PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory was introduced to the media for the first time on Tuesday after being promoted to the role last week.
Now that Phoenix’s front office shakeup is in the rearview mirror, Gregory, Josh Bartelstein, and Mat Ishbia will decide on making yet another head coaching hire after ushering in successive one-and-done leaders of the locker room.
The search will reportedly be an expansive one that will be focused on prospective first-time head coaches – potentially one that is still standing in the playoffs.
This exercise will only cover franchises that are still in the postseason – this means Chris Quinn of the Miami Heat, Jared Dudley of the Dallas Mavericks, Royal Ivey of the Houston Rockets, and numerous others will not be included.
Without further ado, five realistic candidates for the head coach post from teams that remain in the 2025 playoffs:
Stackhouse has been a name that has yet to surface as a contender for the role – but the longtime NBA great has experience as a G-League head coach and the lead man of Vanderbilt’s basketball program.
He is a former player that has been noted for connecting with players and has the requisite experience to take on the role without many roadblocks.
Outside the box candidates certainly tend to be hit-or-miss without much middle ground – Stackhouse could be one that is in a position to be successful despite this.
Nori has spent the last four seasons as the lead assistant in Minnesota – and has been a candidate to become a head coach for multiple organizations over the last two years.
Nori might not be the ‘splashiest’ hire, but could very much fit the mold of coach that Gregory alluded to at the press conference yesterday.
Bliss has expansive experience in a number of roles – including being a graduate assistant under Shaka Smart for the VCU men’s basketball program and a player development role with the New York Knicks before being promoted to a spot on the OKC bench in 2019.
Bliss is another under-the-radar candidate, but nearly anyone within the Thunder organization should be of interest to any outside franchise that is looking to succeed.
Bliss has been noted to have a massive fan in top OKC executive Sam Presti and has drawn substantial credit for the development of several key cogs in the rotation of the best team in the NBA
Cassell has spent over 30 years in the NBA – 15 as a player and the last 17 as an assistant coach – having returned to the Celtics for the previous two years.
Cassell is well-respected across the league, holds the necessary experience to take on the mantle without a potential clunky transition period, and could install the more physical brand of basketball that Ishbia clearly would like to shift to.
Bryant is arguably the single strongest potential candidate on paper.
The longtime assistant coach has spent time with three fruitful organizations in the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers – having been praised in all three spots for his innovative nature while also being able to connect with players from all walks.
Donovan Mitchell’s relationship with Bryant could be the most crucial factor in it all – it could point to the potential for a special dynamic between Bryant and Devin Booker – were the accomplished assistant to land this coveted gig.
