Monty Williams comments on departure of 2 Suns assistants

Phoenix Suns assistant coaches Steve Blake and Larry Greer are no longer on the Suns’ coaching staff, the team confirmed to Arizona Sports Thursday.

There was no information provided on the reason for the two coaches departing and if it was related to the bubble in Orlando.

Both Blake and Greer joined new head coach Monty Williams’ staff for their first seasons in Phoenix.

Williams commented on their departure on Saturday.

“Particulars and the details of it all I don’t want to get into,” he said. “Organizations go through change and there are times where guys have to make decisions that are best for them and their families.

“It’s a tough loss for us to not have those guys but those decisions have to be made and as a leader I have to respect what’s best for the organization and best for individuals.”

An updated list of the coaching staff for Orlando has the remaining assistants as Willie Green, Darko Rajakovic, Mark Bryant and Randy Ayers, along with a few other staff members.

Blake was hired by the Trail Blazers as a coaching intern in 2017, the same team which he had three stints with throughout his playing days. He started in the coaching ranks after retiring from the Sydney Kings in Australia’s NBL. His position with the Suns was Blake’s first full-time coaching job.

Blake played for eight teams in 13 seasons in the NBA, last appearing in a Detroit Pistons uniform during the 2016-17 season.

Greer served as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season and previously was a scout for the T-Wolves. He has NBA assistant stops with Houston (2005-07), Portland (2007-12) and Oklahoma City (2015-17). Between his Blazers and Thunder stints, Greer was an assistant at Arizona State.

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