Suns fire coach Frank Vogel after getting swept out of the playoffs in the opening round

PHOENIX (AP) — Frank Vogel’s tenure as coach of the Phoenix Suns is finished after one disappointing season that ended with out a playoff victory.

The franchise fired the 50-year-old Vogel on Thursday, lower than two weeks after getting swept out of the primary spherical of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“After a considerate assessment of the season, we concluded that we wanted a unique head coach for our staff,” Suns common supervisor James Jones mentioned in an announcement. “We admire Frank’s arduous work and dedication.”

Vogel was employed final summer season with a lot fanfare and charged with main the Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The group had some good moments, however was by no means fairly capable of gel.

Beal was harm for a lot of the primary half of the season. Even when he returned, the Suns have been tormented by turnovers and a skinny bench. Vogel mentioned earlier than Sport 4 towards the Wolves that he’s “received the complete assist of (proprietor) Mat Ishbia” and anticipated to be again for a second season.

Now he’s out of a job.

Vogel all the time appeared like a wierd match for the Suns, despite the fact that he gained a championship with the Lakers in 2020 within the Florida bubble. He was a defensive-minded coach in command of a staff that’s energy was offense. All season, it felt just like the coach was looking for solutions.

“You replicate again on the season, we have been simply inconsistent with our play and the model of play that we wished,” Durant mentioned after the playoff sweep. “However I believe guys will dig deep this summer season, work on what they should work on individually, the coaches will make changes as a result of we’ve received stuff on movie from all season on who we will be.”

Booker and Durant are among the many 12 gamers who will symbolize the U.S. at this 12 months’s Paris Olympics.

Ishbia has been unafraid to make huge modifications in his 1 1/2 years main the franchise. He dealt for Durant on the commerce deadline final season, blowing up a roster that had made the Finals in 2021. He additionally fired coach Monty Williams and added Beal final summer season in one other big commerce.

These huge modifications have led to principally huge disappointment.

Now the franchise will likely be in search of its third head coach in three seasons. Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer — who beat the Suns within the 2021 Finals — is among the many potential candidates.

“We’re right here to win a championship and final season was means beneath our expectations,” Jones mentioned. “We’ll proceed to guage our operation and make the required modifications to succeed in our championship-caliber objectives. All of us take accountability, and it’s my job, together with Josh and possession, to construct a championship staff.”

Jones doesn’t have a lot room to maneuver with the roster below the league’s wage cap until main modifications are made. Durant, Booker and Beal all have huge salaries and Grayson Allen simply acquired a $70 million, four-year extension.

The Suns completed the common season with a 49-33 document, incomes the No. 6 seed to narrowly keep away from the play-in match.

Vogel has a 480-422 document over 12 seasons with the Pacers, Lakers and Suns.

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