Charles Barkley calls out Phoenix Suns' decision makers, defends coach Frank Vogel
Charles Barkley took aim at the decision makers of the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers in defending their coaches, Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham, and calling out those who say each should be fired.
“I hate it man,” Barkley said on TNT’s Inside the NBA Wednesday night. “You sitting there, Darvin Ham needs to get fired, Frank Vogel needs to get fired. Who put those teams together need to get fired. They didn’t just all the sudden suck as coaches, people who put them teams together should start packing up their stuff.”
That concluded Barkley’s rant about Vogel and Ham both being on the hot seat as the sixth-seeded Suns and seventh-seeded Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round.
The third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves swept the Suns while the defending NBA champion Nuggets, a second seed, knocked out the Lakers in five games.
Chuck has something to say when it comes to coaching in the NBA: pic.twitter.com/MnnDZrQr9s
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 2, 2024
“Anybody who thinks the reason the Lakers suck is because of Darvin Ham or the reason the Suns suck is because of Frank Vogel, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Barkley said.
Suns team owner Mat Ishbia, when asked directly during Wednesday’s news conference if Vogel will be back next season, said he hasn’t had a discussion about Suns general manager James Jones, the players or Vogel but that he’s in Phoenix this week to evaluate the team.
“Just haven't had the conversation, honestly,” Ishbia said. “I think Frank Vogel did a lot of great things. I think James Jones does a lot of great things. I think (CEO) Josh Bartelstein does. I think our players do, I think I've done some great things, but we're going to evaluate everything."
This comes after Vogel said he had “full support” from Ishbia before the Suns lost Game 4 to the T-Wolves.
"When people are saying Mat is making a decision, he's going to do this, or James is going to do this, it's just not true and it hasn't even been discussed," Ishbia later said.
When asked if Frank Vogel is going to be back next year after Frank Vogel said he has full support from him, team owner Mat Ishbia said he hasn't had one discussion about the GM, coach or players as he's in town to evaluate the team. #Suns #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/GTkkvd3dXf
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) May 1, 2024
The Suns finished 49-33 in Vogel’s first season in Phoenix while the Lakers posted a 47-35 record in Ham’s second season after he coached them to the 2023 Western Conference finals.
Ham replaced Vogel, who coached the Lakers to the 2019-20 NBA title, in landing his first NBA head coaching job before the 2022-23 season. The Lakers won 43 games in Ham’s first season in Los Angeles.
“Frank Vogel is a hell of a coach,” Barkley continued. “Darvin Ham is a hell of a coach trying to get his career started, but for all you punks, idiots on television on other networks who want to be media, who want all the players to like you all, do your job. The Lakers suck and the Suns suck because of the players, has nothing to do with the coaches. I feel better now.”
Vogel has compiled a 490-422 record in the regular season coaching the Pacers, Magic, Lakers and Suns. His postseason record is 49-43.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Charles Barkley blasts decision makers for Suns' disappointing season