Frank Vogel joins Doc Rivers, Nick Nurse among 5 reported finalists

The Phoenix Suns reportedly have five finalists for their vacant head-coaching position, and they do not lack in variety among candidates.

The team is considering former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers, former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel, Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez and Suns assistant coach Kevin Young, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reported earlier Tuesday that Rivers and Nurse were being considered for the Phoenix job, while Nurse is also a candidate for Rivers’ old Sixers job and the Milwaukee Bucks‘ opening.

Which direction will the Suns go after Monty Williams?

That Phoenix group includes three head coaches who have won NBA championships, not a rarity in this coaching cycle, and two coaches with no head coaching experience at all, including an in-house option with Young.

The Suns’ job is open after the team surprisingly fired Monty Williams following a rocky season that saw the team deal with injuries and acquire Kevin Durant in exchange for much of its depth and available draft picks. Any coach it hires will be expected to compete for a championship immediately with a win-now roster.

CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 21: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers watches during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on March 21, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Frank Vogel could go from coaching LeBron James to coaching Kevin Durant with the Suns. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Rivers and Nurse were both dropped in the last month after disappointing playoff exits, while Vogel took a year off after the Lakers fired him last year.

Fernandez, the associate head coach under Mike Brown in Sacramento, joined the Kings last offseason after six seasons with Michael Malone and the Denver Nuggets. Young joined Williams’ coaching staff in 2020 and was promoted to associate head coach last year.



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