Halfway through the First Round, when it became clear that they had met a formidable foe, Phoenix Suns head coach Frank Vogel was already rumored to be on the hot seat.
The conflagration intensified immediately after they were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves, which was to be expected. Rarely has a team been so thoroughly outplayed and their head coach was left unscathed. Especially a team with as much star power as the Suns.
However, based on the comments of Suns general manager James Jones, Vogel may be just fine this summer.
James Jones Sounds Off on Frank Vogel
“I thought Frank did a great job, given the circumstances,” Jones says. “We assembled a really talented team… Primarily three scorers. Whenever you’re trying to get guys to adjust and adapt their games, there’s a transition time. It is sometimes a struggle…”
“…It was a tough grind with the lack of continuity and health,” Jones continues.
“But we won 49 games and we were in the playoffs against a really good Minnesota team that just was a better team than us. I thought he did a tremendous job. I thought the staff did a great job. I thought the players did a really good job. Just not good enough to reach our goals.”
A 14-year NBA veteran who won three championships playing alongside LeBron James with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, Jones’ experiences on those teams likely colors his assessment of the Suns’ season.
To that point, Phoenix’s first year with their new look Big 3 was quite similar to the Heat’s first year with James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Both teams had a top-heavy roster with thin depth. Both teams featured three gifted players who weren’t sure how to fit together, especially seamlessly. They both had disappointing playoff exits.
They also had a head coach who was receiving mixed reviews both inside and outside the locker room.
‘Buy-In’ Versus ‘Belief’
Vogel seems to have the support from the Suns’ higher-ups. However, it may not completely extend to the players. A recent report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Doug Haller painted an unusual picture of Phoenix’s locker room.
Indeed, Jones confirmed there was some consternation late in the season:
“I believe when things get tough and you’re uncertain, you start to guess,” he says. “As we got near the end of the season, I thought you saw some indecision. Our guys thinking too much and not playing.”
Semantics aside (“buy-in” versus “belief”), it’s clear that the disconnect helped contribute to the way the Suns’ season ended. If that’s the case, it’s understandable why Phoenix would consider moving on from Vogel. However, Jones is of the mind that the solution is to breed confidence in one another with continuity.
“As we continue to spend time together and continue to build together, I think you see it’s not about buy-in it’s about belief,” Jones says. “Belief in one another. Belief that the things we’re working on will translate in those moments…”
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