Frank Vogel is back in a spot that fits him far better than the one he just left behind.
The former Phoenix Suns head coach has been named the Golden State Warriors’ associate head coach under Steve Kerr, and that kind of setup plays to Vogel’s strengths. He has always looked more comfortable with a team that is already built to win, and Golden State offers exactly that kind of environment.
That was not the case in Phoenix. Vogel’s one season with the Suns was a mess, even if the picture has softened a bit with time.
The team did make the playoffs, only to be swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the move to Mike Budenholzer afterward made Vogel look better on the defensive end by comparison. Still, the Suns have already turned the page.
Golden State gives Vogel a much cleaner path. The Warriors’ dynasty has clearly been winding down, but as long as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are around, they remain dangerous. Prying Devin Booker from the Suns could be the kind of move that keeps their title hopes alive as their stars age, but that is not happening anytime soon.
Vogel also gives the Warriors an insurance policy if Kerr ever steps away in the next couple of years. If that happens, he looks like a natural candidate to take over. If it doesn’t, he is still in a strong position as one of the league’s top assistants, which suits him far better than carrying the full weight of a head coaching job in Phoenix ever did.
The Suns, meanwhile, seem to have found a more stable answer in Jordan Ott. His arrival only makes that clearer. He is 12 years younger than Vogel and can grow with the roster as Phoenix keeps trying to win around Booker.
This coming season will bring new expectations, though. How Ott gets more than 45 wins out of largely the same group is unclear, even in the best-case scenario with Miles Bridges providing the talent upgrade they need to compete.
If Vogel ever gets another shot at a top job, the expectation is that it would go much like his short stay in Phoenix.
In Other News...
Pat Spencer Suddenly Has A Real Suns Opportunity
The Suns are sorting through one more camp wrinkle after inviting center Duop Reath to training camp, a move that could ripple through the bottom of the roster before opening night. Phoenix has already been juggling its depth chart, and another frontcourt body only adds to the pressure of making every spot count as the team pieces together the final roster.
Pat Spencer stands to be one of the players watching that process closely. With fewer bodies fighting for the same backcourt minutes, the two-way guard could find a clearer path to earn a larger role, and in a camp where every opportunity matters, even one added roster decision can change the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Suddenly Have A Training Camp Battle That Really Matters
Mark Williams shoulder surgery has turned the Suns last roster spot into a real camp storyline, with Phoenix now carrying three players in the mix as training camp opens on September 29. Duop Reath, Jamaree Bouyea and Haywood Highsmith all head into the fall with something to prove, and the early preseason schedule gives them little time to make their case before the roster starts to tighten.
The Suns must trim down to 15 players by October 19, which means every practice and exhibition run carries added weight for the end of the bench. First impressions in camp often decide these kinds of battles, and with the first preseason game set for October 5, Phoenix will get a quick look at who can separate himself before the front office has to make the call. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Still Have One Defensive Problem New Faces Must Fix
Phoenix spent last season building a defense that could hang with the better teams in the league, and the formula was clear enough: pressure the ball, force turnovers and keep opponents from getting comfortable from beyond the arc. The Suns ended the 2025-26 season with a top-10 defense, and the additions around the roster this summer suggest they want to keep that identity while adding more size and versatility to the mix. Miles Bridges should help there as a new starter, bringing a broader defensive profile to a group that already has several rotation pieces capable of contributing on that end.
Still, the bigger question for Phoenix is whether the front line can solve the interior issues that have shown up at different points, especially as the season wore on and turnover creation became less reliable. The Suns do have depth at center with Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, both of whom gave the team encouraging defensive minutes last season, and that gives the coaching staff options as it tries to shore up the middle. For a team trying to stay among the better defenses in the West, the next step is making sure the new faces do more than blend in - they have to clean up the one area that still leaves the Suns exposed. [Read more 🡒]