After three consecutive losses to start the season, the Phoenix Suns fired coach Earl Watson on Sunday, league sources told ESPN.
Associate head coach Jay Triano is expected to become the interim head coach, league sources said.
General manager Ryan McDonough and Watson had often been at odds in their short partnership together, league sources told ESPN. Owner Robert Sarver was a significant part of the decision to replace Watson so early into the season, league sources said.
The Suns are one of the NBA's youngest teams, mired in a long rebuild and could be the worst team in the league this season.
Watson leaves with a 33-85 record as coach. Watson replaced former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek as interim coach in 2016 and eventually was promoted to head coach for the start of the 2016-17 season. The Suns went 24-58 a season ago.
Watson had little coaching experience when he was made the Suns coach with just a season in the NBA Development League and another on the Suns bench. He was a 13-year NBA veteran.
Earlier Sunday, Suns guard Eric Bledsoe vented his frustration with the struggling team on social media, tweeting: "I Dont wanna be here."
The Suns dropped to 0-3 on Saturday night with a 130-88 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, their second blowout loss of the season. In Wednesday night's home opener, they lost 124-76 to the Portland Trail Blazers, the most one-sided season-opening loss in NBA history and the most one-sided loss in team history.
Long the subject of trade rumors, the 27-year-old Bledsoe is averaging 15.7 points and 3.0 assists this season, his fifth with the Suns.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Associate head coach Jay Triano is expected to become the interim head coach, league sources said.
General manager Ryan McDonough and Watson had often been at odds in their short partnership together, league sources told ESPN. Owner Robert Sarver was a significant part of the decision to replace Watson so early into the season, league sources said.
The Suns are one of the NBA's youngest teams, mired in a long rebuild and could be the worst team in the league this season.
Watson leaves with a 33-85 record as coach. Watson replaced former Suns coach Jeff Hornacek as interim coach in 2016 and eventually was promoted to head coach for the start of the 2016-17 season. The Suns went 24-58 a season ago.
Watson had little coaching experience when he was made the Suns coach with just a season in the NBA Development League and another on the Suns bench. He was a 13-year NBA veteran.
Earlier Sunday, Suns guard Eric Bledsoe vented his frustration with the struggling team on social media, tweeting: "I Dont wanna be here."
The Suns dropped to 0-3 on Saturday night with a 130-88 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, their second blowout loss of the season. In Wednesday night's home opener, they lost 124-76 to the Portland Trail Blazers, the most one-sided season-opening loss in NBA history and the most one-sided loss in team history.
Long the subject of trade rumors, the 27-year-old Bledsoe is averaging 15.7 points and 3.0 assists this season, his fifth with the Suns.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
