Report: New Candidate Named Finalist for Suns HC Opening

According to multiple reports, the Phoenix Suns are moving on to the second round of interviews for their head coach opening, which has been vacant since Mike Budenholzer was fired on April 14.

The Suns and new general manager Brian Gregory were first reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes Sunday to be down to these eight candidates for the opening:

• Sean Sweeney, Dallas Mavericks assistant
• David Fizdale, Phoenix Suns assistant
• James Borrego, New Orleans Pelicans assistant
• Johnnie Bryant, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant
• Jordan Ott, Cleveland Cavaliers assistant
• Steve Hetzel, Brooklyn Nets assistant
• Micah Nori, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant
• Dave Bliss, Oklahoma City Thunder assistant

However, NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line added another name to this list later on Sunday.

"Another finalist advancing to the second round in Phoenix’s coaching search, per sources: longtime Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn," Fischer posted on X.

Quinn has been an assistant for the Heat since 2014 and was officially promoted to associate head coach before the start of the 2024-25 season, something head coach Eric Spoelstra said was just a formality, as he had been serving in the role for three or four seasons prior.

Quinn was originally a player for the Heat, appearing in 168 games (26 starts) with Miami from 2006-10.

“He’s more than an associate head coach,” Spoelstra said of Quinn after his promotion (via the Miami Herald). “He has stepped in to be the head coach when I’ve missed games. I think he’s worthy of being a head coach right now in this league. Sometimes it’s just a matter of opportunity, and he’s been close with some of these jobs. He will get that opportunity. But in the meantime, he’s a big time value-add to this organization.

“He understands what our culture is about, he understands how to relate to the guys in our locker room. He knows how to relate to me and he does a great job of communicating things in a slightly different way. But he’s a great teacher, great communicator and a Miami Heat guy. So it was fun to do that last little title change.”

As an assistant, Quinn has played a key role in the Heat's player development program. He has interviewed for various vacancies around the NBA the past few years, but remained with the Heat.

Miami is known for having "Heat Culture" and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said during his end-of-season press conference that he wants to build a specific identity for the Suns, something Quinn is used to operating under.

“It is a goal ultimately to lead my own team,” Quinn said after his promotion in October (via Miami Herald). “But also my job now is to be the best assistant coach I can be and that’s where my focus is. I’m trying to be the best coach I can be for Spo and for our players ultimately.

"That will come when it comes. More than anything, I’ve been able to grow a lot as an individual coach because of all those processes I’ve been through. Hopefully I can use that to help us here.”