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Right before the Suns were swept out of the playoff’s first round by the Timberwolves this Sunday, first-year coach Frank Vogel told the press he was “very” confident that he still had the job in Phoenix for next season. According to the tactician, he has a great relationship and understanding with the team’s owner.
“I’ve got full support of [Suns owner Mat] Ishbia,” Vogel shared before losing in Game 4, as the media was all over him asking if he thought his job was in danger. Now that the team is out of the picture, we can say for sure that the Arizona franchise underperformed this campaign, especially given the talent inside the roster led by Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
On ESPN’s NBA Countdown on Sunday, insider Adrian Wojnarowksi pointed out how there’s been an “increasing belief around the league that Frank Vogel’s job is in peril.”
.@wojespn on Frank Vogel’s future with the Phoenix Suns: pic.twitter.com/153lglBJmH
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 28, 2024
“When you have this kind of payroll, these kinds of expectations, you’ve got to not only show more in the first round, you’ve got to get out of the first round,” Woj said this weekend. “Losing in six last year to Denver in the second round cost Monty Williams his job. You’ve seen Mat Ishbia, the owner, he has made rapid change in his short tenure as owner. Frank Vogel’s job very much may be in jeopardy.”
Once the game was over, the press insisted on Vogel’s potential discharge. “It’s disappointing,” the Suns coach admitted. “There’s no other way to put it. There’s no worse professional feeling in the world than getting swept in the NBA playoffs. I’ve never been a part of it. I feel pretty low right now. I want to speak to our fans directly and say, I share your passion.
“I’m as disappointed as y’all are. I share that with you all. But we got beat by a better team this year. … But this league is loaded with firepower. … The top 10 teams in the Western Conference are loaded with talent as well. We’ve got to evaluate and figure out ways we can get better.”
Phoenix will now enter this summer with $209 million in salary, which is the biggest payroll of any NBA franchise, while enjoying a projected luxury tax penalty of $116 million.
Superstar Kevin Durant just endured his second swipe in only the last three playoff runs, both in first round
For a third straight season now, the Phoenix club has been knocked out of the playoffs on their home court. This comes as a great disappointment, especially considering the championship expectations surrounding the squad’s Big Three. For Kevin Durant, he’s been swept twice in the first round during his last three playoff runs.
Fans and experts are starting to pointing fingers around the Phoenix camp, with Durant being one of the most responsible. However, when asked about his future, the superstar was convinced that he loves playing basketball for the Suns.
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