Breaking Down Three Suns Head Coach Candidates
It has been widely reported that the Suns are down to nine candidates in their search to find their fourth coach in four years. In a series of articles, Duane Raskin of AZ Central broke down the varying strengths of three potential first-time NBA head coaches.
Chris Quinn, the associate head coach for the Heat, has been a popular name after a turbulent season in Miami that presented the coaching staff with a wide variety of challenges.
According to Raskin, Quinn was considered an instrumental part of keeping the team together through the ups and downs of the Jimmy Butler trade drama and the transitional state that came from pivoting to a new era. That points to his ability as a developmental coach, with Tyler Herro‘s offensive growth considered a prime example.
Quinn is also considered the “right hand man” of head coach Erik Spoelstra when it comes to in-game adjustments. This is an important detail, considering the Heat are largely considered one of the better teams in the league when it comes to their game plan and execution.
Mavericks assistant Sean Sweeney is another candidate. Raskin writes that he’s famous for having a limitless work ethic for himself and demanding the same of his players. A longtime confidant and collaborator with Jason Kidd, he’s described by league sources as “a winner that will hold players accountable.”
Jordan Ott is a Cavaliers assistant coach who is widely viewed as a leading candidate in the job hunt, reports Raskin. This is thanks, in part, to his ties to Suns owner Mat Ishbia via their shared alma mater of Michigan State, where Ott was a video coordinator for five years.
Raskin describes Ott as a grinder with a specialty in player development, thanks in part to his abilities as a teacher of the game through film sessions in which he imparts his understanding of offensive and defensive principles. While the current version of the Suns is a veteran team whose stars may not need much teaching, getting the fringe players on the rotation to become real contributors would help maximize the roster. The Suns have also struggled to create an identity on either side of the ball, so having a tactician running the show could help from an organizational standpoint.
Ott also has a preexisting relationship with Kevin Durant, as Ott was an assistant with the Nets when Durant played there.
Brenen Lorient Withdraws From NBA Draft
North Texas forward Brenen Lorient will return to college basketball, according to Jon Chepkevich of Draft Express (Twitter link), who reports that he’s withdrawing his name from the 2025 NBA draft.
Lorient is a 6’9″ athletic forward who averaged 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 47.8% on three-pointers (in just 23 total attempts) in his junior season. He was named the AAC Sixth Man of the Year and All-AAC First Team.
Chepkevich reports that Lorient, who spent his first two years at Florida Atlantic University, will play his senior year at West Virginia, joining four-star shot-making wing Jayden Forsythe and newly-hired coach Ross Hodge.
Lorient declared for the draft while maintaining his NCAA eligibility last month. He is not on ESPN’s current big board of this year’s top 100 league prospects and he falls just outside ESPN’s top-100 transfer portal list.
College early entrants have until the end of the day on May 28 to withdraw from the NBA draft if they want to retain their NCAA eligibility.
2024/25 All-NBA Teams Announced
The 2024/25 All-NBA teams have been officially announced by the league (Twitter link).
A total of 100 media members voted on the All-NBA teams, with First Team votes counting for five points, Second Team votes counting for three points, and Third Team votes counting for one point.
This year’s All-NBA teams are as follows:
First Team
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (500 points)
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (500)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (500)
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics (500)
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (414)
Second Team
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves (318)
- LeBron James, Lakers (289)
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (244)
- Evan Mobley, Cavaliers (238)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (232)
Third Team
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons (223)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks (172)
- Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers (79)
- Jalen Williams, Thunder (73)
- James Harden, Clippers (68)
The top four vote-getters, Antetounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Tatum, were all unanimous selections to the First Team. James led the Second Team with 17 First Team votes, compared to Mitchell’s 61. Cunningham was the only member of the Third Team to receive First Team votes (six) — he also earned 10 more Second Team votes than the next closest vote-getter, as Towns had 40.
This announcement marks the first All-NBA selections for Cunningham, Mobley, and Williams, and – on the other side of the coin – the 21st consecutive selection for James. No other player in NBA history has been named to more than 15 All-NBA teams.
Curry set a franchise record with his 11th All-NBA selection. Edwards became just the fourth Timberwolves player to be named to multiple All-NBA teams, joining Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love, and Towns.
Other players who received votes, along with their respective point totals, were the Rockets‘ Alperen Sengun (58), the Grizzlies‘ Jaren Jackson Jr. (55), the Clippers‘ Ivica Zubac (15), the Cavaliers‘ Darius Garland (6), the Kings‘ Domantas Sabonis (4), the Pacers‘ Pascal Siakam (4), the Heat‘s Bam Adebayo (3), the Hawks‘ Trae Young (3), and the Suns‘ Devin Booker (2).
