Can we blame Vogel?

[Cheesebeef]

It's absolutely absurd to consider bringing back Vogel. A coach has 2 jobs:

Motivate players - absolute failure

Give strategic advantage - our D was terrible, and our offense was impotent and had no continuity in spite of two all NBA players and another former all star

WHY WOULD HE GET ANOTHER CHANCE?

Because we have a front office that can’t admit the makeup of last year’s team from a player or coaching standpoint was as big of a mistake as possible.

That sucks. But not completely surprising, especially after that nauseating post-season presser.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Because we have a front office that can’t admit the makeup of last year’s team from a player or coaching standpoint was as big of a mistake as possible.

That sucks. But not completely surprising, especially after that nauseating post-season presser.

How anyone in the decision making group could look at the season last year and think "let's run it back" is just mind blowing. It was an awful season, and we were never close to contending. We barely made the playoffs, and were swept in embarrassing fashion. Now KD/Beal are another year older, and we're going to be dependent again on guys like Nurk to maintain good health. So depressing.

 

[BirdGangThing]

nope - we're not going to blame the head coach but we are going to whack his entire staff - you know - because that's perfectly normal - like when a restaurant massively underperforms and you see all the cooks waiting staff and dishwashers get canned but the manager stays - happens all the time

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think the problem is that if they'd fired Vogel they'd be up a creek when next season ends similarly to this one.

 

[Covert Rain]

On the radio they said if they fire Vogel they still owe him 24 million. Maybe that is a huge factor. That can't be right can it? He signed a 5 year 31 million dollar deal. It was guaranteed?!?!!? I guess I don't remember that or the national guy is wrong.

 

[JerkFace]

On the radio they said if they fire Vogel they still owe him 24 million. Maybe that is a huge factor. That can't be right can it? He signed a 5 year 31 million dollar deal. It was guaranteed?!?!!? I guess I don't remember that or the national guy is wrong.

Pretty sure all coaches contracts are guaranteed.

 

[Covert Rain]

Pretty sure all coaches contracts are guaranteed.

Most I guess are but I just don't remember reading anything on it. Either way, that's a ton of cake to pay a coach if you fire him. Maybe that is a factor. Probably wouldn't be a factor normally but with our salary cap maybe.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I think the problem is that if they'd fired Vogel they'd be up a creek when next season ends similarly to this one.

Well if you keep Vogel, then you're pretty much guaranteed to have the same result. At least if you shuffle around some of the pieces and get in a different voice, you're more likely to get a different result.

His screams at the end of the year were met by the same collective indifference of the entire season. They don't respect him.

 

[Phrazbit]

They're still paying Monty too.

 

[BirdGangThing]

if things had gotten better from start to finish i could see making a case for vogel but that was not the case - not substantially at least

 

[AzStevenCal]

if things had gotten better from start to finish i could see making a case for vogel but that was not the case - not substantially at least

I can't make a case for Vogel but I can make a case for not firing him. That being, if you don't believe this roster will challenge for the title regardless of who is coaching it, why bother making the change now? I'd wait until I have a clear path to rebuild, maybe starting as soon as 2025/26 season. Not that I believe the front office is actually thinking the same way, they seem to be in denial about the roster.

 

[Proteus]

On the radio they said if they fire Vogel they still owe him 24 million. Maybe that is a huge factor. That can't be right can it? He signed a 5 year 31 million dollar deal. It was guaranteed?!?!!? I guess I don't remember that or the national guy is wrong.

Ishbia's got the money to eat that contract.

 

[Chaplin]

There are a lot of stupid things you can do in the "new NBA". Hiring a coach to a 5 year contract is definitely one of them.

 

[Raindog]

They're still paying Monty too.

I think that ended when Monty got the Detroit job. There's usually a clause for such when coaches get fired and then rehired.

 

[Hoop Head]

Ishbia's got the money to eat that contract.

People keep saying stuff like this and how he'll spare no expense yet it seems he has cut corners when available. Not firing Vogel because of his contract is a problem. If he's not the guy but you don't want to be paying a third coach so you hope he can turn it around and become the guy then this is doomed. Last year there were cost cutting moves as well, Cam Payne's salary dump and not re-signing our free agents with bird rights like Torrey Craig. Ishbia isn't Sarver but he also isn't going to spend just because he can. Money isn't buying our way out of this mess. The CBA made sure that isn't possible.