Report – NBC Los Angeles

The Phoenix Suns have a head-coaching emptiness as soon as once more, but it surely is probably not open for lengthy.

Phoenix fired Frank Vogel after only one season as head coach, the crew introduced on Thursday. The choice got here after the No. 6-seeded Suns had been swept by the No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves within the first spherical of the NBA playoffs.

“After a considerate overview of the season, we concluded that we would have liked a distinct head coach for our crew,” Suns president of basketball operations James Jones said in a statement. “We admire Frank’s laborious work and dedication.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Phoenix is focusing on Mike Budenholzer, who led the Milwaukee Bucks previous the Suns within the 2021 Finals, to interchange Vogel. Talks between Budenholzer and the Suns are anticipated to maneuver rapidly, per Wojnarowski.

Budenholzer, a two-time Coach of the Yr winner, boasts a profession document of 484-317 with 9 playoff appearances in 10 seasons. Budenholzer, who final coached with Milwaukee within the 2022-23 season, has additionally been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers’ opening. Los Angeles fired Darvin Ham final week following a two-year stint.

The Suns introduced in Vogel, who coached the Lakers to a title in 2020, on a reported five-year, $31 million deal final offseason to interchange Monty Williams. Phoenix then went out and bought three-time All-Star Bradley Beal to type a Huge Three together with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

However the star-studded Suns did not come near reaching their championship aspirations. They completed sixth within the Western Convention at 49-33 as Beal missed 29 regular-season video games, Booker missed 14 and Durant missed seven. Phoenix was then swept out of the playoffs by Minnesota, with three of the 4 first-round losses coming by double figures.

The Suns’ ugly playoff exit has sparked hypothesis over whether or not their newly-formed, although costly, Huge Three could possibly be damaged up this offseason. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported earlier this week that Phoenix intends to maintain the trio collectively.

“We’re right here to win a championship and final season was method beneath our expectations,” Jones continued in his assertion. “We’ll proceed to judge our operation and make the required adjustments to succeed in our championship-caliber objectives. All of us take accountability, and it is my job, together with [CEO Josh Bartelstein] and possession, to construct a championship crew.”

The Serbian middle gained the 2023-24 NBA MVP award, marking his third within the final 4 seasons.