Report: Suns GM Leading Charge in Coaching Search

PHOENIX — Two weeks after firing Mike Budenholzer, the Phoenix Suns have not made any other major moves even after owner Mat Ishbia said there would be changes coming. 

Ishbia outlined that the front office would likely undergo some restructuring before the next coach is hired.

“We’ve got to set it up front first with the leadership and that starts with me and we will do that,” Ishbia said on April 17. “Then we will get the right front office structure with scouts and what to look for in the draft, and then we’re going to find the right coach and it will be a process. You’re not going to see a next coach hired in a week or two.”

Despite this quote and rumblings over interest in former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers, it appears that at least one key player in the front office is having a major role in Phoenix’s coaching search. 

According to The Stein Line’s Marc Stein in his latest article Sunday:

“Word is that James Jones, whose contract as the Suns' lead decision-maker expires in June, has to this point been operating as the point guard for the Phoenix coaching search.

“Suns owner Mat Ishbia is on record as saying that the search will be slow-moving, but the fact that Jones is at its forefront to this point would seem to support suggestions that he could be asked to stay with the franchise in a reconfigured role in the event that a new lead decision-maker is hired.”

Stein added of Phoenix’s coaching search: 

“League sources say Phoenix would ideally settle upon its new front office structure before hiring a head coach to replace the one-and-done Mike Budenholzer.”

Jones has been with the Suns since way back in 2017 and was promoted to general manager in 2019. He was named the NBA Executive of the Year following the 2020-21 season in which Phoenix reached the NBA Finals, and Ishbia chose to keep him after taking over as owner in Feb. 2023.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported on April 16 that "the belief is that (Jones') future is murky in Phoenix" after the Suns finished the 2024-25 season with a 36-46 record despite starting the year with the highest payroll in NBA history.

Whatever ends up happening with Jones, if this latest report is true, he shared a similar vision to Ishbia on the length of the process in finding Phoenix's next head coach, which will be its fourth in four seasons, in his end-of-season press conference on April 17.

"I think it was evident given the time crunch and given where we were that it wasn't as thorough or as deep of a search as we would like," Jones said when reflecting back to when Phoenix hired Budenholzer.

"Fortunately for us, the season ended early so it gives us more time to get this right. Unfortunately, the season ended too early, which means that we're in this position, but we're going to be diligent."

You can read about some coaching candidates the Suns could consider by clicking here.