New Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer is already beginning to fill out his coaching staff in preparation for the 2024-25 season. Just about three weeks into his new gig with the Suns, Budenholzer has decided to keep David Fizdale, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Fizdale, 49, is an experienced and well-respected coach in the NBA who was an assistant on Frank Vogel's staff in Phoenix during the 2023-24 season. Prior to joining the Suns, Fizdale was an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2022-23 season. He has prior head coaching experience with both the Memphis Grizzlies and the New York Knicks. Prior to becoming a head coach, Fizdale spent time as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Miami Heat.
Although it was expected that Budenholzer would clean house and start fresh with a new coaching staff in Phoenix, Fizdale's relationships with the roster and management held a lot of weight. Initially, it was reported that Fizdale was likely to move into a front-office role with the Suns. Now, he will continue to be a prominent voice on the sidelines for a title-contending team led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal.
Suns filling out coaching staff
Budenholzer has been searching for viable candidates in what has become a very small market for assistant coaches to add to his new staff in Phoenix. In addition to retaining Fizdale, Budenholzer and the Suns have also brought in Vince Legarza, according to Duane Rankin of AZ Central.
Legarza served as an assistant on Budenholzer's staff with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2022-23 season. After finishing 58-24 that season, the Bucks failed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, losing to the 8-seeded Miami Heat, which led to Budenholzer's eventual departure.
Once the head coach was relieved of his duties, Legarza was not retained by Adrian Griffin, who was hired by the Bucks at the start of the 2023-24 season. Griffin did not make it halfway through his first season as the head coach in Milwaukee, as the Bucks fired him in favor of Doc Rivers before the All-Star break.
There have been no other announcements as to who could be joining the Suns' new staff ahead of the 2024-25 season. Budenholzer, who did not coach during the 2023-24 season after being let go by the Bucks previously, recently signed a five-year contract that exceeds $50 million to be the new head coach in Phoenix.
Although they won 49 games under Vogel this past season, that was not good enough for new owner Mat Ishbia due to the Suns' lack of success in the postseason. The hope is that Budenholzer, who has championship experience from his time with the Bucks, will be able to lead the Suns' three All-Stars to the late stages of the postseason in order to contend for a championship.