NBA
League sources call Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy a name to watch for on Frank Vogel’s staff with Phoenix
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated02 Jun 2023
The Phoenix Suns have acted fast by naming Frank Vogel their new head coach. He ended up beating out Doc Rivers and Suns assistant coach Kevin Young for the job. Vogel last coached in the 2021-22 season before being fired by the Lakers. League sources call Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy a name to watch for on Frank Vogel’s staff with Phoenix.
Not only has Handy been named someone to watch, but Jon Pastorek and Dru Anthrop are potentially in the mix as well. All three of them worked under Frank Vogel when he was the head coach of the Lakers. Handy is the top name to watch on this list according to league reports.
He’s been with the Lakers as an assistant coach for the last four seasons. Before that, he was a member of Ty Lue’s coaching staff with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s now Vogel’s duty to fill out the bench with assistant coaches and other staff. Vogel may turn to a familiar face in Handy or one of his other assistants still with the team.
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
Frank Vogel could look to add a few of the Lakers’ assistant head coaches to his staff in Phoenix
Handy may not be one of the top assistants on the Lakers’ coaching staff, but he is a voice that is well-respected in the locker room. He helps the team get the most out of their superstar players and also develops young talent. Players like Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves have spoken highly of Handy to the media.
Hachimura came over at the trade deadline and he credited Handy multiple times for helping him elevate his game in the postseason. Additionally, Handy worked with Reaves during his rookie year and helped him have a strong sophomore season with the Lakers.
There’s no question why Handy is a top name to look out for on Frank Vogel’s coaching staff with the Suns. Handy has said in the past that he has aspirations to be a head coach someday. Being a top assistant of Vogel’s coaching staff with the Suns could be a step in that direction.
