The NBA team terminated the employment of 50-year-old Vogel on Thursday, following their elimination from the first round of playoffs at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Currently, the team is on the search for their third head coach within three consecutive seasons.
Ishbia has not shied away from implementing major changes during his one and a half years as the head of the franchise. He boldly acquired Durant before the trade deadline last year, significantly altering a team that had previously reached the Finals in 2021. He also made the decision to dismiss coach Monty Williams and brought on Beal through a significant trade last summer.
In 2020, Vogel achieved victory as a champion with the Los Angeles Lakers. Throughout his career with the Pacers, Lakers, and Suns spanning 12 seasons, he has a record of 480 wins and 422 losses.
Jones doesn’t have much room to maneuver with the roster under the league’s salary cap unless major changes are made. Durant, Booker and Beal all have big salaries and Grayson Allen just received a million, four-year extension.
Frank Vogel has officially ended his time as the coach of the Phoenix Suns after a single season. Unfortunately, the team was unable to secure a playoff win during his tenure.
The Suns ended the regular season with a record of 49 wins and 33 losses, securing the No. 6 spot and narrowly escaping the play-in tournament.
Jones stated that their main goal is to win a championship and they were disappointed with their performance last season. They will closely assess their strategies and make necessary adjustments in order to achieve their goal of becoming a championship-worthy team. Everyone involved takes responsibility, and it is the responsibility of Jones, Josh, and the ownership to create a team that can win a championship.
According to a statement from Suns general manager James Jones, after carefully evaluating the season, we have decided to find a new head coach for our team. We are grateful for the effort and dedication of Frank during his time with us.
Reworded:
Throughout the majority of the first half of the season, Beal was dealing with an injury. Despite his return, the Suns struggled with turnovers and lacked depth on the bench. Prior to Game 4 against the Wolves, Vogel stated that he has the backing of owner Mat Ishbia and anticipates returning for a second season.
Vogel was hired last summer with much fanfare and charged with leading the Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The group had some good moments, but was never quite able to gel.
During his one year with the Suns, Frank Vogel achieved a record of 49-33.
He no longer has a job.
