Suns, Knicks Interested In Hiring Bucks’ Darvin Ham

According to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks are interested in hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham. 

The Suns hired Jordan Ott after firing Mike Budenholzer, while the Knicks hired Mike Brown after firing Tom Thibodeau. 

“Phoenix and now New York — after the hiring of Mike Brown as the Knicks’ new head coach — have expressed interest in trying to hire Darvin Ham away from the Bucks, The Stein Line has learned,” Stein wrote. 

“Yet those would be considered lateral moves for Ham, who is Milwaukee’s top assistant to Doc Rivers. I’m told the Bucks love having Ham back in their midst after his two-season stint as the Lakers’ head coach and are determined to keep him in Brewtown unless he secures another head coaching opportunity elsewhere.”

Ham went back to the Bucks after getting fired by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. The former NBA player went 90-74 in the regular season and 9-12 in the playoffs with the Lakers. 

The Suns missed the playoffs last season, while the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals in six games.

Phoenix traded Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in a seven-team deal, getting Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the 10th pick in this year’s NBA Draft and five second-round picks. 

Milwaukee has been busy this offseason, signing Myles Turner away from the Pacers and waiving and stretching Damian Lillard.