Need a coach? Why wait?
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That’s the approach the Suns are taking as they begin their search for a head coach with 10 games left on their schedule, ESPN.com reported.
Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough expects several jobs to become available once the season ends and wants to get a head start on any competition for top candidates.
"This is going to be a competitive marketplace," McDonough said.
"There are three of us (Phoenix, Memphis and Milwaukee) with interim coaches in place, and we want to be able to hit the ground running.
"We don't want to have to wait until the end of the regular season for candidates who aren't with teams now. At the end of the regular season, we'll be able to talk with coaches on non-playoff teams and we'll need to work with playoff teams on what their approach will be on contacting (assistant) coaches still in the postseason."
Among those candidates will be current interim head coach Jay Triano, McDonough said, after he’s led the team since the fourth game of the season after Earl Watson was fired.
The Suns are currently 19-53 — tied with Memphis for the worst record in the NBA.
McDonough will use the team's young core of Devin Booker, TJ Warren and Josh Jackson to lure top candidates like former Memphis coach David Fizdale or former Pelicans coach Monty Williams.