The Suns are apparently already on the verge of potentially moving on from first-year head coach Frank Vogel.
Staring down an ominous 0-3 deficit to the Timberwolves in their ongoing first round playoff series, Phoenix’s brass appears prepared to make a bench shakeup, barring an unlikely comeback, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter video link) reported today.
“[There’s] increasing belief around the league that Frank Vogel’s job is in peril if this team loses,” Woj said. “Especially as abruptly as they might in a sweep, as dispirited as they looked in Game 3. When you have this kind of a payroll, these kinds of expectations, you’ve got to not only show more in the first round, you’ve got to get out of the first round.
“Losing in six last year to Denver in the second round cost [former head coach] Monty Williams his job,” Wojnarowski continued. “You’ve seen Mat Ishbia, the owner, he’s made rapid change in his short tenure as owner. Frank Vogel’s job very much may be in jeopardy now.”
Despite featuring three multi-time All-Stars in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the Suns struggled to stay healthy all year, finishing with a 49-33 record on the year and the West’s sixth seed. Beyond starters Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix had a fairly thin bench and hasn’t found a ton of cohesion on the court relative to its talent.
Nice work Ishbia. You’re gonna fire a coach who can’t get a decent bench and overrated/oft-injured 3rd star player. Lol. At least Vogel gets all that contract money.
Overrated third? This is on Beal? Not Durant?
If you have watched this team at all this year it’s very obvious the issue is not the 3rd star or the bench. The coach in over his ski’s and both the big star players have no fire/ will to lead this team or win. They “love to hoop” unfortunately they don’t love to be great or a burn to win.
It’s on Ishbia. If you’re going to build a 3 star super team, it’s probably not the best plan to have the third guy be on the downside of his career. Near all-star caliber play is needed from the third star given the shortened bench since little salary was available to increase the talent floor depth-wise. The weak bench has been painfully obvious this series. They can only go 7 deep pretty much.
Ishbia did what every fan base wants their owners slash GM’s to do which is aggressively make moves to try to win a championship.
Beal is not the problem with this team. Especially when you look at the circumstances they got him under which nobody does. They were going to cut Chris Paul rather than pay him 30 million after he got injured vs Denver in the playoffs. It was only when Beal requested a trade and had a full no trade clause and told the wizards he would only go to Phx that the trade happened. There is not a mid level player or tax pay exception player the suns could have gotten that is the caliber of Beal.
The rest of the team and bench on paper is considerably better then last years playoff team was and last years team was the only team that won 2 games in a series against Denver and on top of that they were up by 9 in the 4Q against Denver in game two when CP3 tore his hamstring.
I’m sure Ishbia and jones both thought after being the only team in the playoffs that even made a series interesting against Denver that going for it was the right move.
The issue is they picked the wrong coach and the two stars are not bought into winning or playing hard under him.
Can you imagine any all time great player (pick you favorite) saying after a game his team was down 35-4 in the first quarter “I’m Chillin”? Because that’s literally what Devin Booker said after that happened in a game that could have made them a play in team.
This teams issue is the 2 best players aren’t bought in, they aren’t playing hard, they aren’t leading, and frankly it looks like they don’t care if they win or lose on any given night.
You’re right, Beal is not the problem. Ishbia is, like I said before. Relying on Beal to be that same version of himself, however, is a problem, which does not mean Beal hasn’t played decently, he just hasn’t played well enough to mask a bad bench. He should be a 4th option on a contender at this point but he’s being paid like an all-star.
Perfect example is tonight: 0 pts, 0 reb, 0 ast, 3 fouls.
Blaming the owner the 3rd best player and the bench on a team is just flatly weak. The HC and the 2 first team all pro caliber guys are the issue.
If this was a conversation about the lakers nobody would be blaming Deangelo Russell or the bench. Instead we focus on the great player or players ie Lebron and AD. Or the HC
2 of the 3 top scoring benches in the league this year didn’t even in the playoffs so save the “make up for a bad bench” speech. If any one of the top teams 3rd best player doesn’t play well on any given night nobody cares. If the nuggets lose do we talk about how Aaron Gordon played? No we don’t. I would be willing to bet 95% of people don’t even know who the 3rd best player on the Jordan & Pippen bulls was or who the 3rd best player on the Shaq and Kobe Lakers was without looking it up.
Do championship teams need other players to contribute absolutely. But to act like the Booker and Durant aren’t why this team looks disinterested in playing hard or with any type of passion is dumb.
Bottom line Durant and Booker both let the team down. They set the tone for the team or lack there of. Until tonight they were disappointing on offense and played terrible team defense for the whole series.
All they do is play my turn your turn on offense and both (more so Durant) start pouting when they aren’t getting their turn.
The leadership from them has been non existent, and that’s why they don’t seem to care one way or another if they win or lose from game to game. Again to what I said earlier can you imagine any great player getting blown off their home court 35-4 in the first quarter of a game say “I’m chilling” after the game?
