New Phoenix Suns owner Matt Ichpeia promised to be a hands-on. Saturday, he made his second big move.
Three months after his successful trade to Kevin Durant, Ishpea made his second big move as Suns owner. Two days after Phoenix lost the home elimination game by 30 points for the second year in a row, Ishpia fired head coach Monty Williams.
Williams is the second high-profile member of the organization to leave since Ishbia bought the team from controversial former owner Robert Sarver, who was suspended for a year by the NBA. CEO Jason Rowley resigned immediately after Ishpea’s purchase, a clear sign of Ishpea’s desire to hire its own staff.
After leading the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021, and winning the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2022 after a 64-win season, Williams was ignominiously fired. Even though Denver was the top seed, and Phoenix lost Chris Paul to an injury, the second consecutive round exit was too much for Ishbiella.
Williams joins Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel, and Mike Budenholzer as NBA Finals coaches from the past four years who have been out of work. Making it to the Finals or even winning a title doesn’t guarantee much of a job security in the NBA anymore, even though these three coaches have to be the top candidates for open head coach jobs.
The Suns lack of depth was exposed against the Nuggets, though that was created by Durant’s trade, not Williams’ actions. But Ishbuya appears intent on getting the team back together, with center Deandre Ayton on the trading block, as is Paul and his part-secured deal.
Should General Manager James Jones be worried, too? Ishbia is close to Isiah Thomas, although in February he denied Thomas had a role with The Sun “at this time”.
However, May is not the same time as February. Can Thomas Suns lead past Surfer? If Ishpea fired Williams, why not be the general manager he didn’t also appoint?
It seems the new owner surrounds himself with basketball people from Michigan. Thomas is his friend. His former Isheville, Michigan teammate Mateen Cleaves has been in the Suns playoffs and worked for a mortgage brokerage firm in Isheville. Could Tom Izzo be lured from the Spartans to the NBA by his old player?
There will be a lot of changes around Durant, Devin Booker and Ishpea this summer. The head coach may just be the beginning.