The Phoenix Suns are hiring NBA champion Frank Vogel as their next head coach, according to Shams Charnaia of The Athletic and Stadium.
Vogel is signing a five-year, $31 million contract with Phoenix. He was fired by the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2021-22 season and didn’t coach this year.
Vogel has coached the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Lakers. He’s gone 431-389 in the regular season and 49-39 in the playoffs. Vogel coached LeBron James and the Lakers to the 2020 championship over the Miami Heat in six games at the Walt Disney World bubble.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Frank Vogel & Phoenix Suns Updates
The Suns fired Monty Williams as head coach after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals in six games. Vogel will be inheriting a talented roster in Phoenix, headlined by two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant, superstar shooting guard Devin Booker and future Hall of Famer Chris Paul.
It’s unknown if Vogel will get to coach center Deandre Ayton, as according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Suns are expected to aggressively explore the trade market for Ayton this offseason.
“Sources told ESPN that Ayton’s teammates have shared their coach’s frustration with what they perceive to be inconsistent effort and aggression from the 7-footer,” MacMahon reported. “Ayton would be excited about a fresh start with another franchise, sources told ESPN. The Suns are expected to aggressively explore the trade market for him this summer, league sources said.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Frank Vogel & Phoenix Suns Updates
“Although Ayton had a disappointing series against Denver — getting benched down the stretch of the Suns’ Game 3 win and frequently dominated by two-time MVP center Nikola Jokic — league sources expect several teams to show interest in acquiring the 24-year-old, who averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game this season,” MacMahon reported.
The Suns went 45-37 this season. They beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.
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