Paul Coro

The Republic | azcentral.com

Now that the Suns can begin to put the second-worst season in franchise history behind them, the man before them is looking more like he could be tabbed as their permanent head coach.

Internally and in the NBA community, Suns interim head coach Earl Watson is believed to be the leading candidate to coach the Suns next season by many. The coaching-search process following Wednesday's 114-105 win over the Clippers will begin in earnest Thursday with various former head coaches, current college head coaches, NBA assistant coaches and even a current NBA head coach being mentioned in league circles as candidates.

Watson, 36, was chosen for the interim head coaching job at the start of February with no illusions of a major turnaround from a 14-35 effort that got Jeff Hornacek fired less than two seasons after being NBA Coach of the Year runner-up. Watson, in his first season on a NBA bench, went 9-24 but had more success in winning over key returning players for 2 ½ months of better effort.

“I think he’s done an incredible job,” Suns center Tyson Chandler said. “I try to stay out of the way of management decisions, but he’s done an incredible job with the team he inherited with all the injuries and everything else like that. He’s done an excellent job coming in and helping the young players, as well as helping guys like myself get adapted here. He’s added structure. Everything he has done has been positive. He came in and took over this team in a tough position. I thought he has done an excellent job. Nobody could’ve asked for anything better.”

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If the Suns looked for a former head coach, Mike D’Antoni left on good terms with Suns managing partner Robert Sarver, planned to move to Phoenix again at some point and wants a fourth crack at being a NBA head coach. Tom Thibodeau, Kevin McHale and Scott Brooks are often mentioned. Brooks could carry the more realistic price tag, especially when there could be as many as seven other open coaching jobs for competition, including deep-pocket franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. However, Brooks is linked to Houston or Washington while McHale’s suitor would have to be enticing because his salary would off-set what Houston owes him.

Vinny Del Negro has a Suns past and head-coaching experience with playoff teams, but there is no indication that he is in the mix.

Some hear Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd, a former Suns player, is a wild-card possibility, but that could require a more creative package, possibly with a stake in the franchise.

BOX SCORE:Suns 114, Clippers 105 | NBA scoreboard

Villanova coach Jay Wright and Suns legend Dan Majerle, the Grand Canyon coach, come up from the category of college coaches, a route the Suns looked to in 2013 before Boston landed Brad Stevens, Chicago tabbed Fred Hoiberg and the Suns hired Hornacek. Wright is not expected to leave Villanova, meaning his price would have to be high. Majerle, a former Suns assistant, has a lot going for him, and his various Valley interests in a rising college program like GCU figure to keep him committed for the long haul.

The NBA assistant route has not been mentioned much beyond Golden State’s Luke Walton, but Orlando assistant Adrian Griffin, who was in the running for Utah, Cleveland and Philadelphia jobs in the past, could be a candidate as well as Celtics assistant Jim Larranga, who worked in Boston when Suns general manager Ryan McDonough was there. Walton has a University of Arizona history for Sarver, and his wife is a Tucson native but he also has several Warriors colleagues/ex-Suns employees who likely would not recommend Phoenix over other options.

Watson pulled favor with the Suns for setting up Markieff Morris’ trade value in a short time, having late-season defensive improvement, focusing on fundamentals and positive, direct communication. He also is seen as a coach who could be valuable in recruiting free agents, as he attempted with the LaMarcus Aldridge free agency chase. Watson’s affiliation with Klutch Sports Group, albeit with a different agent than Eric Bledsoe, could tie into that.

“If you’re not about recruiting, getting on the road, doing your work, studying your intel and becoming a college scout at the same time and you don’t like to teach, there’s going to be a problem moving forward in the NBA,” Watson said.

Watson is coming off a year as a D-League assistant coach and began the season as a back-row assistant, making him a more affordable option. The Suns averted the back row to interim head coach repeat of Lindsey Hunter because they fired assistants Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi five weeks before firing Hornacek.

Watson was seen as a coach in the making throughout his 13-year playing career, even coaching summer club teams he sponsored. He quickly has shown an acumen for designing time-out plays and has three former head coaches around him in Bob Hill (NBA), Corey Gaines (WNBA) and Nate Bjorkgren (D-League).

Watson and McDonough are each 36 years old and have established a working relationship. Watson was brought in to use his nurturing, inspiring ways to mentor the Suns guards, who remain an integral part of the future with Devin Booker being added to that mix. Booker, like Chandler and others, is hopeful that Watson retains the job.

“I think our staff executed everything that was asked of us to do, and we mixed in a little winning along the way,” Watson said. “I don’t know if I will ever see another challenge like this in my coaching career again, but I’m prepared for the future.”

Report

Key player: Suns rookie center Alan Williams tallied 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 22 reserve minutes. He was one of seven Suns double-digit scorers in the 114-105 win.

Key moment: The Suns took a 66-55 in the third quarter after shutting out the Clippers, whose top five scorers did not travel, for six minutes.

Key number: 31, Suns’ second-chance points to the Clippers’ six.

Reach Paul Coro at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2470. Follow him attwitter.com/paulcoro.