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The Phoenix Suns' search for a Monty Williams replacement has begun. After firing the coach who led them to the 2021 NBA Finals and a league-best 64 wins in the 2021-22 regular season, the Suns have been granted permission to interview Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee, Sacramento Kings assistant coach Jordi Fernandez and Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Darko Rajakovic, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski

Turner Sports' Chris Haynes previously reported that Phoenix assistant coach Kevin Young is on the team's list of candidates, as are championship-winning coaches Nick Nurse and Mike Budenholzer, who were recently fired by the Toronto Raptors and the Bucks, respectively. 

Shortly after Williams' dismissal, Marc Stein reported that the Suns were interested in Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. Last month, Clippers president Lawrence Frank said that Lue would be back next season, but the situation could be more complicated he made it sound. Lue is headed into the final guaranteed season of his contract, the Los Angeles Times' Andrew Greif reported on Wednesday, following Haynes' report that Lue's reps met with the Clippers this week to discuss his future with the team and a potential new contract. 

Also on Wednesday, however, ESPN's Zach Lowe reported that the Clippers "are happy to remind any team that might put out feelers about Lue's potential availability that he remains under contract with the Clippers," and that they "love" having Lue as their coach. In other words, it's not clear that poaching him is realistic. 

Lee, who has spent the last nine seasons with Budenholzer, first with the Atlanta Hawks and then in Milwaukee, has also reportedly been in the mix for the Detroit Pistons, the Bucks and the Raptors, all of whom are still in the process of hiring a new coach.

Fernandez, Mike Brown's lead assistant in Sacramento this season, spent the previous six seasons on Michael Malone's staff with the Denver Nuggets. He has also reportedly interviewed with Toronto. 

Rajakovic is also a candidate with the Raptors and was on Williams' staff in Phoenix during the 2019-20 season. Prior to that, he spent five seasons as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder, working under both Scott Brooks and Billy Donovan. He has spent the last three seasons in Memphis.