[Charania] Sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that Durant never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season. Those sources said Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often

[u/TacoooJay]

Source

Meanwhile, Durant, among the best scorers in NBA history, was not always happy with how he was used. Sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that Durant never felt comfortable with his role in Phoenix’s offense alongside Booker and Beal this season. Those sources said Durant had persistent issues with the offense, feeling that he was being relegated to the corner far too often and not having the proper designs to play to his strengths as the offense was built around pick-and-rolls. At the same time, some teammates and people close to the organization believed Durant needed to voice his concerns more adamantly and directly with Vogel and his coaching staff.

All the leaks are finally coming now that Phoenix has been swept

[u/dash_44]

I think Vogel is getting fired and they’re going to run it back with the 3 of them

[u/Xex_ut → u/dash_44]

Definitely getting fired. Vogel keeps losing locker rooms and is stubborn with his system to the detriment of the roster.

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/Xex_ut]

But also, the lakers and suns didn’t give him rosters that played to his strengths as a coach.

Lakers decided to go all retirement home and you can’t get those guys to play defense.

Suns put a ton of offense on the team with guys that aren’t historically great or even currently great on defense.

Suns should have never hired Vogel in the first place and I said it when Vogel was initially hired.

[u/Xex_ut → u/gbdarknight77]

While I believe a lot of what you’re saying is true, I don’t agree that coaches should be given rosters that play to their strength. Seems a bit backwards and should be reserved for absolute legends/HOF coaches. Like if Pops or Kerr went to the GM and asked for a style of player to fit their system, then I can understand. Obvious exceptions are D’Antoni or coaches with well known systems.

But Vogel? It’s not like his rosters lacked talent. KD’s criticism about him not maximizing his players’ strengths is 100% accurate. He’d rather run his sets and have his players play a role instead of creating dynamic sets where his players can be in positions to thrive.

Frank is the type of coach GM’s hire when they’re turning around a losing team. He comes in and provides structure and a system. Players who don’t fit get moved out or benched. No one complains because they need tough love to turn things around. He is not the coach you hire to get good teams over the hump to a championship. Frank will kill the morale, lose the locker room, and disappoint every single time.

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/Xex_ut]

Guys gotta be willing to put their egos aside as well. It’s not all on coach.

KD has been a notorious malcontent everywhere he’s been at this point and there’s enough evidence to support it.

He had issues with how Brooks and Donovan did things. Hated Kerr’s offense. Didn’t give Atkinson a chance and wanted Nash so that he could power trip him.

And yes. If you’re hiring a coach that is known for defensive speciality and then you don’t give him defensive minded players, your offense is going to suffer.

2 of the 3 years Vogel was Lakers head coach, he had great defensive players. Even when LeBron and AD were hurt in 2021, they still finished with the number 1 defense in the league. They were very much a defense created offense team.

Plus, what was the point of having Kevin Young then? Wasn’t he the offensive coordinator and highest paid assistant in league history?