Report: Suns to hire Frank Vogel after also considering former Sixers coach Doc Rivers

Vogel, a Wildwood Crest native, takes over for Monty Williams, who was let go by the Suns after four seasons. The 49-year-old Vogel has previously coached the Pacers, Magic, and Lakers.

Frank Vogel will take over a Phoenix Suns team led by Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.Read moreJeff Chiu / AP

by Gina Mizell

Published Jun. 2, 2023, 1:04 p.m. ET

The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal with Frank Vogel that will make him their next head coach, according to a report from ESPN.

Vogel, a Wildwood Crest native who also interviewed for the 76ers’ opening, led the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2020 NBA title and has been long-known as one of the league’s best defensive coaches. Doc Rivers pulled his name from contention for the Suns job, according to ESPN, paving the way for the team to reach an agreement with Vogel.

Rivers, who was fired by the Sixers on May 16 following the team’s disappointing playoff exit, was reportedly in a finalist group that also included Kevin Young. Young, the Suns’ associate head coach under former coach Monty Williams, was a Sixers assistant on Brett Brown’s staff and before that served as head coach of the G League-affiliate Delaware 87ers (now Blue Coats). Nick Nurse was also reportedly in contention for the Phoenix job before the Sixers hired him earlier this week.

Williams, another former Sixers assistant coach, reportedly agreed Wednesday night to become the Detroit Pistons’ head coach, with the most lucrative contract for that position in NBA history. He was let go by the Suns following their second-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets and is a close friend of Rivers. When asked about Williams’ firing before the Sixers’ lopsided Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics on May 14, Rivers said, “I’m not going to talk about the Monty thing right now. That will be for another day.”

Vogel takes over a Suns team with immediate championship aspirations, which were reinforced by the blockbuster deadline trade for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant to pair with All-Star guard Devin Booker. Yet that deal also depleted roster depth by sending Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets, contributing to their premature postseason ousting. Veteran point guard Chris Paul, an aging future Hall of Famer who played for Rivers with the Los Angeles Clippers, and starting center Deandre Ayton, who was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018, could reportedly be on the move this summer as Phoenix looks to retool its roster.

Rivers reportedly turned down the chance to be considered for his fifth NBA head-coaching job in a career spanning more than two decades. He was recognized last season during the NBA’s 75th anniversary celebration as one of the top 15 coaches in league history.

The former All-Star point guard won the 2008 championship with the Celtics, where he coached from 2004-13. He then helped transform a once-embarrassing Clippers franchise into a playoff regular from 2013-20, while also guiding that team through the Donald Sterling scandal. Rivers improved the Sixers’ record in each of his three seasons at the helm, and helped develop Joel Embiid into the 2023 NBA MVP.

He began his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in 1999-2000, where he was named coach of the year in his first season and took that team to three playoff berths in five seasons.

Yet he failed to get the Sixers past the playoffs’ second round, most recently surrendering a 3-2 series lead against the Celtics by losing Game 6 at home before getting drilled in Game 7 in Boston. That added to Rivers’ reputation for postseason shortcomings, particularly in close-out games. He is now 17-33 in such situations, and 6-10 in Game 7s.

Young had reportedly impressed those in Phoenix with his communication style and acumen, putting him in contention for a premier job as an up-and-coming assistant among multiple proven NBA coaches.