New Suns Coach Frank Vogel Could Poach Top Lakers Assistant To Form Staff

Frank Vogel, newly hired by the Phoenix Suns, may look toward familiarity as he fills out his coaching staff.

Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel was hired by the Phoenix Suns on Friday, replacing Monty Williams as the head man in the desert and getting one of the most coveted jobs on the market in the process.

Vogel was hired by Phoenix after coaching the Lakers from 2019 to 2022, and he'll start his new job by filling out his staff in preparation for his first season in charge.

Vogel could go many different directions here, and according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Lakers assistant Phil Handy is a "name to watch" in the process.

Phil Handy, development coach/assistant Jon Pastorek and video coordinator Dru Anthrop all were retained after Vogel’s dismissal and are obviously names to watch as Vogel assembles his staff. https://t.co/hsBfkkrSJJ

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 2, 2023

Handy is a longtime Lakers assistant, having coached the purple and gold for a total of seven seasons over the course of two stints, including the entirety of Vogel's tenure in Los Angeles.

Looking at the totality of Handy's career, he is a well respected coach who's name has started to percolate in head coaching rumors over the last couple of seasons and is one of the most respected members of the Lakers' staff.

The fact that he was retained by Darvin Ham when he took over as the Lakers head coach this past season speaks to that.

As aforementioned, there's many routes that Vogel could take as he builds out his staff in Phoenix. Notably, Mike Budenholzer -- who was dismissed by the Milwaukee Bucks following their first round exit to the Miami Heat -- remains available and would be a good addition to any staff if he's willing to take a high-level assistant role.

But that said, the familiarity between Vogel and Handy is an element to watch out for. If he was brought on to the staff, he'd instantly have the respect of stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as they try to win an NBA title in Phoenix.

Ultimately, it's still very early in the process for Vogel, but the longtime Lakers right hand man is a name to keep an eye on as his tenure begins.

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