The Cavs, Knicks, and Thunder were the only teams to feature multiple All-NBA players. Both the Thunder and Knicks are currently playing in the conference finals for a shot at advancing to the NBA finals.
This is the second year that All-NBA teams have been positionless and have required players to meet a 65-game minimum to qualify for consideration.
Several players, starting with Cunningham, gained or lost eligibility for salary increases due to the All-NBA results. We have more details here.
Nuggets Face Important General Manager Decision
After firing Calvin Booth a week before the end of the 2024/25 season, the Nuggets are heading into an important offseason without a general manager. Whoever steps in to fill that role will be tasked with building out a roster around star Nikola Jokic, despite not currently owning a pick in the 2025 draft and facing a financial situation that could force changes to the starting lineup.
Based on vice chairman Josh Kroenke‘s track record, interim GM Ben Tenzer should be considered to hold pole position in the search, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Tenzer has served as the GM of the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s G League affiliate squad, for the past two years and has been with the organization since 2005.
Durando writes that current assistant GM Tommy Balcetis could also be a candidate if the team hires from within, though Kroenke has publicly stated there’s no guarantee that’s the direction he will take.
“I would be naive if I didn’t think about soliciting opinions outside these walls, whether that’s from some of my own basketball contacts, or hiring a firm that perhaps might be able to give me a list of some of the brightest upcoming minds in the league,” Kroenke said, per Durando.
Minnesota’s GM Matt Lloyd has been one name circulated in recent weeks, Durando reports. The Timberwolves have seen success while being aggressive on the trade market, including trading into the lottery last summer to select point guard Rob Dillingham. With the Nuggets experiencing a talent drain over the past few seasons, a willingness to take big swings could be viewed as a positive attribute by the team’s top decision-makers.
In addition to candidates currently employed by other teams, such as the Heat’s Andy Elisburg and Trent Redden of the Clippers, Durando notes that there are several high-profile names who might be available.
Bob Myers has been working as an ESPN analyst since leaving his position with the Warriors two years ago, and it’s worth wondering if he would be open to returning to basketball operations. It has been previously reported that league-wide belief is that it would take a “significant” offer and the perfect fit to lure him out of retirement.
David Griffin, Landry Fields, and Monte McNair were let go by the Pelicans, Hawks, and Kings, respectively, last month. Griffin struggled to put together a winning team against the backdrop of New Orleans’ constant stream of injuries, but showed himself to be a high-level drafter. Fields wasn’t able to get the Hawks out of the rut of roughly .500 ball they’ve been in for the past five seasons, but he did manage to put a coherent team vision around Trae Young, with a legion of lengthy, defensive-minded wings who can shoot threes and switch on defense.
Perhaps the most intriguing name floated by Durando is a familiar one to Denver: Tim Connelly. The former Nuggets president of basketball operations left Denver to build the back-to-back conference finalist Wolves, but he has an opt-out in his contract this summer. The expectation is that he will work out a deal with new ownership.
Even if Connelly is available, a reunion seems unlikely, Durando notes, given the Nuggets’ hesitancy to come close to Minnesota’s contract offer last time around. It would presumably take an even more lucrative bid this time to bring him back to Denver.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Hachimura, Suns, Clippers
The Lakers already made their big move of the year by trading for Luka Doncic mid-season. Now, after a five-game playoff run that ended with a loss to the Timberwolves, the team has to figure out how to build the team around him, writes Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link).
The critical pieces this summer will be the player options for LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith. James is reportedly not expected to take a discount deal in what will likely be his last contract, and while he’s expected to return to Los Angeles, it’s not a certainty.
The Lakers could use a mid-range deal like Gabe Vincent‘s $11.5MM or Maxi Kleber‘s $11MM, along with Shake Milton‘s non-guaranteed deal, to bring in a starting big man, but with only one tradable first-round pick available, the return will likely be modest unless the team is willing to include a young player like Dalton Knecht, Gozlan notes.
Finney-Smith has a $15.4MM player option. He is extension-eligible and serves a valuable role as the Lakers’ best wing defender. Austin Reaves is also extension-eligible, but the limitations on what L.A. can offer him make it unlikely a deal gets signed. Finally, Doncic himself will be able to sign an extension on August 2 worth up to a maximum of $229MM over four years.
We have more from around the Pacific division:
- Rui Hachimura was named a Lakers starter by new head coach J.J. Redick in the fall and he repaid that trust with a strong, well-rounded season, writes Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. His shooting, rebounding, and defense were crucial for a team without much depth on the wing. However, with one year and $18.3MM left on his contract, if an extension isn’t reached this summer, Hachimura’s name will likely come up in trade talks as the Lakers look to build a future-facing roster around Doncic.
