Reports are stating that the Phoenix Suns have reached an agreement with Frank Vogel to become the team’s next head coach, as per the Associated Press.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press, shared that the organization and former Los Angeles Lakers coach agreed on Friday to join forces.
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Frank Vogel to Coach the Phoenix Suns
Several big names were in the running to become the next person to lead a star-studded lineup that includes Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Former Raptors leader Nick Nurse was in contention until the Philadelphia 76ers snagged him. Nurse’s predecessor in Philly, Doc Rivers, was also said to have spoken with Suns brass.
As it turns out, as per the Associated Press, it will be Frank Vogel. His career as head coach started brightly with a stint in Indiana. He served as an interim solution in 2011 and lead the Pacers to the playoffs. In fact, he stayed with the organization until 2016. The two most promising seasons were in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 when the team made it to the Eastern Conference Finals but lost both times to the eventual champions Miami Heat.
The next two campaigns were spent down in Florida with the Orlando Magic. A 54-110 overall record resulted in him being thanked for his services in 2018.
A championship was finally won in Los Angeles with LeBron James and the Lakers in the 2020 bubble playoffs. Since then, the team lost in the first round of the postseason in 2020-2021 and missed the playoffs entirely in 2021-2022.
Vogel takes over a squad that not only has several high-profile players – Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton being another two – but has known success in recent seasons. They played in the NBA Finals in 2021 but lost to Milwaukee and earned the best record in the league during the 2021-2022 regular season. In fact, Vogel’s predecessor, Monty Williams, was named coach of the year for his efforts.
Mat Ishbia, who purchased the Phoenix Suns in December 2022, is certainly putting his stamp on the franchise in the first few months of his tenure. His efforts brought Kevin Durant over from the Brooklyn Nets just before the trade deadline.
