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Suns Considering Moving On From Head Coach Following First Round Sweep

By Admin / April 29, 2024

Highlights

  • The Phoenix Suns may fire coach Frank Vogel after their first-round sweep in the playoffs.
  • The ‘Big Three’ of Durant, Booker, and Beal has been underwhelming.
  • Coach Frank Vogel is facing a potential firing despite being in the first of a five-year contract.


The 2024 NBA Playoffs witnessed its first sweep on Sunday night, when the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Phoenix Suns in four games to advance to the second round. With that, shakeups are expected to occur within the Suns organization, according to reports.

And one of those changes could be the firing of coach Frank Vogel. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Suns are considering serious changes following the embarrassment of a first-round sweep. The series loss comes as the ‘Big 3’ of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal hardly produced.

“This is the third highest paid team in the NBA. They have a luxury tax player threshold of almost $260 million. They had championship aspirations…And to get swept in the first round, that’s not how this season was supposed to go. Sources tell me the Suns will consider a coaching change, at the very least adjustments to Frank Vogel’s coaching staff.”


Whether or not the Suns’ playoff struggles were Vogel’s fault is up for debate, but the reality is that in these situations, someone must be the scapegoat, and it is usually the head coach.


First Year of Long-Term Deal

Vogel is on the first year of a five-year contract, so firing him will not be simple

Frank Vogel

The Suns hired Vogel on June 6, 2023, so he has only coached the team for the 2023-24 season. He is inked to a five-year, $31 million contract, so it is unknown whether the Suns would break that after just one year.


Phoenix went 49-33 under his tenure, which was good enough to finish in sixth place in a highly competitive Western Conference. But there were always questions regarding the chemistry of the aforementioned ‘Big 3’ and how well they meshed on the court.

“Look at the big three. It all revolves on Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal. Those three guys never really gelled, and you can look at injuries. Bradley Beal was in and out of the lineup. They acquired him in that big trade last year, and he didn’t fully excel at that point composition.” — Shams Charania

Underwhelming Big 3

Durant, Booker, and Beal failed to live up to expectations

Phoenix Suns Devin Booker Kevin Durant Bradley Beal

The Suns acquired Bradley Beal in a blockbuster deal last offseason in order to compliment Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, creating a formidable Big 3. But that Big 3 was more formidable on paper than on the court, as they hardly played together, and in games that they did, the Suns were 25-20 including the playoffs.


A part of the problem, according to Charania, was that Beal was envisioned to fit in better with the two, but his point composition was not what was expected. Apparently, Durant was frustrated that his role had to change due to Beal’s presence, with Durant being relegated to the corner more.

“The Suns envisioned [Beal] being a table setter for Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, but he never emerged as that full force guy. And I’m told Kevin Durant had real issues with the offense, the way it was ran…And so that the offensive side is something that the Suns if they’re bringing this whole team back, they’re gonna have to address it.” — Shams Charania

The Suns will have a lot of questions to address come the offseason, from the players to the coach. Reports indicate that those changes will start at the top, with Vogel. But the reality is that the issue stems deeper than the coach, and if the ‘Big 3’ is flawed, it may require huge shakeups.


NBA_Suns Early Exit

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