Mike Budenholzer is out as head coach of the Suns, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Budenholzer’s firing was widely anticipated after Phoenix fell far short of expectations despite a payroll approaching $400MM between salaries and tax penalties. After a fast start, the Suns stumbled to 36-46 record and failed to reach the play-in tournament.
Budenholzer, a two-time Coach of the Year, was in his first season with the team after agreeing to a five-year deal worth more than $50MM last May. This marks the third straight offseason that Phoenix will make a coaching change since Mat Ishbia bought the team. The Suns parted with Monty Williams in 2023 and Frank Vogel in 2024.
The organization’s dissatisfaction with Budenholzer went beyond the losing record, sources tell Doug Haller, Sam Amick and Fred Katz of The Athletic. There were concerns about his ability to manage the locker room and his “contentious” relationship with Devin Booker and other players. While there’s heavy trade speculation surrounding Kevin Durant, the authors report that Suns management plans to rebuild around Booker and couldn’t envision “a productive path forward” with Budenholzer as head coach.
Haller, Amick and Katz note that Budenholzer inherited many of the problems that led to his downfall. Hefty salaries for Booker, Durant and Bradley Beal led to second-apron restrictions that limited the Suns’ ability to make roster moves. Budenholzer was left with a team short on defensive ability and toughness that ranked 27th in points allowed per possession.
The authors point out that Budenholzer used 35 different starting lineups and made rotation changes that sometimes led to confusion in the locker room. They cite examples such as rookie Ryan Dunn, who was benched for a while despite being the team’s best defender, and Bol Bol, who averaged 21 minutes during a 16-game stretch in January and February then barely got off the bench for the rest of the season.
Despite the coaching change, league sources tell Haller, Amick and Katz that no immediate moves are planned in the front office, although that could change as the offseason wears on. President of basketball operations James Jones will have his contract expire in June, and Ishbia is expected to consider replacing him. They add that it’s not clear what plans Ishbia has for CEO Josh Bartelstein.
Suns insider John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 tweets that Budenholzer’s dismissal is “just the beginning” and many more changes are coming to the organization. Gambadoro adds (via Twitter) that he doesn’t expect Michael Malone or Taylor Jenkins to emerge as serious candidates for the coaching job in Phoenix.
Someone had to take the blame. He’ll be back in the NBA asap, maybe in NOLA?
My hope is somehow he ends up in Orlando. I think they have the potential to be a lot better than they are now with the right coaching.
All Orlando needs is a knockdown shooter and some injury luck with Banchero and Wagner. Moshley has done a hell of a job for a team les by two 23 year olds.
He’s not being blamed, it honestly is like 50% his fault. Benching Dunn and Oso significantly hurt our defense and overall tempo. its been proven.
So every coach that has won titles in the past is at fault when they coach the Suns, got it.
No- when did I say that? I think Vogel did a fine job last year especially considering the depth he was given. Theres an interesting video on youtube, I will gladly link it if you’d like. If you look at our record, pacing stats and defensive stats in months / stretches when both Dunn / Oso played significant minutes, we were much better than when we weren’t. Benching them ruined our season, and was one of the main factors in our dissapointment. Dunn could of been a top 3 ROTY finish had he gotten the minutes he deserved.
Gotta pay 4 coaches at once. Prolly somewhere in the neighborhood of 40M. Its pretty inefficient to sign coaches to 4-5 year deals and fire them after 1 every time.
I’m fairly certain They are only paying Vogel and Bud. Coach contracts have language in them that once they are hired by another teams their old team contract is void.
Not sure all have that language depending on the leverage in negotiations. They will be paying the new coach plus Vogel 2-3 and Bud 3 more I think. If Im the next coach I ask for such a choice contract to take that job.
He should take a year vacation. And wait to see what’s there. Got 40 mill guaranteed if he wants.
This coach is a stud – $50m for 1 yr!!! He will NOT coach again in nba just like Monte.
Fire Steve Kerr next
Just give up … Steph would never allow that to happen as much as you can question some of his decisions.
Buddy, its not “me”, its “anyone with eyes”
Trade him to the Suns? (Remember when the Raiders traded Gruden to the Bucs?)
I mean if GSW doesn’t at least make the WCF this year, its gotta be time for a change. Kerr does this same thing, every, single, year, where he gets obsessed with GP2 or some undersized guard, and gives them more mins than a more talented player.
GP2 is good in short bursts, and GSW usually cooks when he goes out there, then the opps adjust and start running train inside on the 4 tiny guards Kerr has decided are a valid NBA lineup.
The problem is, Kerr sees that initial good play and goes “there’s my new tiny PF, gunna give him 30 mins over Kuminga and Moody”. Its Gary Payton 2, he is not a star or a closer in this league, but Kerr has decided he suddenly is his 5th best player for no reason, when he’s more like 12th best. Kerr is the problem, I could literally do better than him, as could many posters on here. Fire Steve Kerr, yall. Til its backwards!
