June 6: Vogel is officially head coach of the Suns, the team announced in a press release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Frank Vogel to the Phoenix Suns as our new head coach,” said owner Mat Ishbia. “This is an important day for our organization as we continue to build a championship culture on and off the floor.
“Frank is an accomplished coach who understands how to win an NBA championship, which is our priority. Frank brings incredible character and work ethic, making him the ideal leader to continue to build one of the best organizations in all of sports.”
June 2: The Suns intend to hire Frank Vogel as their new head coach, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Vogel will replace Monty Williams, who was dismissed this spring after four years on the job.
Vogel and the Suns are currently working on finalizing a long-term deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Charania says it’s expected to be worth $31MM over five years (Twitter link).
This will be Vogel’s fourth NBA head coaching job. He coached the Pacers for five-and-a-half seasons from 2011-16, moved to Orlando from 2016-18, and was the Lakers’ leader for three years from 2019-22.
While his two years with the Magic (54-110) were forgettable, Vogel posted winning records in Indiana (250-181) and Los Angeles (127-98) and led the Lakers to a championship in 2020. Vogel, who took this past season off, was an assistant for the Celtics, Sixers, and Pacers before earning a mid-season promotion in Indiana in 2011.
Vogel was initially reported as one of five finalists for Phoenix’s coaching job, alongside Kevin Young, Doc Rivers, Jordi Fernandez, and Nick Nurse. Nurse accepted a position in Philadelphia, while a subsequent report indicated that Fernandez was no longer in the running, narrowing the Suns’ remaining candidates to Vogel, Young, and Rivers.
Just before word broke that Vogel was Phoenix’s choice, Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link) reported that Rivers had withdrawn from consideration, though it’s unclear whether that’s because he decided he didn’t want the job or because he got the sense the Suns were going in another direction.
Young, who served as Williams’ associate head coach in Phoenix over the last few seasons, was considered a legitimate candidate who had some support within the organization, including an endorsement from star guard Devin Booker.
However, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), the Suns liked the fact that Vogel has championship experience and a reputation as a defensive guru. Gambadoro adds that there’s a real chance Young could remain with the Suns as the top assistant on Vogel’s staff.
In Phoenix, Vogel will get the opportunity to coach a team led by Booker and Kevin Durant. The rest of the roster is in flux entering this offseason, with Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul viewed as trade candidates and only two other players – Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne – under contract.
[RELATED: 2023 NBA Offseason Preview: Phoenix Suns]
The Suns are the latest team to complete a head coaching search this spring, joining the Rockets, Sixers, Bucks, and Pistons. As our tracker shows, the Raptors are the only team that still has a coaching vacancy.
Recycling!
Oh yeah, Frank Vogel.., so much better than Monty Williams.
Well I guess you had to bring in someone who knew what they were doing especially with this roster of veterans. Can’t very well bring in a rookie coach and burn valuable seasons of Durant and Booker.
True
Vogel > Nurse > Williams
I think whether or not he’s better than Monty probably isn’t the main concern for the Suns. It’s who can work with KD, Booker, and especially Ayton, who apparently didn’t get along with Monty. I assume KD had input here, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens if Vogel doesn’t work out well.
Honestly, the Suns have a talented enough roster that all they really need is an ego manager. They’d be a contender even if one of us here on Hoopsrumors was their coach.
Agreed. However I’m not sure he was the right choice for said description. I always thought he was just a puppet/yes man in LA (and if he was good would still be there).
If the owner had a sense of humor, he should’ve hired Mark Jackson.
Great points rct. Maybe Vogel can match and motivate players better than what Monty Williams was able to accomplish. It’s all managing personalities today.
It always has been. Jackson in the 90’s and 00’s is an example.
Yes exactly. Lakers couldn’t get over the hump and Phil Jackson fixed that. I think Tex Winter and John Bach were the X’s and O’s guys and Phil managed the personalities.
What I meant by “today” was when managing personalities mattered in the last 30 years. Sort of when the athlete took over. I don’t think Red Auerbach or Red Holzman managed personalities LOL more of “my way or the highway” back then.
Frank Vogel shouldn’t never got fired by the Los Angeles Lakers but that’s another story.
Frank Vogel is a great hire and I love the fact that he kept Kevin Young as his lead assistant and hired David Fizdale for his coaching staff as an assistant coach as well.
Frank Vogel maximizes the Center position. I seen him do it with Roy Hibbert and JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. He’s definitely going to do the same for Deandre Ayton.
Monty Williams stripped him of his confidence and belittled him. I’m happy for Monty but he had to go. You can’t treat the number 1 pick like that.
Deandre Ayton will give much better effort on the defensive end with Frank Vogel as a defensive first head coach.
Coaches merry go round
I’m actually hearing the Phoenix Suns might want to trade Deandre Ayton this summer and keep Chris Paul.
I knew Ish a wanted someone more like him. Monty is great coach.
He indirectly and unintentionally got Monty close to a hundred mil.
Monty’s good!
And gave Monty to his hometown team.
Monty is a great coach, which makes it almost impossible to comprehend why in the playoffs the Suns offence was essentially Durant or Booker in isolation with an occasional dump off to Ayton in the post. Even with Paul playing, there was no ball movement or players trying to get open or cut to the basket.
Vogel is a very good coach. If empowered, he’ll make a positive impact. Stars have to buy in. Overall, I don’t see any particular fit of Vogel with Booker or Durant. Ayton, though, might benefit. Vogel values big men.
I can sort of see it for Booker. He’s got his own way of playing and is most effective when he’s allowed to just do his thing. Given that Vogel empowered and improved a wildcard by the name of Lance Stevenson, I think he’ll know how to make that work. Durant though… I don’t know.
Team needs to get over the hump or Frank too will be fired. Simple as that. It’s rare that a HC stays with the same team these days. Pop, Spoelstra, Kerr, Malone. Bud, Casey, Nurse, and Monty all lost their jobs and all were only there from 2018/19. He likely will find a landing spot.
Typical
Nurse > Vogel
Durant ain’t gonna like this
I think Young or Rivers would have been a better choice. But, Vogel was to be expected due to Ishbia.
Don’t hate it, don’t love it. Seems like a lateral move.
Vogel is a good coach…
Just don’t get why he chose this team…
Unless he was sold on building around Booker and Ayton with whatever they can get for KD…
Team seems like an also ran at best…
They’ve had Ayton from the beginning. You’d think they would have him playing with Booker by now. Yet after his best season 1920-21. They went and got Chris. And his value started dropping. That has to be coaching. Cause CP3 should only make your bigs better.
Now Chris is on his way out (age). And Monty is in Detroit counting his money. Suns owner played ball. I’m sure he knows the value of a talented big. Imo Ayton has to be a bigger part of this team. And he needs to assert himself. So it happens. Using him right. Only makes the game easier for KD and Booker.
What a massive boring downgrade, Phoenix was a fun team to watch
Vogel got lucky in the Bubble. Monty will win a championship before The Suns.
Is it rational to consider that Ishbia is actually paying Young annually MORE $$ than Vogel? Ishbia just saved $21MM from Monty being hired by DET and turned around and gave that $21MM + $10MM to Vogel over 5 years. He’s $2MM out of pocket for Vogel basically.