- The second round of interviews for the Suns‘ head coaching vacancy will begin this week, reports John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix (via Twitter). Phoenix has reportedly narrowed its search down to nine candidates: Sean Sweeney, Micah Nori, Steve Hetzel, Dave Bliss, James Borrego, David Fizdale, Johnnie Bryant, Jordan Ott, and Chris Quinn. The names are interesting for such a veteran team, as only Borrego and Fizdale have previous NBA head coaching experience. The Suns hope the new coach can help build a program from scratch while aligning with owner Mat Ishbia.
- The Suns are facing another lawsuit, the fourth in seven months from a current or former member of the organization, writes ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. The suit, filed on behalf of Gene Traylor, the team’s director of safety, security, and risk management, alleges discrimination, harassment, and retaliation following a presentation by Traylor of risks to the team’s reputation or security. It also alleges that the team discouraged him from taking leave after a cancer diagnosis. “Ms. [Sheree] Wright and her client have made absurd accusations of misconduct surrounding the security department of the Phoenix Suns,” a Suns spokesperson responded to ESPN. Traylor’s team, in response, has claimed that the Suns are trying to publicly discredit Wright, who is on Traylor’s legal team, in an effort to shift focus from their own culpability.
- The Clippers will enter the summer with 13 players under contract, Gozlan writes in his offseason preview (Substack link). Much of the offseason revolves around the player options of James Harden and Nicolas Batum, who has stated that next year will likely be his last season. After a very successful regular season, Harden is expected to decline his option and look for a pay bump, and Gozlan suggests aligning his contract with Kawhi Leonard‘s on a two-year deal could make the most sense for both sides. The Clippers can sign Harden for up to four years, but in that case it’s likely the last two years would be at least partially non-guaranteed, Gozlan writes. The Clippers will also have access to the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level, with which they could add another veteran. The team could also try to sell high on Norman Powell, who is coming off a career year and is extension-eligible.
Darrion Williams Withdraws From Draft
Darrion Williams has withdrawn from the 2025 NBA draft, reports CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein (via Twitter).
The 22-year-old wing, who spent the past two seasons at Texas Tech following a freshman year at Nevada, is currently in the transfer portal for his senior season. NC State and Kansas believed to be among the leaders to land him, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 (via Twitter).
The versatile forward averaged 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game this past season and is a career 37.9% three-point shooter.
Williams was ranked the No. 46 prospect on ESPN’s big board, making him a decent candidate to be drafted. However, he struggled during combine scrimmages last week, scoring just two points in 45 combined minutes over the two days of gameplay, though he did average 7.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Williams also measured in at 6’4.5″ barefoot with a 6’6″ wingspan, putting him on the smaller end for NBA wings. Facing a likelihood of being selected in the second round or going undrafted, Williams made an early decision, as the withdrawal date for early entrant prospects who want to retain NCAA eligibility is May 28. He’ll likely earn more on the NIL market this year while continuing to build his draft stock for next summer.
Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Finch, Thunder, Wolves
There’s a chance that Game 7’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the last game together for the Nuggets‘ core four of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr., writes Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. The quartet, which has played together since the Gordon was acquired via trade in 2022, is looking at a financial reality that might prove too onerous for ownership to bear, especially with the team unable to get past the second round since winning the title in 2023.
Asked after Game 7 whether the Nuggets could win a championship as currently constructed, Jokic said, “If we could, we will win it. So I don’t believe in the ‘if, if’ stuff. We had opportunity. We didn’t win it. So I think we can’t.”
The loss comes after the abrupt termination of general manager Calvin Booth and longtime head coach Michael Malone, both of whom were crucial architects of the championship identity, just weeks before the playoffs began. Interim head coach David Adelman ended up coaching nearly as many Game 7s as he did regular season games.
Murray and Gordon both have extensions about to kick in. Murray’s four-year deal is worth nearly $208MM, while Gordon’s is a three-year $109MM extension after he exercised his $22.84MM player option in the 2025/26 season.
While both are trade-eligible, they have been crucial pieces of the Nuggets’ success, with Murray providing scoring and play-making while Gordon has consistently been a big-shot maker and elite defender who has displayed a seamless connection with Jokic as a cutter and screener. That may leave Porter as the best chance the team has to address some of its roster holes while it still can, especially with Christian Braun‘s extension eligibility looming.
