Phoenix Suns fire head coach Frank Vogel
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Phoenix Suns have parted ways with head coach Frank Vogel, according to the organization.
On Thursday afternoon, the team announced that Vogel won’t return for next season.
President and General Manager James Jones commented on Vogel’s dismissal, stating the past season was “way below our expectations” and the team will “make the necessary changes to reach our championship-caliber goals.”
Jones’ full statement is below:
Before the 2023-24 season, the Suns had championship aspirations through the formation of the “Big 3,″ made up of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and newly-acquired Bradley Beal. But due to injuries and other inconsistencies, the group never quite got into a rhythm and Phoenix ended the season with a modest 49-33 record.
The Suns still managed to secure a sixth-seed spot in the playoffs in the final days of the regular season but made an early exit after being swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
Vogel was named the Suns’ 21st head coach last June following the dismissal of Monty Williams.
Prior to Phoenix, Vogel was most recently the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In his first year, the Lakers went 52-19 during the pandemic-impacted 2019-20 season and won the league championship at the “NBA Bubble” at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
The following year, the Suns eliminated the Lakers in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. Vogel was fired after the 2021-22 season when L.A. failed to make the postseason.
He didn’t coach during the 2022-23 season.
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