Sacramento Kings lead assistant Jordi Fernandez continues to gain buzz as a rising star in the NBA coaching world, and is advancing to the final round of interviews according to multiple reports.
ESPN Sources: The Phoenix Suns are advancing four coaches to meet for interviews in the coming days: Nick Nurse, Doc Rivers, Kings associate HC Jordi Fernandez and Suns associate HC Kevin Young.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 24, 2023
The Suns’ five coaching finalists will meet with owner Mat Ishbia, president James Jones and other team officials in Michigan later this week, sources said. https://t.co/yY7Gbh0BCM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 24, 2023
However, following the reports from Woj and Shams, Chris Haynes reported that Phoenix is not yet at it’s final stage.
Phoenix has yet to reach final stage of interviewing candidates for its head coaching vacancy and are expected to meet with Milwaukee associate head coach Charles Lee and Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson, sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 24, 2023
Amid these multiple reports all contradicting each other (is it 4 candidates? 5? Are they even at the final stage??), everyone seems to agree that Jordi is still a candidate for the position.
Jordi also interviewed for the Toronto Raptors head coaching position last month:
Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez interviewed for the Raptors head coach opening over Zoom at 6 AM PST on Saturday morning from his hotel in San Francisco. https://t.co/RN4aQ7EPhF
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) April 29, 2023
The Raptors’ search has been wide-ranging and is still ongoing.
Given Phoenix’s title aspirations and the other names involved at this point, I would be surprised if the Suns end up hiring Jordi away this summer. One thing is clear though: eventually some smart team is going to decide Jordi is the man to fix their franchise.
I would describe my feelings about this as “conflicted.”
Yeah I’m not excited at the prospect of losing him now or in the future, but it’s also amazing to think about how long it’s been since any member of the staff was even in consideration for other teams to steal away.
The last assistant I can recall getting head coaching interviews was Elston Turner, way back in the Adelman days.
I think Byron Scott ended up getting a head coaching gig while he was an assistant with Adelman as well.
Happy for Jordi that he’s getting attention and could possibly get an opportunity like this in the future. The selfish part of me wants him to stay here because he’s been a great associate head coach for Mike Brown’s staff. It seems inevitable that even if it isn’t this off-season, he probably will be a head coach for a team at some point. Hope we get the most out of him for however much time he’s got in Sac. 🙂
But….who will give out the DPOG next season if Jordi leaves?
Wait–he’s not taking the DPOG with him, is he?
DON’T LEAVE, JORDI!!!
He won’t get far. He’s fucking blind.
We’ll
seeMy guess is that we’ll get one more year of Jordi, but that’s it.
If he leaves for Phoenix, it’s because Jordi:
(R.I.P. Tina)
In the same vein –
When Miami makes it to the NBA Finals and their incredible Post Season Play – we will look at Spo, Playoff Jimmy, Bam as well as Kyle Lowry, Strus, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson and the rest of the Heat squad and wonder about the player they acquired from the Cavaliers and maybe even say…
What’s Love Got To Do With It?
R.I.P. The Amazing Tina Turner
It’s great to see a Kings coach get the attention like this, but, like others I hope he stays another year or two. Imagine having a 6:00 AM Saturday morning interview. Yuk.
I don’t want him to go. I have no conflicts about that.
Hard to consider him getting a job with Suns. They see themselves as a contender and probably want a vet coach. First time head coaches do not have a great track record. Mazula laid an egg in Boston for example. If Toronto wants a re-do he is a “risk” there.
All of the brand-name coaches that got fired will have jobs before the draft. It works the same way in a lot of industries:
He can’t go, he just can’t.
Who else could possibly coach the Vegas Summer League?
Or as Kosta noted – Who would give out the DPOG?
Or as we first heard and learned of Jordi in The Run Episode 2:
Good luck to Coach Jordi, and if we coach against him, I hope we kick his butt, but otherwise we hope for the greatest success.
bucks hiring griffin hurt him. Now Nurse will take that Suns job
Badge Legend