Suns hire Frank Vogel as new head coach
PHOENIX - The Phoenix Suns have found their man to replace Monty Williams.
The Suns hired former NBA champion coach Frank Vogel to replace Monty Williams. The team made Vogel's hiring official on June 6.
The 49-year-old Vogel has been the coach of the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers during his career and now moves to the Suns, where he'll try to help the franchise win its first title in its 55-year history.
Vogel led the Lakers to an NBA title in 2020 when the league finished its season in the Florida bubble. He has a 431-389 career record over 11 seasons and a 49-39 mark in the playoffs.
"Excited to welcome Frank Vogel as our new head coach of the @Suns! Frank is a true winner with an amazing work ethic, and I am excited to see his positivity and leadership make a big impact here in Phoenix for years to come," Suns owner Mat Ishbia tweeted.
Williams was fired two years after the Suns reached the NBA Finals and a year after he was named coach of the year. After being fired by the Suns, Williams was hired by the Detroit Pistons to be their new head coach.
The Suns had a 2-0 lead in the 2021 NBA Finals, only to lose in six games. They lost in the second round in each of the last two seasons, both times in an embarrassing finale — last year to Dallas, this year to Denver.
New Suns owner Mat Ishbia hasn't been shy about shaking up the franchise since he took over in February, adding 13-time All-Star Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade deadline deal. Despite the bold move, the Suns lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets.
Now Ishbia has overseen a coaching change and it remains to be seen how aggressive the front office will be in reshaping the roster. The assumption is that three-time All-Star Devin Booker — who averaged nearly 36 points per game in a brilliant postseason performance — and Durant will be back.
The rest of the roster is in flux.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center on April 05, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The biggest questions surround 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul and former No. 1 draft pick Deandre Ayton, who were both out with injuries by the end of the playoffs.
The 38-year-old Paul was solid when he was on the court for the Suns this season, but his body gave out again in the playoffs and he missed the final four games with a strained left groin. He’s under contract for next season with a partially guaranteed deal.
The 24-year-old Ayton was ineffective in the team's second-round series against the Nuggets, averaging 10.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, which were both well below his season and career averages. He suffered a rib contusion in Game 5 and watched the final game of the season from the bench.
The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.