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Whatever decisions the Nuggets are forced to make due to finances and a lack of repeated Finals runs will be made more difficult by the bonds that have developed over the years. One such relationship is between Porter and Gordon, who have become close friends and support pillars for each other, Marc J. Spears writes for Andscape. Gordon played this season after losing his older brother, Drew, and Porter was someone he could lean on in times of hardship. Gordon and Porter both fought through injuries that limited them in their series against the Thunder, to the point that Porter wondered if he made things worse by being out there. “I probably should’ve just let it heal for a few games and then try to come back,” he said. “That is just not the person I am.”
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch‘s journey to back-to-back conference finals appearances began with a rejection from a Pennsylvania high school coaching gig, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. At the time, he was coaching basketball in England and desperate for a way home. That journey led him to the Rockets’ G League team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, which eventually led him to Minnesota, where, for the second time in three seasons, Finch had to figure out how to construct an identity around a team with a new All-Star. The results were tumultuous to start the season, with the team booed for a lackluster start amid discourse about whether newly-acquired star Julius Randle should be benched for Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, but Finch eventually found the right buttons to push for to his new-look team. “The validation I feel is for what we’re doing overall as a program,” he said.
- Randle and Gobert struggled to find their footing early on together, but in the second round of the 2025 playoffs, the Timberwolves veterans showcased why they are such dangerous players and silenced criticism about their playoff histories, writes Mark Medina of Athlon Sports. “You’ve gotten a lot of disrespect your whole career,” Gobert said to Randle. “And so have I.” Finch, who was an assistant coach in New Orleans for Randle’s breakout year, says that finding the balance of Randle’s responsibilities was key to unlocking the team: “We, at different times of the season, gave him the message, ‘Hey we need you to score more. Hey, we need you to pass more.’ And sometimes it was the wrong message… So that was a lot of our early season growth with him.“
- The Thunder have some fascinating lineup choices to consider as they enter Tuesday’s Game 1 against the Wolves, says SI’s Rylan Stiles. After having gotten past Jokic, the team is likely to be less reliant on the two-big lineups featuring Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein against the athletic Randle and a more traditional center in Rudy Gobert. That, in turn, would allow the Thunder to bring more of their defensive-minded guards or wings into the lineup to try their hand at slowing down Anthony Edwards.
Aaron Gordon Will Be Game-Time Decision For Game 7
May 17: Gordon will officially be listed as questionable for Game 7, Nuggets sources tell Tony Jones of The Athletic. The 29-year-old forward will continue to receive treatment leading up to the game in an effort to suit up, Jones adds.
Nuggets head coach David Adelman told reporters on Saturday that Gordon participated in the team’s walk-through and is expected to be a game-time decision on Sunday, per Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link).
“He fully was part of it,” Adelman said. “The game plan. Both sides of the ball. So if Aaron can play, he will play.”
May 16: Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania. This leaves his availability for Sunday’s Game 7 against the Thunder up in the air.
Gordon has been a crucial piece of the Nuggets’ playoff run, hitting clutch shots in multiple games and playing excellent, versatile defense throughout the postseason. In this series, he is averaging 14.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from three.
With Michael Porter Jr. already struggling with a shoulder injury and Jamal Murray needing an IV to replenish his fluids going into Game 6, the Nuggets have dealt with plenty of health-related adversity throughout this series, but if Gordon is unable to suit up, it will be their biggest challenge yet.
Julian Strawther had a big Game 6 for Denver but is undersized to step into a forward role. Peyton Watson has struggled to contribute offensively, but his length and athleticism has provided some good moments on defense. If Gordon is limited, Watson may be called upon to step into a bigger role.
Warriors’ Dunleavy, Kerr Discuss Kuminga’s Free Agency
The Warriors are heading into a pivotal offseason as they look to put together a roster that can help stars Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler compete at the highest level possible.
On Friday, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke about one of the biggest questions facing the team in that effort: what to do with the talented but inconsistent wing, Jonathan Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.
“As far as bringing him back next season, I think it’s something we’re very interested in doing because, when I look at the things JK does well, in terms of getting to the rim, finishing, getting fouled, these are things we greatly need,” Dunleavy said, as reported by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
Team owner Joe Lacob‘s well-chronicled appreciation for Kuminga works in favor of the 22-year-old from the Congo remaining with the Warriors. However, Dunleavy was far from definitive when he discussed Kuminga’s future in the Bay.
“I know how we can work with him better,” Dunleavy said. “But in terms of guessing how it’s all going to play out or what the contract might look like or sign-and-trades and things like that, honestly, I’d be totally guessing at this point to conjecture on anything.”
Assuming they tender him an $8MM qualifying offer as expected, the Warriors could negotiate a new multiyear deal with Kuminga, let him seek an offer sheet with another team, or work out a sign-and-trade deal to send him elsewhere. He could also choose to accept his QO, which would put him in track for unrestricted free agency in 2026.
