Erik Spoelstra on Frank Vogel firing: 'It's really disturbing'
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Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is discouraged by the rate at which coaches are being fired in the NBA, reports Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel.
After the firing of Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel, who spent just over five seasons with the team, Toronto Raptors coach Dwane Casey is now the second-longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference behind Spoelstra.
When discussing Vogel’s dismissal, Spoelstra was blunt about his disdain.
“I think it's really disturbing, actually. I've only been a head coach for eight years. So what am I, the second-longest-tenured?” Spoelstra said.“That's a sad state of where the coaching profession is right now and stability of organizations.”
• MORE NBA:Larry Bird, Pacers let Vogel go in search for new mentality
Spoelstra has been part of the Heat organization for 21 years, starting his career as a video coordinator. He credited this longevity with the franchise’s success.
“That's why it’s fairly easy for me to feel grateful being part of this organization for 21 years, the same group,” Spoelstra said. “When they say it’s a family, we are. We’ve been though everything. We’ve been though 15-win seasons together, put together teams, rebuilt teams. We know how each other respond in the trenches, when it’s tough.
“But you have to be able to able to also have opportunities to grow with the team and go through the tough times. You don't get that opportunity when you’re making changes all the time. I probably would have been fired two or three times in a different organization.”