The HC has also been a problem because he obviously can’t connect with his two stars and get them to buy into what he is coaching. Despite being a defensive coach this team consistently looks lost on defense.
Long winded response to say blame the two players and coach that actually deserve it. They would get a lion share of the credit if they were winning so they should get a lion share of the blame for looking this pathetic. Not the owner, the 3rd best player, or the bench.
It’s not flatly weak, it’s logical. You can talk about KD and Booker being disinterested all you want, but they were the only two players making life tough for us that series. We have a good squad so it wasn’t surprising to win anyway (maybe a little suprising to earn a sweep), but it was plainly obvious that if you took one of KD or Booker off PHX, they wouldn’t have even made the playoffs. Beal was terrible all series (like he was most of the season) and actively held team back. Heck, I WANTED him on the court because I knew our D could keep him in check given his approach. That doesn’t make Beal the problem. He’s washed and shouldnt be expected to solve the team’s issues. Unfortunately, the reckless, egomaniac owner decided paying $50M to a player who should be a 4th option is smart and THAT is a problem. So I have to ask the following questions:
1) Do you think paying Beal $50M is good business?
2) Do you think paying 3 players about 85% of the total team salary is good business?
3) Is it smart to lack bench depth?
4) Is it smart to not have a go-to second unit scorer?
If your answer is yes to any of those things, this isn’t a conversation worth having because you’re actively seeking to blame the two best players instead of the individual who forced this roster despite having something sustainable previously: Ishbia. I’m not suggesting KD and Booker are blameless, but they are not the root of the problem. Meddling owners have rarely won jack in sports over the last few decades.
Btw, the whole “they would get the lions share” comment is weak because this team got hammered all season by fans and the media for underachieving and Vogel, KD, and Booker did receive plenty of blame. That doesn’t mean the other 13 guys on their roster weren’t terrible. Also, they’d have been better off keeping Ayton. He’d have been a better third option for cheaper.
As a wizards fan I disagree. Beal is now a mid level exception talent player due to injuries and loss of that dog inside. He can’t move like he used to, and is always hurt. He now plays like a guy just wanting to stay healthy . Bad move getting him. They could’ve saved the cash and signed mid guys or just kept Ayton which I thought was best. Ayton is a top big and gives them a different look. Plus as crazy as it sounds he is cheaper than Beal. No trade clause Beal isn’t going anywhere, time to think about stretching him
Great take on what was obvious from day 1.
Woj making more stuff up. What a tool
Giving him a 30 million dollar contract was bizarre. Suns owner is filthy rich but about to be paying a ridiculous amount in dead coaching money
Vogel didn’t put this squad together. You’ve lost Booker by trading for Beal. Remember that awesome series Washington had vs Boston with pre injured Wall and Isiah? The last time Bradley Beal showed up. That was a while ago now.
Everyone knew the Beal deal was a bad idea – except the Suns front office. Hard to believe these guys are getting paid to make such bad decisions.
Suns and 76ers GMs are more responsible than coaches
Fire GMs first
Why trade away so many first round picks?
For what?
Ridiculous comment. Mute yourself.
They did it for flexibility reasons. With Booker’s extension kicking in, the expiration of CP3’s contract wouldn’t give them any cap space anyway, so the only thing to do was trade for someone good with a longer contract. If money is no object, who would you rather have for the next few years, a 38-yo or a 30-yo? In any case, do you think this year’s Chris Paul would’ve made a difference? He would’ve already rebroken a hand in the playoffs by now.
It’s definitely not Vogel’s fault but he was the wrong hire for the personnel, and it’s much easier to change him out than superstars. (I am dying to know what the disconnect is between them.) But Ty Lue still won’t be available this year.
The vibes have been bad ever since the Suns traded the Twins for “too much love will kill you”. I love KD but the expectations have made this team grim.
I don’t think it would have mattered but I would take Paul over Beal, even considering age, if the ultimate goal is a championship, and yes I am aware of Pauls playoff history. LOL at KD the Grim Reaper!
Ayton and Paul would’ve been better than Beal and nurkic. Plus Paul could be used next year to trade since his deal is non guaranteed
I don’t have any insight gameplan wise or anything like that but it seems like a bit of an overreaction to fire him after 1 year when losing to a team like MIN. I mean its not like they’re a 1 seed getting swept by a play in team the Timverwolves are a really good team. Sure getting swept is bad but I’m not convinced it’s not just a matter of MIN being younger, more athletic and better at this given moment.
Agree completely. MIN is at their peak and they match up well with the Suns.
Especially with their high 3 pt % shooter injured.
Teams will never learn – retread coaches combined with trying to assemble super teams.
No team w the likes Kevin Durant or James Harden is going to win a championship. (Durant signing w Ws doesn’t count.
