The Phoenix Suns have been granted permission to interview Portland Trail Blazers assistants Nate Tibbetts and David Vanterpool for the team’s opening at head coach, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Phoenix fired Igor Kokoskov earlier this week. One of the most highly-respected assistant coaches on the market when he was hired away from the Utah Jazz last May, Kokoskov lasted just one season with the Suns, finishing 2018-19 with a league-worst 19-63 record.

Discussing his decision to dismiss Kokoskov on Wednesday, general manager James Jones admitted the team brought in Kokoskov to coach a veteran team before pivoting to prioritizing the development of young players midway through the season. As longtime assistants with the Blazers, one of the league’s best teams at developing incumbent talent, Tibbetts and Vanterpool seem to fit what the Suns are looking for from what will be their fifth head coach in five seasons.

Tibbetts, 41, has been with Portland since 2013. He had previously been an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Prior to joining the Cavaliers, Tibbetts cut his teeth in the G-League, first as an assistant with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and then as head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue.

Vanterpool also has a history with the Thunder. The 46-year-old just finished his sixth season as an assistant for the Blazers, who hired him away from Oklahoma City, where he was Director of Pro Personnel for two seasons. He’s also a five-time coach for the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders initiative, and was an assistant for the Canadian national team in 2015.