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[Saba Sports News] Kevin Durant may be on his way out of Phoenix, but a familiar name linked to the Suns’ coaching vacancy could give him something to reconsider.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the Suns are exploring several options to replace the recently fired Mike Budenholzer, and two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown is reportedly among the candidates. Brown has been out of a job since being dismissed by the Sacramento Kings in December.
Brown, 55, is no stranger to Durant. He served as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors during Durant’s entire stint there from 2016 to 2019, even stepping in as acting head coach during the 2017 playoffs while Steve Kerr dealt with health issues.
Beyond his time with Golden State, Brown has extensive experience coaching superstar talent, including LeBron James in Cleveland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and more recently, De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento.
If the Suns were to hire Brown—who holds a career head coaching record of 454-304 (.599) with seven playoff appearances—it could mark an intriguing twist in the Durant situation.
Durant still has one year left on his contract with Phoenix, and some have speculated the firing of Budenholzer was partly to appease him.
Still, the expectation remains that the Suns will likely explore trade options for the 36-year-old star this offseason. As for Brown, he isn’t the only candidate in the mix, with Phoenix also said to be eyeing a current NBA head coach they know well.