STEPHEN A. Smith thinks a recently eliminated NBA coach won’t stick around next season.
The Phoenix Suns were defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the playoffs, and Stephen A. thinks that was the final straw for his head coach.
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Frank Vogel was hired by the Suns in 2023, and this was his first season with the team.
However, Stephen A. thinks the team’s poor performance in the playoffs was enough to get him fired.
“Frank Vogel is a champion as a head coach. He’s about to be unemployed,” Stephen A. said.
“I think he will be ready. I think the Phoenix Suns are going to make a change.
“I don’t know if that’s right, but that’s what I’ve been hearing. He’s in trouble. Now, whether that’s fair or not, I don’t know.
“I’ll tell you one thing: They’ve struggled miserably defensively throughout this year, especially in the fourth quarter.
“I’m not saying the man doesn’t deserve to be an NBA coach.
“I’m telling you his future in Phoenix, in my opinion, I think he’s ready.
“I think Frank Vogel is gone.”
The Suns entered the playoffs as the sixth seed in the West, while the Timberwolves were the third seed.
The series was not particularly close, with the Timberwolves winning three of four games by at least ten points.
The Timberwolves’ young star, Anthony Edwards, made his presence known in the series, scoring 124 total points in four games.
He also had 32 rebounds and 25 assists during the series.
FRANK VOGEL’S COACHING CAREER
Vogel has coached in the NBA for more than two decades, starting as an assistant coach in Boston.
He joined the Celtics as an assistant coach in 2001, remaining with them for three seasons before moving to Philadelphia in 2004.
The following season, he ended up in Indiana with the Pacers, with whom he would stay for the next ten years.
After four years with the Pacers, he was promoted to head coach, a role he held for six years before moving to the Orlando Magic for two years.
Stephen A. Smith Career Timeline
STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and executive producer of First Take, having initially started working for the company in 2003.
Smith has held numerous roles at the network, including radio show host, contributions to SportsCenter and appearance on NBA Countdown.
He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.
His initial role was as a writer for the NBA before becoming a general sports columnist.
And before that, Smith worked as a reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News and the New York Daily News.
Eventually, he landed with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he had the best season of his career.
The Lakers had a 52-19 record in the 2019/20 season and the team won the NBA Finals.
Vogel spent just two more years with the Lakers before joining the Suns.
He has a coaching record of 480-422 in his career.
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