Ranking the Phoenix Suns head coaching candidates.
Nick Nurse
One of the common sentiments amongst Suns fans who wanted to move on from Williams was “He’s our Dwane Casey and we need to find our Nick Nurse to take us to the next level.” Well who better to be the Suns’ Nick Nurse but… Nurse himself.
Nurse took over for Casey in 2018 and immediately delivered a championship, albeit with a stronger roster and the timely arrival of Kawhi Leonard. Nurse was still clearly the better coach, and is now regarded as one of the best tactical coaches in the league, especially on the defensive side. Take Durant’s word for it.
Kevin Durant says the schemes and adjustments the Raptors and Nurse make throughout the game can keep you up at night
— Oren Weisfeld (@OrenWeisfeld) November 7, 2021
He wasn’t able to reach those championship heights again after the departure of Leonard, but he constantly had the Raptors playing above their level. A host of young players including Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby all flourished under Nurse.
He excels in the areas the Suns have lagged in in recent years and should be the clear number one option for the team. He ticks every box for the organization at this stage of the team’s journey to what they hope will be a championship.