it.’"

More: Devin Booker's cryptic tweet has Phoenix Suns, NBA fans talking

Sports Illustrated: Suns should pursue Doc Rivers for head coaching position

Remy Mastey writes: Out of all the coaches available, Rivers has the most experience with 24 seasons as a head coach between the 76ers, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers. Rivers’ past endeavors makes him an interesting candidate for the job as not only will he be able to mentor the younger players already on the team, but just his name alone could attract free agents to come to the Valley."

More: Was Monty Williams' firing from Phoenix Suns racism? Stephen Jackson slammed for take

Sports Illustrated: Why Nick Nurse is prime candidate to become Suns coach

Remy Mastey writes: "Depth down the stretch was arguably the Suns’ biggest problem and a huge reason why they were eliminated in the second round to the Denver Nuggets. With Nurse at the helm, that could all change as he tends to utilize his role players more strategically than Williams, which will take a lot of pressure off Booker and Durant. Nurse also has championship experience, which can help the younger, more inexperienced players better prepare for a deep playoff run."

The Arizona Republic: Doc Rivers a candidate for Suns coach?

The Philadelphia 76ers have fired coach Doc Rivers, and it won't take long for sites to link him to the Suns as a potential candidate to replace Monty Williams.

The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin recently included Rivers on a list of potential Suns coach candidates, writing "What if: With the 76ers falling short of a championship, again, this time with the NBA’s MVP in Joel Embiid and James Harden, Rivers may very well be out, but leaving the door open for him to take on a new challenge. Rivers would surely love coaching Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, who he’s given high praise."

Sports Illustrated: Is Mike Budenholzer right coach to take Suns to championship?

Remy Mastey writes: "On May 4, Budenholzer was fired by the Bucks and now is in search of a new job. Budenholzer’s experience makes him an interesting candidate for the Suns’ coaching position and should be strongly considered. However, Budenholzer has been criticized for his lack of adjustments in-game, something Williams was scrutinized for during his time in Phoenix. However, Budenholzer has been criticized for his lack of adjustments in-game, something Williams was scrutinized for during his time in Phoenix."

SB Nation: Could Suns trade for Clippers coach Tyronn Lue?

Dave King writes: "The Suns reportedly also have shown ‘interest’ in Tyronn Lue as their next head coach, but Lue is under long term contract with the Clippers still. He would have to be fired to become available, and that hasn’t happened yet. Could he be traded to the Suns? Sure, coaches have been traded before. Doc Rivers was once traded to the Clippers for a first round pick. But the Suns don’t have any tradable first round picks anymore, since the Durant trade, and really shouldn’t consider trading any players (Paul, Ayton, Shamet, Payne) for him because their team hardly has enough resources to fill out the roster as it is. If somehow the Clippers are okay with letting Lue go, and he does have a better playoff resume than any of these other options. He made the Finals three straight years with the Cavaliers and LeBron James, winning once. He also made the Conference Finals with the Clippers in 2020."

Phoenix Suns head coach odds: Who is favored to replace Monty Williams?

The Phoenix Suns are searching for a new head coach after firing Monty Williams and three coaches with NBA championships lead the odds to replace him.

Former Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse, former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and current Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue lead odds to become the next coach of the Suns that were recently put out by BetArizona.com.

Click here to see the complete odds.

CBS Sports: Tom Izzo a candidate for Phoenix Suns' job?

Sam Quinn wrote: "Izzo has given no indication that he is interested in coaching in the NBA, although we could reach here and note that he has attended a couple of Suns games this spring. (But let's just say that's a coach supporting a former player.) That said, Michigan State has been remarkably average by Izzo's standards over the past several years, and the college game is changing with the proliferation of NIL money and the transfer portal. Many of Izzo's old rivals have retired in recent years while expressing discomfort with the new world the sport occupies. If ever there was a time to chase Izzo, it's now. The odds of luring him away from the Spartans are still probably quite low, but Ishbia would surely pay whatever price it takes to get him. If nothing else, he could hold it over Gilbert's head forever."

The Arizona Republic: Isiah Thomas should replace Monty Williams as coach of the Suns

Columnist Greg Moore writes: "If Thomas had a chance to coach the Suns, it’s reasonable to think he’d reach out to Laimbeer as a top assistant. Laimbeer is a four-time WNBA champion as a coach and a two-time champion as a player. If anyone could teach Ayton how to be mean, it’s Laimbeer. (Laimbeer, for his part, has said he’d never coach again. But he didn’t rule out being an assistant."

The Athletic: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant had say in Monty Williams' firing

Shams Charania told the Bickley & Marotta Show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Monday:  “I’m told unequivocally this was an organizational decision from owner Mat Ishbia down to management and on down,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Monday. “I do believe … Durant, Booker, these are all guys that were all involved during the process.”

FanDuel TV: Tyronn Lue, Nick Nurse coaches to keep an eye on in Suns search

Of Lue, the coach of the Clippers, Charania said: "He's the Suns No. 1 target, from what I've been told."

More: Phoenix Suns fans react to head coach Monty Williams being fired, speculate on replacement

The Arizona Republic: Mike Budenholzer among candidates for Suns' job

Duane Rankin writes: "The Bucks went from beating the Suns for their first NBA title in 50 years to bowing out in the first round to the eighth-seeded Heat after having the NBA’s best record. He’s a coaching disciple of Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich, had success, but clearly took the fall for Milwaukee’s early exit."

CBS Sports: Do not underestimate Suns assistant Kevin Young in search

Sam Quinn writes: "Contenders have grown more comfortable hiring assistants in recent years. We can thank Nurse for that, and now, Darvin Ham has the Lakers eight wins away from the title in his first year in the top job. If nothing else, the Suns will interview Young for the sake of maintaining their relationship with him and hopefully keeping him on the staff for the next coach. If he can take advantage of that opportunity, though, the Suns will have the chance to hire one of the NBA's brightest young offensive minds from within their own building."

More: 'Deandre Ayton got Monty Williams fired': Stephen A. Smith blames Phoenix Suns big for coach's dismissal

CBS Sports: How about Frank Vogel as Suns' coach candidate?

Quinn writes: "Like Nurse, Vogel has struggled as a half-court coach on offense, but again, with Booker and Durant in place, that probably doesn't matter. The swing player here is Ayton. Vogel's championship came with the far more talented Davis up front, but Davis and Ayton have more in common than it might appear. Both were No. 1 overall picks that largely preferred not to do the sort of things on offense that centers do. Vogel found the right balance with Davis by allowing him to take jump shots and operate as a power forward for most of the game before forcing him to play as a true center in high-leverage moments. Might he be able to make a similar compromise with Ayton?"

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns coach updates, speculation, rumors: Who is next coach?