After some deliberation over Villanova'a Jay Wright as well as both Luke Walton and former coach Mike D'Antoni, the Phoenix Suns have decided to remove the interim tag from Earl Watson to make him the franchise's new head coach. His deal with the Suns lasts three years, according to The Verticals' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Through what was an otherwise disastrous season in Phoenix, the front office was satisfied with the job Watson was able to do after the firing of Jeff Hornacek. He only went 9-24 in his 33 games (about the same winning percentage as Hornacek), but their defensive effort picked up considerably and the players started to buy into what Watson preached.

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“Earl did a very good job with our team last season after taking over as interim head coach during a challenging time for the organization,” said Suns general manager Ryan McDonough.

“Earl’s natural leadership qualities and his ability to connect with and motivate our players have stood out throughout his time here in Phoenix. We are excited to see what he can do with a healthy roster after having a full offseason to prepare.”