Do the two finals mvps count? The two rings Bron got at Miami count?
Vogel’s always been a bum – preaches some defense, but has the thinnest offensive playbook ……. fire him.
Yeah, that will fix everything! Maybe they can trade Badley Beal back to the Wizards too.
LMAO. Trade all your available assets to acquire name players. Hire a name HC, but give him no power to coach the team. When the team inevitably loses, fire the HC. Rinse and repeat.
All these owners paying out big money for coaches to only blame and fire them when it’s a roster construction issue deserve all the lack of success their teams get.
He’ll most likely lose his job, but I wouldn’t necessarily put the blame on him. Durant needs to own the legacy he thinks he’s entitled to and Beal isn’t lifting his weight. Can’t blame Vogel for the quick exit.
No PG …..their team D is bad.
There is no fixing the Suns. The roster is terrible, and can never be fixed. Could they receive better coaching? I don’t know, and I don’t care. It’s irrelevant!
The only hope for making a championship team with the assets they have is to trade Booker for some insane haul that fills the holes. They have too much redundancy. But, let’s be real, they’re never trading Booker. And, even if they did, who is the trading partner that fixes that roster?
While I get Vogel has some blemishes. But this is his first year with this lopsided roster. Ishbia has tinkered with this team too much. I get it, KD isn’t getting younger, but that Beal trade made it very difficult to find balance. Nurkic is a regular season guy, not a playoffs guy – Making about $18.5/yr next 2 yrs.
Seems more like a James Jones problem does it not?
Possibly but, we haven’t a clue what instructions he’s under. Owner won’t be firing himself though.
Vogel is not a great coach, but this is not his fault either. That Suns team with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Chris Paul, Ayton, Payne, Crowder… was fun to watch. They dismantled it to bring Durant and Beal and now there is no defense or supporting cast whatsoever. No matter who they hire, it will take some time until they replicate the success they achieved with Monty Williams.
You forgot Booker.
This is what happens when a 2K era owner gets a team. The guy has no patience, not that Vogel is a great coach. The team is just poorly constructed, it won’t matter with those 3 aging stars eating the cap. They are not 1 piece away either.
Booker’s 27, but true, we’re all aging.
Hmm, an impatient owner thinks he can buy a championship quickly by acquiring some star players, while ignoring team culture, team building, proper roster construction and everything else that goes into building a championship caliber team…
Now he’s stuck with an incomplete, aging roster, outrageous luxury tax payments, many first round picks traded away and a team that can’t get out of the first round.
So, now he wants to fire the coach and fail to look in the mirror at all.
Good luck Matt Ishbia!
Yeah cause he’s problem and not the person who constructed the team. You know the one who left this team without a bench and reliable role players to have 3 max contracts on it.
Saying the Suns had three All-Stars is pretty generous when Beal hasn’t been one since ‘20-21 and likely never will again. Chris Paul was an All-Star that year and this year he was part of a stacked Warriors team with five All-Stars.
Like this Warriors, this Suns team can’t put pressure on the rim. You can’t advance deep in the playoffs if you can’t play inside-out.
I’m considering firing Woj.
No idea why they thought giving Vogel a roster that at best can described as defensive averse and expected him to be competitive. I hate when they scapegoat the coach and fire him when the real problem is the stupid roster their front office/ owner put together.
It’s exactly what the Lakers did to him. And look how well the Lakers have done since then. Them making the conference finals doesn’t mean much when the Memphis and Golden State teams they beat were comically injured.
Untrue on the last point, but fair on everything else. Though part of why Vogel got fired by the Lakers was that he didn’t adjust his coaching style *at all* for the roster they had instead of the one he wanted/needed. Vogel has always been inflexible and does well with certain types of talent, but poorly with others. It was the same way in Indiana; the second the team decided to build for a smaller and faster setup, he struggled and the team started trending downward. Coaches have to be able to make adjustments too, and Vogel has shown he’s not capable of that with three different teams now.
Hiring Vogel for the Suns was never going to work. He needs elite defensive talent combined with enough shooting to make his lack of offensive gameplan work (this Suns team is only the second team he’s ever coached to be top 10 in offense, and even then, only barely despite having two elite offensive players with plenty of supporting offensive talent), and the Suns have *maybe* one elite defender in Durant, who is getting older and slower. Hiring him was always a bad choice for the team.
Granted, Ishbia trading for Beal was always stupid, but Vogel didn’t exactly do a good job with the talents he did have. The Suns as currently run are a barely above-average team buoyed by the shot-making of the players on the floor. People pretending it’s all the fault of Beal’s acquisition is reductive.
“I’ve never been swept a day in my life. I be damn if that happens.”
– Bradley Beal
This is on ownership. You don’t mortgage the farm for aging Vets. Lebron and Bosh were young when they became a big 3. The Suns are going to have to trade their only asset in Booker to rebuild. Nobody is taking Beal.