The Phoenix Suns have taken the interim tag off coach Earl Watson and given him the full-time head coaching job, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. Watson will sign a three-year contract.
Suns hire Earl Watson to be full-time head coach
Watson finished the season as the interim head coach, but will have the job permanently going forward.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Watson joined the Suns as an assistant on Jeff Hornacek’s staff prior to this season. He was promoted during the assistant coach purge that occurred before Hornacek himself finally got the ax in early February.
Watson coached his first game on Feb. 2, but he didn't get his first win as headmaster until Feb. 27 against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Suns went just 9-24 under Watson, but the whole season was marred by controversy and injuries. Management is comfortable throwing this season out and giving him the chance to lead Phoenix back into relevance with a full squad.
The Suns did conduct a thorough coaching search before deciding to retain Watson, with ESPN's Marc Stein naming Mike D'Antoni, Luke Walton, Dan Majerle and Steve Nash as possible candidates. Villanova's Jay Wright was also floated as a target.
Before coming to the Suns, Watson coached with the Austin Spurs of the D-League in the first year of his post-playing career.
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