Suns assistant Kevin Young reportedly a target of Rockets coaching search

Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is in the mix for the Houston Rockets’ head-coaching job to replace Stephen Silas, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Rockets are securing permission to interview the assistant ahead of a playoff push for Phoenix, according to Wojnarowski.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Houston is also interested in Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson, Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin and free-agent former head coaches Ime Udoka, Frank Vogel and James Borrego. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is also in the mix, according to Charania, but he remains employed as the team enters the play-in round.

Silas went 59-177 from 2020-23 but departs after a team option year on his contract was not triggered following a 22-60 season.

Young’s candidacy isn’t surprising. He was among the candidates to replace Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder last offseason, according to reports.

Young joined the Suns in 2020 and before the 2021-22 season was promoted to associate head coach after Phoenix lost former lead assistant Willie Green, who took the New Orleans Pelicans’ head job.

Young previously served under Suns head coach Monty Williams with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he worked from 2017-20 after serving as assistant and then head coach with the G League affiliate team in Delaware since 2013.

He was born in Salt Lake City and coached at Utah Valley State (2007-08) before working for the Utah Flash D-League franchise from 2009-2011. That team later moved to Delaware to become the 87ers and are currently the Blue Coats.

The 41-year-old Young went 2-2 in 2021-22 for the Suns serving as head coach after Williams ended up in COVID-19 protocols shortly after Christmas.

Follow @AZSports