Could This Clippers Assistant Coach Be the Answer?
The Phoenix Suns are in shambles. The big three of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant left much to desire this season, finishing with a 36-46 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
The Suns also have fired their third coach in three years, prompting ownership to take a step back and do an in-depth analysis of their catastrophic failure. After former head coach Monty Williams took the Suns to their first finals appearance since 1993, the Suns have now been through two more championship winning coaches.
With a losing record and the highest salary cap in the NBA, the Suns organization is bordering on desperation heading into the 2025-2026 season. However, there is one former head coach that could bring the team back to prominence and get the team back on track: Jeff Van Gundy. The Clippers have greatly benefitted from the acquisition of Van Gundy this season, as did the Boston Celtics during their 2024 championship run. During Wednesday’s episode of First Take, Brian Windhorst and Stephen A. Smith talked about the impact Van Gundy has had on the Clippers this season which gave some Suns fans an idea about hiring him next season.
“Clippers player after Clippers player that I’ve talked to this year… They all are talking about the impact that Jeff Van Gundy has had on this team and how big of a role he’s had of lifting them up. And yet, there’s all these job openings and I have yet to hear Jeff Van Gundy’s name. So, I am just going to remind the league, that while you’re looking at how well this Clippers team is doing, don’t forget about Jeff Van Gundy.”
Stephen A. Smith echoed these sentiments, stating that “I completely one thousand percent echo your sentiments about Jeff Van Gundy,” Smith agreed. “He’s a head coach in this league. He deserves to be a head coach in this league. He’s an exceptional coach and a great basketball mind and Ty Lue can’t stop raving about the job that he has done in Los Angeles.”
How Would Van Gundy Help the Phoenix Suns?
Known for his emphasis on defense and his basketball intelligence, hiring Jeff Van Gundy as an assistant coach could definitely help the struggling Phoenix Suns organization. As many players and coaches have stated, it’s the highest IQ teams that have the most success come playoff time. The Suns aren’t lacking in the talent department but have shown a glaring lack of an identity on the defensive end.
After firing two championship winning head coaches in Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer, the Suns are now facing down Bradley Beal’s $111 million contract to go along with the highest salary in the NBA at around $350 million. On top of all that, their best trade asset is future hall of famer Kevin Durant which is a very sad prospect.
The acquisition of Jeff Van Gundy would galvanize a team that needs an identity and continued continuity in their coaching staff. As Brian Windhorst stated, the Clippers have raved about his impact on the team all year. Last year, the Celtics organization praised Van Gundy for his experience and the way in which he got the Celtics over the championship hump. After his time with Boston was up, Van Gundy had nothing but good things to say about his time with the team.
“You couldn’t have had a more perfect start-to-finish year. And I think it goes to their talent, but also, the word ‘sacrifice’ gets thrown around a lot, but they invested in their team on a daily basis knowing they can’t get everything they want all the time… and so it was such a dominant, impressive performance that it almost became mundane to many that were observing it. But it was anything but easy. It was hard to do. And those guys should be celebrated.”
“I’d be happy being in basketball anywhere. I would’ve been happy doing it in Boston. I’m really looking forward to my time with the Clippers and Ty [Lue], who I’ve known for over 20 years since I coached him for a brief time in Houston and worked with him on the USA Basketball front. I just enjoy being a part of a team and working with really top-notch people that care deeply about basketball and winning.”
His last comment about top-notch people who care about winning could definitely be applicable to the Suns organization, who made the NBA Finals only four years ago. With only a few years left in Kevin Durant’s career, the clock is ticking on the Sun’s championship window.
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