PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns will introduce new head coach Frank Vogel on Tuesday.
I’m sure his words will rally the Valley. Get Suns fans to buy into his vision for the team. He’ll talk about winning and his championship experience. We’ll hear about his ‘plan’ for fixing the relationship with Deandre Ayton and how they’ll keep Chris Paul healthy come playoff time. Vogel will praise the greatness of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and talk up how much of a basketball city Phoenix is.
We’ve heard it all before.. and have zero NBA titles to show for it. This basketball town is fed up of talking and watching other teams celebrate.
I don’t care to hear another coach ‘win the press conference’ – I care about winning and if owner Mat Isbhia delivers on his promise.
“I’m about winning and we’re about winning championships,” Isbhia told me during our sit-down one-on-one interview after he bought the Suns and Mercury.
Legend Diana Taurasi doubled down on Ishbia’s goals during our sit-down interview before the Mercury season.
“He wants to win championships,” Taurasi said. “He’s willing to do whatever it takes to do it. He’s moving the needle.”
So far, Ishbia is operating and spending at a ‘win at all costs’ mentality.
The Suns are in the midst of one of their most successful stretches in franchise history, but it’s not enough.
Ishbia pulled the trigger on the trade for Kevin Durant, and it was his decision fire Monty Williams and eat the remaining $21 million owed.
Ishbia hired proven NBA title-winning head coach Frank Vogel. He lead the Lakers to a championship in the 2020 bubble. Vogel did it all while navigating a global pandemic and maximizing a mix-mash roster, including getting MVP-level greatness from star players LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“I’m going to be involved with everything, but at the same time, I’m going to get great people,” Ishbia tells 12Sports. “Trust them and let them do a great job.”
Ishbia continues to keep his word.
He’s surrounded Vogel with an elite NBA staff. Vogel is a defensive mastermind, so sitting next to him will be an offensive mastermind. The Suns keeping lead assistant Kevin Young and making him the top-paid assistant in the NBA with a new $2 million-a-year contract.
Then on Monday, the Suns poached former head coach David Fizdale away from his comfy associate general manager position with the Utah Jazz to be an assistant.
Fizdale was an assistant for the Miami Heat from 2008 to 2016, when they won two championships with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. A true example of hiring great people, and letting them do their job.
Ishbia handed Vogel the keys to a team armed with two of the best players on the planet.
Booker is in the prime of his career at 26 years old, and Kevin Durant has three years left in the desert.
The rest of the roster will get retooled to take down the likes of the Nuggets.
It doesn’t need a culture overhaul, the gym and standard are already set – thank you Monty Williams.
What’s left is winning… and Vogel is plenty of coach to bring this city its’ first NBA title. The championship window is wide open.
So enjoy listening and getting to know the Suns new head coach on Tuesday.
Vogel has a solid NBA journey and a fun basketball background – just see his appearance on David Letterman as a 10-year-old brushing his teeth while spinning a basketball.
But I hope Ishbia told him this on Day 1 --- It’s not championship or bust, it’s championship(s) or bust.
Sports
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