Kuminga’s role fluctuated throughout the season, as well as in the playoffs, but Curry’s injury in the first round opened the door for him to receive major minutes and he made the most of the opportunity, despite the Warriors falling to the Timberwolves in five games. In his final four outings, he averaged 31 minutes per night and put up 24.3 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 38.9% from three and racking up 6.3 free throw attempts per game.
Head coach Steve Kerr admitted earlier this spring that he had trouble using Kuminga alongside Butler and Draymond Green, but indicated on Friday that he’ll exercise more patience exploring lineup fits for the 6’8″ forward should he remain on the roster.
“If JK comes back, we will, for sure, spend the early part of the season playing him with Jimmy, Draymond, Steph,” Kerr said. “To me, that would be a no-brainer. We didn’t have that luxury this year.”
Kerr and Dunleavy ended their press conference by reiterating that they believe the roster has championship potential while acknowledging that changes will likely have to be made. The Warriors’ GM didn’t close the door on the idea of giving up young players and draft picks to pursue another impact player after adding Butler in February, but suggested the front office would be wary of moves that could hurt the team in the long run.
“We’re good giving up whatever it takes,” Dunleavy said. “It just depends how good we think that will make our team. I think the only issue with mortgaging the future is you just don’t want to get caught. I don’t want to get caught in a situation where we give up a ton, put all our chips in, and then 10 games into the season, we have a catastrophic injury, there’s nowhere to go, and then we’re stuck for four or five years.”
Poll: Who Will Win Thunder/Nuggets Game 7?
The Thunder and Nuggets have played a dramatic, hard-fought series, with neither team able to take a commanding lead. After winning Games 4 and 5, Oklahoma City looked poised to put the series away, but Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Denver’s role players responded in Game 6, forcing a decisive Game 7, which will be played on Sunday at Oklahoma City.
The battle of the MVP candidates has been all anyone could have hoped for through six games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 28.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, while Jokic has responded with 29.8 PPG and 14.7 RPG.
Both teams have five players averaging at least 10 points per night, with Denver’s Murray (22.0 PPG) the lone player outside of the top two stars to crack the 20 PPG threshold. While the Thunder have gotten well-rounded contributions, Jalen Williams has struggled as the team’s second option, averaging 16.5 PPG on 33.7% from the field.
Even more concerning for the Thunder are the shooting woes of its top three players. None of Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams, or Chet Holmgren are hitting over 27% from three, though their offense has been bolstered by Alex Caruso knocking down 43.8% of his threes in addition to his typical disruptive defense.
One of the most important factors coming into the game will be the health of Denver’s do-it-all forward Aaron Gordon. Gordon was in and out of the final two minutes of Game 6 after injuring his hamstring trying to save a ball tipped away by Holmgren, an injury that has been diagnosed as a left hamstring strain, leaving his status very much in doubt.
Losing Gordon would be a massive blow to the Nuggets’ chances. In addition to his always-excellent defense, the veteran forward has come up clutch all series. He hit the game-winning shot in Game 1 and had multiple clutch baskets in Game 3, including a three-pointer to send the game to overtime with 28 seconds left in regulation and a mid-range jumper with a minute left in overtime to push the lead to nine points.
Depth has generally favored Oklahoma City, which has gotten positive minutes from Caruso, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams, and Aaron Wiggins. However, the Nuggets have found some answers in Christian Braun and, in Game 6, Julian Strawther, whose 15 second-half points were critical to earning the Nuggets some much-needed momentum.
The two teams have managed to play to their strengths for the most part, with the Thunder forcing a 14.3% turnover rate from the Nuggets while Denver maintains a 4% edge in offensive rebounding rate.
The Thunder are the second-youngest team in the league and occasionally that lack of experience has reared its head, with the most glaring example being in Game 1, when they intentionally fouled the Nuggets while up three with Jokic on the bench and no timeouts to get him back in the game. The Nuggets, on the other hand, have the most Game 7 experience over the last 10 years of any team outside of the Celtics.
The Thunder finished 18 games ahead of Denver in the regular season standings and the oddsmakers favor them trying to win at home. According to BetOnline.ag, the Thunder are currently 8.5-point favorites.
We want to know what you think. Will the Thunder be able to hold off the former champion Nuggets, or will Denver’s experience prove too much for the Thunder to overcome?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to make your predictions and share your thoughts!
Who will win Sunday's Game 7?
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Oklahoma City Thunder 57% (546)
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Denver Nuggets 43% (412)
Total votes: 958