The Suns have gone just 11-18 since Jay Triano took over as the club’s interim head coach in October, but his performance on the sidelines has impressed multiple Suns players, including standout guard Devin Booker. As Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic details, Booker says he’d like to see Triano assume the job on a permanent basis.
“Me and Triano have that relationship. He’s somebody I’m comfortable with and somebody I’ve been around for a long time,” Booker said. “I love Triano. I don’t make those calls, but he’s been doing a wonderful job since he’s been here and I would vouch for him. He’s been really good.”
Booker isn’t the only young Sun who has become a bigger fan of Triano in recent weeks. Fifth-year center Alex Len, who re-signed with the club this past offseason, said that he loves playing for the team’s interim head coach.
“Jay is always putting in new things. He’s very creative offensively,” Len said. “It’s not that we’re even better from the first three games. We’re better than we were a couple of weeks ago. He’s doing a great job.”
Players’ opinions aren’t always weighed heavily by a team’s front office when it comes to head coaching decisions. However, as Bordow observes, Booker’s stance shouldn’t be understated. The 21-year-old will become extension-eligible in 2018 for the first time, at which point he and the Suns figure to reach a lucrative, long-term agreement. It will be important that the centerpiece of the club’s rebuild is on the same page as the new head coach.
When the Suns fired Earl Watson and installed Triano as the interim head coach in October, the assumption was that they’d survey their options at season’s end. Triano is expected to be among the candidates, but if he makes a strong enough impression this season, perhaps the club will forgo a full-fledged search in the spring.