Suns fire coach Frank Vogel after being swept in the first round

The Phoenix Suns announced on Thursday the dismissal of their coach, Frank Vogel, 11 days after the team was eliminated in the first round of the new season by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is expected to be a leading candidate to replace Vogel, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“As we said in the May 1 press conference, team leadership, including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership will look to basketball operations to determine what changes need to be made,” Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement. “After a thoughtful review of the season, we have concluded that we need a different coach for our team. We appreciate Frank’s hard work and commitment.”

The Suns underperformed in Vogel’s only season at the helm, especially given the talent of stars Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The latter two were acquisitions after owner Matt Ishbia took over the team in February 2023.

Vogel, who went 49-33 in Phoenix, was signed to a five-year, $31 million deal in June 2023. He succeeds Monty Williams, who was fired after the team’s Western Conference semifinal loss to the Denver Nuggets. After a 122-116 Game 4 loss to the Timberwolves on April 28, the Suns have now lost six straight playoff games — the longest losing streak in franchise history.

Before his sweep, Vogel said he was “very” confident he would return next season and that he had Ishbia’s “full support.”

This was Vogel’s fourth time coaching the team, after stops with the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers. He has a career mark of 479-422.

Before winning the title for Los Angeles, Vogel led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference semifinals twice. Vogel has had the NBA’s highest defensive rating three times in his career — twice with Indiana and once with the Lakers, according to ESPN Stats & Information data.

The Suns enter the offseason with a $209 million salary, the largest payroll of any team in the NBA, and facing a luxury tax penalty of $116 million.

The Suns will also be above the so-called second apron luxury tax for at least the next three years if they keep their core together. This situation would result in punitive consequences, limiting their ability to add to their list.