The Phoenix Suns parted ways with head coach Frank Vogel on Thursday following their first-round elimination by the Minnesota Timberwolves, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Vogel only lasted with the Suns for one season.
It’s now been noted by ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski that former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer will feature “prominently” in Phoenix’s search for a new head coach.
Budenholzer won an NBA championship with the Bucks over the Phoenix Suns back in 2021.
ESPN Sources: The Phoenix Suns dismissed coach Frank Vogel. The Suns — who won 49 regular-season games with league’s third-highest payroll and tax — were swept in opening-round series to Timberwolves. Mike Budenholzer will be prominent part of search.
Woj previusly indicated that Vogel’s tenure with the Suns may only last a season when they were down 3-0 in their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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The Suns are not in a great sport right now.
The front office has depleted its top draft assets in acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and the more stringent collective bargaining agreement presents challenges in making even minor moves in free agency and trades.
It’s important to note that not all of the Suns’ issues can be attributed to Vogel.
Bradley Beal’s absence for 29 games during the regular season undoubtedly had an impact.
Concerns about the team’s lack of a true facilitator were justified, as evidenced by their 24th ranking in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.82).
Additionally, the coaching staff faced limitations in addressing the lack of depth behind the trio of Beal, Durant, and Devin Booker.
Firing Vogel stands as the most significant move the organization can make in its pursuit of a championship with the current core.
With limited avenues for president of basketball operations James Jones to make significant additions, trading Beal, Booker, or Durant would likely entail taking a step back in the short term.
Thus, the remaining hope lies in the potential for a different head coach to maximize the current squad’s potential more effectively than Vogel could.
Vogel’s defensive-minded approach may have been at odds with a roster that heavily emphasizes offense, particularly following the acquisition of Beal.
Introducing a new voice in the locker room with a markedly different coaching style could potentially yield positive outcomes for the team.
