The Phoenix Suns have yet again faced an unfortunate fate in the NBA Playoffs. Chris Finch exposed every single coverage that Frank Vogel could run and it showed. Whether it had Devin Booker playing zone to prevent outside shots or Kevin Durant going man-to-man against Anthony Edwards, defensive coverages were just not working. This had people thinking if Monty Williams would have done a better job against the Minnesota Timberwolves and just overall. Matt Ishbia was asked about this and he had a very easy answer, via Duane Rankin of AZ Central.
“It’s not even close,” was the declaration the Suns dropped when asked if Frank Vogel than Monty Williams.
The Suns finished sixth in a tough Western Conference this season. They had a top nine-ranked offense which netted a rating that clocked in 117.9 while they also notched the 10th-most points per game by racking up 116.2 on a nightly basis. Frank Vogel’s defensive schemes also worked out quite a bit. This Suns squad allowed 113.2 points per contest which ranked them ar 13th in the league. Their defensive rating of 114.6 also had them sit at 13th among all teams in the association. Overall, they had a +3.1 net rating which ranked them ninth.
Was this a big improvement? The answer might not be as straightforward. Monty Williams was great in making the duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker work on defense. In his final year with the Suns, he managed to lead the squad to a 113 defensive rating which was seventh among 30 teams, and allowed only 111.6 points which clocked in at sixth.
The biggest drawback from Monty Williams’ tenure was the Suns’ inability to find an offensive groove at times. His squad last season only notched 113.5 points and a 115.1 offensive rating. Those numbers are good for 17th and 14th in the league. But, they did finish with a better record and got the fourth seed in the West.
Will he stay with the Suns?
This comparison between a Western Conference Semifinals squad and a team that lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs might be unfair. However, it is just the first year of Frank Vogel with this loaded Suns team. The margin of error is still larger compared to what it would be if their players were in the last years of their contracts. However, Matt Ishbia refuses to answer questions about their head honcho’s future along with the rest of the squad.
“I have not had one discussion with my GM, my coach, or trading players… We just haven’t had the conversation, honestly. I think Frank Vogel did a lot of great things, I think James Jones does a lot of great things… But, we’re going to evaluate everything. Everyone is accountable,” the Suns owner declared.
Vogel has went on in the past to claim that he had Matt Ishbia’s full support. Whether or not that statement holds true after this NBA Playoffs disappointment will be up to the executives. There is no definite answer yet but that will surface soon enough as the Suns pivot to the offseason.
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