Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Suns legend favorite to be franchise’s next head coach

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 9:27 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns once again have a help-wanted sign outside of the PHX arena. The franchise is looking for its fourth head coach in four years, which won’t be easy with the lack of perks. Phoenix is expected to go through a monumental offseason that will see the departure of key players like Kevin Durant and possibly general manager James Jones.

The Suns have multiple glaring problems, like being over the second apron of the salary cap, but they also face a fundamental problem of not having a winning culture. For the past three seasons, the franchise has lacked a coach who has set the precedent and system of winning. The franchise will need someone who knows the culture around the Valley well, which is why many sportsbooks have Suns legend Steve Nash as the favorite to land the head coach position.

Bet Online’s odds for Suns head coaching job:

Odds on Suns' next head coach (per Bet Online):

Steve Nash 4/1
Sam Cassell 9/2
Willie Green 5/1
Jared Dudley 6/1
Chris Quinn 7/1
Mike Brown 10/1
Micah Nori 12/1
Taylor Jenkins 12/1
Johnnie Bryant 14/1
David Adelman 16/1
James Borrego 18/1
Jarrett Jack 20/1
Jeff Van Gundy 22/1…

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 15, 2025

In his 10 years in Phoenix, Nash won two MVPs and averaged 14.4 points, 9.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds. He dragged the franchise to multiple Western Conference and help lead to the evaluation of the sport of basketball with the “Seven seconds or less” offense with head coach Mike D’Antoni.

The floor general’s coaching career was underwhelming in his first stint. Nash was the hand-pick choice by Kevin Durant and Steve Nash to be the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets during their Big 3. He coached the franchise to the Eastern Conference Semis, where the Nets lost in seven to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The balancing act of all the personalities on those Brooklyn teams was a difficult task for a first-time head coach, which led to Nash’s dismissal by the Nets, finishing his career in New York with a 94-67 record.

Nash traded his whistle for a mic, becoming a co-host to Lebron James’ podcast “Mind the Game.” If history repeats itself, Nash could be like JJ Redick and earn a coaching job in the near future, and no better place than the team that drafted him over two decades ago.