Supply – Phoenix Suns hiring Dave Fizdale as assistant coach

The Phoenix Suns are hiring David Fizdale as an assistant coach, luring him out of the Utah Jazz‘s entrance workplace with a considerable monetary deal, sources informed ESPN on Monday.

Fizdale, who had joined the Jazz’s entrance workplace as an affiliate basic supervisor final yr, has sturdy current historical past with new Suns coach Frank Vogel and a longer-term relationship with basic supervisor James Jones.

Fizdale joins affiliate head coach Kevin Younger on Vogel’s teaching workers. The Suns made Younger the league’s highest-paid assistant at $2 million-plus a yr, sources stated, earlier than making a considerable monetary dedication to Fizdale.

The Suns had been decided to encompass Vogel with an completed and veteran workers. Fizdale has been a head coach for the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies for elements of 4 seasons, together with a Western Convention playoff berth in 2016-2017 with Memphis. He was 71-134 general.

Fizdale joined the Jazz in June, the place he rapidly impacted the entrance workplace whereas working intently with basic supervisor Justin Zanik. The Jazz have been keen to maintain Fizdale, however finally the monetary concerns, and the possibility to educate Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on a Western Convention contender, proved an excessive amount of to show down, sources stated.

Fizdale spent eight years as an assistant with the Miami Heat, the place he and Jones have been a part of two championship groups. Fizdale spent the 2021-2022 season underneath Vogel with the Lakers.