Mike Budenholzer, Nick Nurse Among Suns’ Coaching Candidates

Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer and ex-Raptors coach Nick Nurse are among the early candidates for the Suns’ coaching vacancy, per Chris Haynes of TNT/Bleacher Report.

Phoenix dismissed coach Monty Williams on Saturday following a second-round playoff exit.

Both Budenholzer and Nurse were fired after the season, too. Nurse and Raptors won the championship in 2019, and Budenholzer and the Bucks did the same in 2021 — beating Williams and the Suns along the way.

Interestingly, Williams is expected to become a candidate in Milwaukee.

Budenholzer and the Bucks compiled the NBA’s best record this season (58-24), before becoming just the third No. 1 overall seed to lose in the first round since the NBA instituted a best-of-seven format in 2003.

He compiled a 271-120 record in five seasons with the Bucks, and a 213-197 in five seasons with the Hawks before that.

Nurse compiled a 227-163 overall record in five seasons coaching the Raptors. They finished 41-41 this past season and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

The list of candidates will expand with the Suns’ job being one of the prime openings on the market.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 14, 2023