The Phoenix Suns didn’t have to make an offer Friday in Toronto.

That would’ve given the Los Angeles Lakers the power to make a better one to convince Monty Williams to fill their head-coaching vacancy.

But by not putting their cards on the table, the Suns can wait on the Lakers to put theirs out there first and then counter that offer with a better one.

The Republic learned over the weekend Phoenix didn’t offer Williams the job, according to league sources, while the Los Angeles Times reported the Lakers didn’t make Williams an offer on Thursday.

If the Lakers really wanted to hire Tyronn Lue, you’d think they would have by now.

Lue played for the Lakers, coached LeBron James in Cleveland and is unemployed, but they’re clearly not sold on him enough to have made him an offer Wednesday.

So, Williams, 47, is probably the guy they really want.

The Suns really want the Philadelphia 76ers assistant, too, but they met Saturday with Trail Blazers assistants David Vanterpool and Nate Tibbets in Portland. The Trail Blazers opened their second-round series Monday against the Denver Nuggets.

At day’s end, Williams appears to have more power than the Lakers or Suns.

Not only do both franchises want him, but he could very well stay put in Philadelphia and become its next head coach.

Brett Brown has been part of “The Process,” which has taken Philadelphia from one of the NBA’s worst teams to one of its best, but is he the guy to take them to that championship level?

If the 76ers fall short in the second round again, they may very well fire Brown and hire Williams. They go into Monday's Game 2 at Toronto down 1-0 after the Raptors handled them, 108-95, on Saturday.

The 76ers have arguably the league’s most talented starting lineup, which certainly rivals defending NBA champion Golden State’s, but Brown might not be the coach to bring out the best in them.

Williams could very well be that guy.

Remember, Cleveland fired David Blatt during the 2015-16 season, put Lue in charge and the Cavaliers stunned the Warriors in the NBA Finals that year.

Then they made it back to the Finals the next two seasons. Now, James was the main reason Cleveland was playing for championships in June, but Lue played a part in that as well.

Then there’s Toronto.

The Raptors fired Dwane Casey after losing to the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals for a second consecutive season last year. Toronto won a franchise-record 59 games, Casey received the Michael H. Goldberg Coach of the Year Award which is voted on by the league’s 30 head coaches. Still, the Raptors let him go.

The Raptors ended up hiring assistant Nick Nurse, won 58 games this regular season and have the look of a team that can make it all the way to the Finals.

Kawhi Leonard has certainly helped that effort, but Toronto finds itself in the same place with a new coach. The Raptors could lose Leonard to free agency, but if they win an NBA title this season or at least reach the Finals, that might convince him to stay in Canada.

So Philadelphia could do the same thing and give Williams the opportunity to take it to that next level.

On top of that, Williams is going to make sure whatever job he takes, if offered, will be one worth his while.

He’s already been a head coach (173-221 in five seasons in New Orleans).

Williams knows the pressures and stress that comes with being an NBA head coach and isn’t going to just jump back in it without it being an ideal situation for him.

He could just as easily stay in Philadelphia if Brown keeps his job.

If the 76ers fire Brown and go a different direction, Williams can find another assistant job and be in the running for a head coaching job at this time next year.

Suns General Manager James Jones said he wants to be swift, yet “thorough” in finding the "right guy."

He's looking for stability at that position. Jones isn’t looking for another one-and-done as was the case with Igor Kokoskov and have to find a sixth coach in six seasons.

Williams looks like the guy they want, but the Lakers want him, too. It's time to see who is going to make that first offer and how the other team counters.

The gamesmanship has begun.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

2019 NBA playoffs