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Former Knicks Assistant Finalist For Suns Job

A former New York Knicks assistant coach is one of the finalists for the Phoenix Suns' top spot.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) speaks to Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant during a time out in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) speaks to Cleveland Cavaliers associate head coach Johnnie Bryant during a time out in the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
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The sun may rise on a new spot for former New York Knicks assistant coach Johnnie Bryant.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Bryant is one of two finalists for the Phoenix Suns' head coaching vacancy next to fellow current Cleveland Cavaliers staffer Jordan Ott. Charania reports that the duo will meet with Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein, general manager Brian Gregory, and owner Mat Ishbia. The report always states that Suns franchise face Devin Booker has also been involved in the search.

Bryant, a former college basketball star at Utah, joined the Knicks' staff in 2020 and served as the associate head coach under Tom Thibodeau for four seasons. He took the same job in Cleveland this season on Kenny Atkinson's new staff alongside Ott and partly guided the Cavs to the Eastern Conference's best record.

Phoenix Suns
Apr 12, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; A view of the Phoenix Suns logo before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 101-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In New York, Bryant was perhaps best-known for his work with Julius Randle, guiding the former Knicks franchise face on the right bath after a disappointing follow-up to his first All-Star campaign in 2021-22. Randle returned to a reliable form in the following season and often credited Bryant for his work.

"Johnnie came and saw me and it was more like big brother, little brother, holding me accountable, talking to me, getting my mind right, more than anything," Randle said in a report from Peter Botte of the New York Post. "He came to me and had an honest conversation and it helped me put my ego and my pride to the side and try to adjust my game and look at myself in the mirror and do what’s best for the team.”

In addition to his time with the Knicks and Cavs, Bryant also spent six years on the Utah Jazz's bench under Quin Snyder. Bryant earned further praise for his work with All-Star Donovan Mitchell, the main attraction in both Salt Lake City and Cleveland.

Bryant will compete with Ott, who previously served as an NBA assistant in Atlanta, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles. Whoever takes the Suns job faces an arduous task, as the franchise is coming off its first postseason-free season since 2019-20. The three-man headlining era led by Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant has failed to produce any meaningful results and the franchise is searching for its fourth head coach since falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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