Apr 10, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel signals in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
(New York, NY) — The Phoenix Suns are planning to hire Frank Vogel as their next head coach.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Vogel and the Suns are finalizing a five-year, $31 million contract. The 49-year-old emerged from a finalist group that included former Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers and Suns assistant Kevin Young, sources said.
Phoenix parted ways with Monty Williams after the team was eliminated from by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs. Under Williams, the Suns had been the best winning percentage in the NBA over the past three seasons.
As for Vogel, he most recently served as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA championship in 2020 before getting fired the following the season. This will be the fourth time Vogel becomes a head coach. He also made stops in Orlando and Indiana.
The 49-year-old is taking over a team that has a ton of pressure to take advantage of its title contention window.
This is the first major hire under new team owner Mat Ishbia, who bought the NBA franchise and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for a record $4 billion in December of 2022.
