Suns Rumors: Kevin Young to Become NBA's Top-Paid Assistant as Part of Vogel's Staff
Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is reportedly remaining with the team in that role under new head coach Frank Vogel.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Young's new contract will make him the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA at $2 million annually.
Before the Suns hired Vogel, Young was a finalist for the head coaching job, which became available after the firing of Monty Williams.
After spending time as a head coach and assistant coach in the G League, Young's first big break in the NBA came when he served as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers from 2017 to 2020.
Williams was on the Sixers staff with Young during the 2018-19 season before landing the Suns head coaching job. Williams then brought Young to Phoenix to be part of his staff, and promoted him to the role of his top assistant in 2021.
In Young's first season on the Suns staff, Phoenix went 51-21 and reached the NBA Finals where it fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Last season, the Suns had an NBA-best record of 64-18, but they were shocked in the second round of the playoffs.
Phoenix experienced another second-round playoff exit this season despite acquiring Kevin Durant to play alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton.
That cost Williams his job, although he landed on his feet when he was hired to be the new head coach of the Detroit Pistons.
While Young was in the running to get promoted to head coach in Phoenix, the Suns decided to go with a coach with championship experience.
Vogel has spent 11 seasons as an NBA head coach with the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. He has a career record of 431-389 and has reached the playoffs seven times.
His greatest success came during the 2019-20 season when he led LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers to a 52-19 record and an NBA championship.
The Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs the following season, though, and after going 33-49 and missing the playoffs in 2021-22, Vogel was fired.
Despite the rough end to his tenure in L.A., Vogel landed arguably the best available coaching job in Phoenix, and he retained a top-level assistant in Young as well.
