The Phoenix Suns are looking for a new head coach.

Phoenix fired Monty Williams after four seasons Saturday. Williams was a two-time Coach of the Year and led the team to the 2021 NBA Finals, but Phoenix suffered blowout losses in elimination games at home in each of the last two seasons.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia has fully taken over the team's basketball operations, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. He was aggressive in the team's trade for Kevin Durant and is now looking for a new leader.

Phoenix does not have a clear front-runner to replace Williams, Wojnarowski said. However, there have been a few coaches linked to the Suns' opening.

Here are three candidates the Suns seem likely to pursue.

Tyronn Lue

The Los Angeles Clippers' coach gave the Suns fits in their first-round matchup this postseason.

The Clippers did not have forwards Kawhi Leonard or Paul George for almost the entire series, but Tyronn Lue challenged the Suns with multiple defenses and a deep bench that made games close.

The Suns are expected to try and lure Lue away from the Clippers, according to longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein. He would be a good fit considering his background.

Lue has garnered the respect of superstar players, most notably LeBron James. Lue, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA championship after they overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors.

Lue's teams do not quit. The Clippers were resilient in two meetings against the Suns in the last three postseasons.

The Suns' next coach will need to gain approval from Ishbia and superstars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Lue seems to be the best option.

Nick Nurse

One of the most popular names tossed around the Suns' community now is Nick Nurse, who won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Nurse is a great with schematics and employed uncommon strategies that stifled opposing stars. In the 2019 NBA Finals, he notably used a box-and-one defense on Warriors guard Stephen Curry that thwarted the team's prolific offense in Game 2.

A Twitter clip was also posted Saturday in which Durant praised Nurse as a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

Nurse has his flaws, too. According to a story from The Athletic, he and the Raptors' front office did not agree on player usage. There were also reported issues he had with players.

Nurse maximized Leonard's one season with the Raptors. He also helped forward Pascal Siakam flourish and kept the Raptors in Eastern Conference contention when Leonard left.

If the Suns cannot get Lue, Nurse might be a top option.

Mike Budenholzer

Two years ago, Mike Budenholzer and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals. Now, he's on the market.

Budenholzer is an Arizona guy. He was born in Holbrook and went to high school there, which is a connection that others do not have.

Budenholzer is not perfect. He led the Bucks to terrific regular-season records over the last five years. But like Williams, his teams underperformed in the postseason outside of the 2021 title run.

The Bucks' coach was dismissed after the team lost in the first round of the playoffs against the eighth-seed Miami Heat. Budenholzer was blamed but he also coached the last three games of the series after his brother died. Star Giannis Antetokounmpo was essentially out for the first three games of that series.

Budenholzer underperformed in the playoffs, so it makes sense if the Suns don't pursue him. But he is also a champion, which is something the Suns are looking to ultimately accomplish.