The Phoenix Suns have been among the NBA’s most competitive teams over the past few years, and this year new owner Mat Ishbia turned it up a notch by trading for Kevin Durant hours into his tenure.
But now, in the aftermath of an underwhelming finish in the playoffs, Ishbia has decided to part ways with beloved head coach Monty Williams to pursue his own dream candidate. The decision was leaked on Saturday night, by The Athletic’s Shams Charania and other sources.
Breaking: The Phoenix Suns are parting ways with head coach Monty Williams, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/DiqqOPdMak
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 14, 2023
This move marks the first in what will likely be a long line of changes for the organization. When Toshiba finalized his purchase in February, he had hopes of a title early on and it seems he is serious about doing everything he can to position his team to succeed.
Now that Williams is gone, we can’t help but think of potential replacements. Possible contenders include former Coach of the Year Nick Nurse and the recently fired Mike Budenholzer.
Will The Suns Make A Big Trade?
As the Suns consider their next coach, we can only expect the team to look for other ways to improve. Their assets are undoubtedly limited, but trading Deandre Ayton is one option that could make a significant difference for them.
“Ayton would be excited about a fresh start with another franchise, sources told ESPN,” Tim MacMahon wrote. “The Suns are expected to aggressively explore the trade market for him this summer,” league sources said. “Although Ayton had a disappointing series against Denver — getting benched down the stretch of the Suns’ Game 3 win and frequently dominated by two-time MVP center Nikola Jokic — league sources expect several teams to show interest in acquiring the 24-year-old, who averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season.”
With Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, it’s safe to say the Suns are going to be good regardless of what happens over the summer. The question is, will they be able to keep up with the likes of the Nuggets, Lakers, and other top contenders?
As we’ve seen already, depth matters and the Suns will need that if they want to succeed. They’ll also need a coach who can utilize the roster to the highest degree…
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