Phoenix Suns Set to Hire Ex Lakers Coach Frank Vogel As New Coach

• The Phoenix Suns as set to hire Frank Vogel to replace Monty Williams
• Vogel last coached the Los Angeles Lakers and led them to the 2020 NBA title
• The Suns fired Williams after a humiliating playoff exit

The Phoenix Suns have their man.

Frank Vogel is set to become the franchise's new head coach after Monty Williams's dismissal.

According to the Athletic's Shams Charania, the former Los Angeles Lakers coach will sign a five-year, $31.25 million deal. Among the finalists for the job were veteran Doc Rivers, Nick Nurse, and Suns assistant Kevin Young.

Vogel led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship and is known as a coach that prioritizes defense on his team, an approach that yielded great success during his 2011-2016 run with the Indiana Pacers. He led them to the conference finals in 2013 and 2014, both of which they lost to the Miami Heat.

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His 2016-2018 tenure with the Orlando Magic was less successful.

Why did Suns hire Vogel?

Although the likes of Rivers have tremendous experience, Vogel possesses solid experience in building great defensive teams. He has had the NBA's top-rated defense three times in his career, per ESPN.

The Suns struggled defensively in the playoffs, and given they have two incredible offensive superstars, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker. He could make the Suns a defensive juggernaut. He also has experience coaching stars in his career, having coached LeBron James and Paul George, per CBS Sports.

Still, plenty of decisions await Vogel and the Suns following two straight humiliating exits from the playoffs.

Durant reflects on Suns season

Sports Brief earlier reported on Durant analyzing the Suns' humiliating playoff exit.

The Denver Nuggets inflicted a painful 125-100 defeat in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals to knock them out of the postseason. They were down 30 by halftime, the same deficit in their last game in the 2021/22 season.

"It sucked. It was a bad feeling. Embarrassing,..We can build on and move on from this and learn from it and get better from it. I'm sure as the summer and offseason starts, we'll figure that out a little bit more," said Durant.