The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Frank Vogel yesterday, less than two weeks after his first season ended with a devastating sweep in the first round of the playoffs.

Why it matters: The Suns had hoped Vogel, who won it all with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, would be the coach to finally deliver a championship to the Valley.

• Instead, team owner Mat Ishbia is back to square one with limited time to capitalize on the star-studded roster he assembled by mortgaging the team's future draft picks.

The intrigue: Vogel's firing brings more upheaval to a franchise that's seen constant change since Ishbia took over early last year.

• Ishbia overhauled the roster in a bid for immediate success, most notably with his blockbuster trade for superstar Kevin Durant.
• Vogel's successor will be the Suns' third head coach in as many seasons. He came on board after the team fired Monty Williams.

What we're watching: Who's up next.

• Bet Arizona has former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer as the favorite to be the Suns' next head coach.
• Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is the second best bet.
• Suns great and former Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash is a long shot — but that sure would be fun to see!

The other side: There was no shortage of people who rallied to Vogel's defense, taking the position that he took the fall for problems that weren't his fault.

• "It was all Frank Vogel's fault!" sportswriter Bill Simmons sarcastically tweeted, noting that the Suns didn't have a point guard, lacked defense around the rim and were heavily reliant on Bradley Beal, who missed a large chunk of the season due to injuries and "cratered" in the playoffs.

The bottom line: Whoever replaces Vogel will be under a lot of pressure to make the most of a team that's viewed as having a very narrow window to win a championship.

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Two bills intended to alleviate Arizona's housing shortage took a major step forward after weeks of discussions.

The big picture: The Senate on Wednesday passed amended versions of legislation requiring cities of at least 75,000 people to permit accessory dwelling units and "middle housing," such as duplexes, triplexes and townhomes, on lots zoned for single-family homes.

• Both bills must go back to the House for final votes.

Zoom in: The ADU bill was amended to require homes to be occupied by their owners in order for new casitas to be used as short-term rentals.

• Amendments to the middle housing bill stipulate that cities have to permit the units within one mile of their central business districts. Outside that area, middle housing must be permitted on at least 20% of any development of more than 10 acres.

Friction point: The League of Arizona Cities and Towns, which has vociferously opposed most legislation that diminishes cities' authority over housing regulations, was split on the two bills.

• Tom Belshe, the league's executive director, told Axios his organization supports the middle housing bill.
• But the league still opposes the ADU bill because it wants a prohibition on the use of casitas as short-term rentals.

Catch up quick: After she vetoed legislation to promote the construction of new starter homes, Gov. Katie Hobbs urged lawmakers to pass bills on ADUs and middle housing.

• Rep. Leo Biasiucci (R-Lake Havasu City), who sponsored the vetoed legislation, told Axios he's still working with the governor's office on another starter homes bill.

More legislative news

🧑‍⚖️ The seven young men accused of killing 16-year-old Preston Lord will face trial in July 2025, a judge ruled yesterday. Cameras will be allowed in the courtroom, but they cannot show defendants' faces. (AZcentral)

🚨 Human remains found near Flagstaff in 1975 were identified as Gerald Francis Long, a Vietnam veteran from Minnesota. (NBC News)

🛬 Phoenix has begun the process for adding a terminal to Sky Harbor, but it isn't expected to open until at least 2037. (Phoenix Business Journal)

We only have a few sub-100-degree weekends left — make this one count!

🧑‍🎤 Celebrate the Music of Alice Cooper

School's (almost) out for summer, so check out the special Alice Cooper exhibit at the Musical Instrument Museum tomorrow and Sunday from 9am to 5pm.

• Included with museum admission.

🍹 May-garita Pub Crawl

Make Jimmy Buffett proud by donning your finest margarita-inspired gear and drinking your way through downtown Phoenix.

• Check in at The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub at 4:30pm tomorrow; tickets are $19 and must be purchased in advance

🌵 Mother's Day in the Garden

Take Mom to the Desert Botanical Garden to enjoy live music, crafts and more. Sunday from 9am to 3pm.

• Moms are free with the purchase of another admission!

3 more fun things

There aren't enough words to adequately describe the appreciation, love and admiration we have for the mothers in our lives, but we wanted to share a few quotes that come close to capturing the wonders of motherhood.

"A mother is your first friend, your best friend, your forever friend."

"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow."

"We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong."

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!