David Fizdale is making a comeback.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the former Knicks coach — an associate GM with the Jazz — is being brought back into the coaching ranks with the Suns.
Phoenix “made an important financial play for Fizdale and drew on his history with new coach Frank Vogel and GM James Jones,” According to NBA insiders.
Helping bring Fizdale back to his coaching roots is the chance to work with stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on a title contender.
The 48-year-old led the Knicks for a season and a half — 104 games — from 2018-19, before being fired in the midst of an eight-game losing streak and the franchise’s first consecutive 30-plus-point loss in December 2019.
The Knicks had a 4–18 record at the time and the Knicks replaced their former G-League coach, Mike Miller, on an interim basis.
His Knicks career ended with a 21-83 mark.
“I was really at rock bottom from a mental health standpoint,” he said of the aftermath of his firing in an interview with The Undefeated.
The Knicks originally sought Fizdale to spearhead a “patient rebuild” for the struggling franchise, which all changed when Tom Thibodeau jumped onto the scene in the 2020-2021 season.
“But it was after that, when you go through the whole piece, ‘What could I have done differently? Did I also deserve this job?’ You think you were a fraud,” Fizdale said. “You felt like you had control over these people. You are a fraud. “
During his 18 seasons as an NBA coach, he has served as an assistant with the Warriors, Hawks and Heat before getting a shot at head coaching with the Grizzlies from 2017-19, leading them to the Knicks. Have guided to 50-51 mark before going. .
He then spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant with the Lakers — Vogel’s head coach — before taking a front-office job with the Jazz.
Now, Fizdale will be reunited with Vogel, who manned the Suns’ bench this season after Monty Williams was fired following their Western Conference semifinal loss to the Nuggets.