Like literally, what I would have done differently to Kerr this year:
-Stopped playing GP2 and Buddy 2 weeks ago, shorten the lineup for playoff season. Play Kuminga and Moody more mins.
-Make sure Kuminga gets all the non-Jimmy minutes, 1 of them on court at all times.
-Only play GP2 for 2 or 3 5 min stretches a game, max. DNP him more often.
-Use Santos in a similar way to GP2, maybe using them together to really throw the energy up a bunch of notches.
-Use Loon, TJD and Post a lot more. Also use 2 of them at once a lot more. Twin towers lineups are the future whether Kerr likes it or not.
-Only use Waters in garbage time.
-Make sure only 2 of any combination of Curry, Podz, Moody, Buddy and GP2 are out there at the same time. Literally all of those duos cook, but as soon as a 3rd or 4th name on the list shows up: bye bye perimeter defense and also no big blocker in the key, basically allowing the opps unlimited points. Cool tactic, totally going to win games like that…smh…
-Realized Melton was made of glass as soon as we got him, put him on a mins restriction until game 70 or so, max of 20 only. Kerr couldnt resist playing him too much. I would have. I saw Melton breaking as soon as Kerr saw he was actually-good.
-Podz development is one thing Kerr was pushing hard but he was lost at sea til Jimmy showed up and did whatever it is he did to make Podz jump into “really good NBA player” level. Next year will be huge for Podz, he might continue this climb and reach all-star territory. Moody too. I would have played Podz in different lineups, with only 1 guard with him out there, not 2.
-Lastly, shame on Kerr for being too stupid to close with Dray, Kuminga, Jimmy, Moody, Steph aka our best overall lineup!!! Especially vs the Clippers! Totally not infuriating or anything!!!
Lol waters was traded MONTHS ago. It’s weird you don’t know that about your own team, makes me seriously question the rest of the things you say.
Careful, he might mute you bc of facts you be spitting. Lmao
Yes, I was talking about Waters when he was on GSW, how I would use him differently to how Kerr used him. That is what I wrote.
It’s weird how you don’t know how to comprehend what you are reading.
Makes me seriously question your IQ.
“Like literally, what I would have done differently to Kerr THIS YEAR”
“Lol waters was traded MONTHS ago.”
Still no apology from you, for purposely misconstruing what I said. Interesting. Low IQ behavior.
@Davey J
Given that there’s almost no chance for GSW to make the WCF, the funny part is that your crusade calling to fire Kerr can continue unabated.
Ishbia must love throwing money away. That’s what, 3 former head coaches he still has to pay? Budenholzer, Vogel and Monty (I think he still does?) and now has to hire and pay another coach.
Seriously. Is it Coach Bud’s fault that they traded for an (unloadable), broken down, and ineffective Bradley Beal? Is it Coach Bud’s fault that all their picks are gone? Bud’s a good coach, this is nonsense.
Yeah, exactly
Beal must be the worse contract in the NBA. Never made senseto sign him to a extension when heshowed signs of slowing down.
He was a lot closer to his real self still, but had missed time consistently. I remember people thinking it was a bit of an overpay, but considering how he had always been a loyal dude to the franchise that the deal wasnt soooo bad. It was the no trade that everyone at the time said was insane.
You have to remember that deal came before the new CBA when a deal like that or Lavine was a little bad but not an anchor like its become. Frozen draft picks and all the other stuff with the second apron has really turned those big and bad deals into something else.
I feel like Embiid’s is the worst but Beal is def a top5 worst contract.
@krumbledkookie none of that is his fault, but he was horrible this year. Read the article, Budenholzer was a bad fit from the start and seemed completely clueless most of the season.
Bradley Beal was not innefective at all. He didnt play like Wizards Beal but that clearly wasnt his role there. He shot well from 3 and still provided them with good scoring for a 3rd option (which is what he was).
If you were expecting him to become a defensive stopper or something, then thats 100% your fault because he was never that.
It’s a lot easier being the #1 option on a bad team. He was never worth all that money. Third option is a $30 million or less player.
His role in Phoenix was clearly to be a third option since day one, he never failed at being the first or second option because he was never given that opportunity there. Phoenix traded for that contract KNOWING they would play him as the 3rd option
No ——
With stars there is no third option. Its about winning. Suns never had chemistry. Never played D. Options are dictated by the game. Not by the player. They know who has it going.
I dont think you watched Suns games because it was very clear that they played Beal as a third option. Also, even as a 3rd option he was never given a consistent role with that team and he still produced and never complained about it.
The Suns mistake was trading Ayton for Nurkic, not the Beal trade.
Why pay him as a #1 option if he is your #3??
Dont? The Wizards gave him that contract when Beal was their 1st option, the Suns willingly traded for that contract and they were already planning on Beal being their third option.
The original mistake was slighting Ayton by not giving him the max as soon as he was eligible. After that, a trade was inevitable given his attitude about it.
