The Suns made their final decision by hiring Monty Williams last week, but many new challenges await the veteran NBA coach, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes.
Williams, who will stay with the Sixers throughout their playoff run as an assistant, is inheriting a young roster with multiple lottery picks and a great deal of cap space to work with in free agency this summer. Among the greatest challenges with this franchise, however, remains Suns owner Robert Sarver.
In meeting with Williams and Suns general manage James Jones, Sarver promised to give Williams space and create a healthy culture within the franchise, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. However, this isn’t the first time Sarver has made this declaration.
“I’ve been blessed to coach alongside and play for some of the beast coaches in the NBA, and consider it a privilege to once again be a head coach with an excellent organization like the Suns,” Willams said as part of a larger statement about joining Phoenix. “It is a tremendous opportunity with a talented group of players and a loyal fan base. I will be very excited to get to the valley, connect with our team and get to work.”
Having an experienced roster, lack of talent in the Western Conference and the threat of Sarver interfering could cause challenges for Williams, but many around the NBA have expressed confidence in his ability to turn around the Suns.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- Suns guard Tyler Johnson had his 2018/19 season review published on NBA.com last week, outlining his final stats, highlights and more. Johnson was acquired by Phoenix from Miami before February’s trade deadline, being thrown into the young, hungry group more than halfway into the season.“It definitely pushed my comfort zone,” Johnson said. “It’s not something I was used to as far as being vocal. In past years, I had always been with somebody who led by example and come in and be professional and make sure I was getting my work done. Now, I’m worried about other guys and making sure they’re on top of their stuff as well. It definitely opened up by mind to a whole new set of possibilities.”
- The Lakers would theoretically give LeBron James the keys by hiring Tyronn Lue as head coach, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times writes. James won his third NBA championship playing under Lue with the Cavaliers in 2016, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Warriors. The two share a close relationship and have great admiration for one another, a big reason why the Lakers could look to finalize a deal with Lue as early as this week.
- This summer’s free agency period will largely determine the futures of the Clippers and Lakers for years to come, Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register writes. Both franchises could pursue the top players available on the open market, including Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving.
I’d like to point out that getting Lue could also be a selling or dismissive point for Kyrie! Not much has been said about the relationship between Lue and Kyrie, but one would ya r to think it moves the needle one way or the other.
The Suns haven’t been an “ Excellent Organization” since Sarver bought them. The NBA needs to step in and take control of this once proud franchise and find a owner.
Lue may have been the Lakers’ only real option. What real HC or top candidate would want this job right now-? Any other hire wouldn’t even really know who his boss is at the time of his hiring, let alone over the next year. Jeanie is, in theory, but, in the end, she couldn’t or wouldn’t stop the disrespect shown him by the FO, which, in the end, made it impossible to continue in the position. RP-? I don’t buy it. If he were fired after the draft would anyone be surprised-? LBJ-? By default, perhaps, or, even if not, who’s opinion of the HC matters more right now? And he has had no problem in the past openly disrespecting a HC with whom he disagrees.
Only Lue, with LBJ as an ally (and not being a candidate anywhere else), makes sense as a guy who would REALLY want the job. The others who professed to – Kidd, Howard, etc. – may have dogged a bullet.