PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns now have a vacancy at head coach.
According to the Phoenix Suns, they have dismissed Frank Vogel after one season with the team.
After the Suns' disappointing first-round playoff exit, many expected changes to occur, especially at the coaching level.
In a statement released Thursday, front office officials shared their thoughts on the move.
“As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager James Jones. “After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank’s hard work and commitment.
We are here to win a championship and last season was way below our expectations. We will continue to evaluate our operation and make the necessary changes to reach our championship-caliber goals. We all take accountability, and it’s my job, along with Josh and ownership, to build a championship team.”
Vogel was hired by the Suns last summer. Before joining Phoenix, Vogel previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers and was touted for his strong defensive mind. He recently won an NBA title in 2020.
The Suns finished sixth in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record and were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This is a developing story. We will update this story as more information becomes available.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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