Postgame leaks could lay the groundwork for Frank Vogel firing

On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns were swept from the playoffs, losing four straight to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Prior to Game 4, Suns head coach Frank Vogel said that he is confident he will return next season, stressing that he has the “full support” of team owner Mat Ishbia. However, in light of this season's early exit, Vogel's job might be in jeopardy.

After acquiring Durant and Beal in 2023, the Suns entered this season with high expectations, hoping to contend for the organization's first championship. Despite Ishbia claiming that Phoenix had the NBA’s best roster at the team's preseason media day, the year didn't go quite as planned. The regular season was filled with bumps. The Suns struggled to develop a rhythm, and a number of Suns players lost faith in Vogel along the way. 

After Phoenix's Game 4 loss at home, The Athletic reported that the Suns will take a hard look at making a full coaching change or, at the very least, discuss adjustments to Vogel’s staff. Vogel was hired by Phoenix on a five-year, $31 million deal less than a year ago. Though it seemed like the Suns had the pieces in place to make a serious run this season, the team's sudden postseason exit raises questions about Vogel and his ability to lead Phoenix. After all, tweets like these are hilarious for a reason - there's undeniable truth to them.

Via @ayroned on Twitter/X:

Aside from Durant and Booker's combined 82-point performance in Game 4, it's no secret that Durant, Booker, and Beal didn't perform at their best in these playoffs. On top of that, sources in the locker room also believe not one of the trio emerged as the necessary leader on the floor. Because of this, Vogel is now in the hot seat. To be fair, this isn't just Suns fans overreacting. A closer look at the Suns' behind-the-scenes reveals a disappointing story. 

Postgame leaks could lay the groundwork for Frank Vogel firing

According to Shams Charania and Doug Haller of The Athletic, trouble had been brewing in Phoenix way before their first-round matchup with the Timberwolves. Following the Suns' loss to the LA Clippers on Apr. 9, Vogel yelled so much that his voice was heard outside the locker room. Unfortunately, this outburst didn't strike a chord with the Suns players. In fact, it did the opposite. It seemed forced and out of character to Suns players. One source even told the Athletic that one player admitted he had to fight back laughter. Needless to say, this is not the response you are looking for from your head coach. This isn't just a one-time incident either.

In Game 2, Phoenix was down by 15 points with four minutes left, and Vogel wanted to empty the bench to save the starters for Game 3. According to the Athletic, Booker insisted that the current group remain on the floor, believing the Suns had a chance to win. Vogel kept the current five in, nothing changed, and Devin Booker fouled out 90 seconds later. You don't need to be a sports psychologist to know that conflict between your star player and coach is never good for the team.

There was also this exchange where Bradley Beal aggressively slapped away Vogel's high-five on his way back to the bench. To which, Beal responded, “It was not between us two, it was just kind of like what was going on in the game,’’ Beal said. “The refs. Our flow. Our defense was bad. I’m just like, ‘What are we doing?’’ Regardless of what was going on in the game, this is certainly not the picture of respect usually seen between a player and a head coach. 

Maybe we should have taken note when Devin Booker pointed out the Suns' lack of internal structure after Game 2. "So far this series, once it has turned to sh–, we’ve kind of separated instead of being together," Booker emphasized, adding, "That's everybody. Top to bottom."

Taking these examples into account, we can now see what really happened in Phoenix under Frank Vogel. For the second offseason in a row, the Suns find themselves back at the drawing board. This certainly looks to be a long, busy summer for Phoenix.