NBA Rumors: 2008 Celtics Champion Hired By West Contender

James Posey won two NBA titles during his playing career, including one with the Boston Celtics in 2008, and the now-retired 47-year-old will chase a third, from the sidelines.

The Phoenix Suns reportedly hired Posey as an assistant, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, set to join head coach Mike Budenholzer’s staff. Posey spent 12 seasons in the league, playing for seven different organizations before becoming the seventh assistant welcomed aboard Phoenix’s staff — David Fizdale, Vince Legarza, Mike Hopkins, Chad Forcier, Chaisson Allen and Brent Barry are the others.

Phoenix has been on the cusp of its franchise’s first title, three years removed from its last appearance in the NBA Finals — the Suns lost to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. The organization paired franchise star Devin Booker with future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, and then added three-time All-Star Bradley Beal to the mix. Yet, the front office’s attempt at creating its big three hasn’t come to fruition under Phoenix’s vision, and in the meantime, the Western Conference has improved significantly.

In the first round of last season’s playoff, the Suns were swept in four games by 22-year-old Anthony Edwards. The West, again, will feature a wave of young, hungry, but equipped to contend now, like Edward’s Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder. That means Durant and Booker will have their work cut out for them once they return to Phoenix after USA Basketball concludes its 2024 Summer Olympics run in Paris.

Posey, who began his coaching career in the G League in 2013, spent five seasons as an assistant for the Cleveland Cavaliers and two with the Washington Wizards.