Yet no one talks about it just it’s all beals fault. Yes he has a trash contract but a healthy Ayton changes this team dynamic. I get they wanted to save money by moving him but when you’re spending 300 mil what’s another 50-60?
Did a little digging. The Suns have had 6 HCs since 2015. How’s that for stability. His money is inherited. He was a little used PG that won a Championship at MSU.
Yikes. That’s crazy.
Monty is currently being paid by Detroit.
Yeah, the Suns owner is a nut job. Makes me feel like Dolan is ok.
He tried to come in guns a blazin getting KD. I mean I didnt hate it at the time. They have quickly learned how the NBA works though, where if you make the big trades and take your shot, if you do that and it fails you have no path out but major multi year rebuild.
Still not make u feel jerry is ok.
How many coaches does Suns have in their payroll still? Williams, Vogel and now this guy
Williams is paid by Detroit. But Mike hit $50m jackpot for 1 yr work! He’s a stud.
Suns owner is as bad as Phillys owner.
Cant get around a bad owner.
Well, well, well the Suns fire the HC, anyone surprised? This organization is so unstable, starting with the Owner who has went to the school of Jerry Jones how to run a franchise into the ground, it at least took Jones a few years this idiot owner of the Suns did it in less than 4 years, he turned this team into the laughingstock of the NBA in four years. Remember the Clippers were in the same boat when Sterling owned them, well now the Suns are in that same sinking boat of a franchise. With no real draft picks, old star players that don’t really want to be leaders in the locker room or on the court, can’t trade them for much. Only player of real value is Booker to trade, don’t see a lot in return for Durant, especially Beal with his retirement contract only plays when he wants to. This team is a no win coaching job, not with the likes of Durant, Beal and Booker trying to run the team the way they want, seeing this with my own eyes, I am done with this team as a season ticket holder for the past 12 season, I can spend my dollars on a real sports franchise that wants to win like the D’Backs Cardinals. Suns have to prove to me they want to win instead of just putting a bunch of malcontents on a roster that are not into winning but just cashing a check.
Well, a no win except for that $40m contract. That’s probably why he took the deal. If it had worked out, he’d be a genius and ride on the team’s success and get paid even more. And now on the other side, he can wait for another HC job or find something else.
But maybe something is up with this dude. Did the Bucks players turn on him , too?
Vogel did a better job than him, but either way, coaching is not this team’s issue.
Coaching is not the ONLY issue, but it is one of the many problems the Suns have.
It’s hard to coach when the team chemistry from the get go is in disarray. KD on any team gets the coach fired. And the next one. Good thing Kerr had a foundation.
Scapegoating another coach is the go to move for a clueless owner.
Of course, Davey J has to sneak in here and make this story all about himself. Give it a rest.
This new owner is somehow worse than Sarver
Lots of good coaches available now.
they’ll have their 4th coach in 4 seasons. 🤦♂️
Devin Booker a coach killaaaaaaa Norman Bates.
Nurk really did the deed for 2 of em
“I’m gonna apply for the job in Arizona. If I get hired, I’ll get paid for multiple years and only have to work one…”
– Unemployed Head Basketball Coaches Everywhere
Mike Brown would like some of that moola
James Jones is a pretty crappy GM
Called this the day he took the job w this ownership group- and became a certainty when they made the Durant trade.
Wrong guy just got fired. Ishbia needs to look in the mirror and then step aside.
Ishbia has made the suns the laughingstock of the league. There’s no digging out of this hole. Horrible job since he bought the team.
Who in their right mind would want to jump into the Suns zoo……a complete overhaul from TOP to bottom is necessary to right this aimless franchise
50 mil for 5 yrs ——- Plenty
3 coaches in 3 seasons, none of them made this team work. I dont think they were PHENOMENAL coaches but to put all the blame on them would be non-sense.
“Budenholzer had just completed the first season of a five-year, $50 million contract. He was hired a year ago after the Suns fired Frank Vogel one season into a five-year, $31 million contract, leaving Phoenix hefty tabs to pay a pair of former coaches, pending any offset language in the contracts.”
Man why can’t I find a job like this !!!!!!??????
Wosrt moves had nothing to do with Budenholzer. Trading away Ayton and trading for Beal. Sports is a funny business man. Seriously man, 25% of posters on here could of done a better job.
Michael Malone ——— Next job.
Agree in what you are saying, but you can add the Durant trade that took all of the future value of this team to get him. Beal trade was just taking what was left. So now they fire the coach, which I’m hearing was mostly because of internal problems with the locker room with the players and his non-compliance with upper management. So, it sounds like he was labeled a bad hire by the owner. They are saying on the Phoenix sports radio station that the players turned off the coach around February, that the arguments with Durant and Booker on the sidelines, and that his connections with the roster as a whole that involved upper management. The next contract up for renew in June is the GM’s he might be the next firing, then the CEO following. Player wise the Suns are really handcuff with the salary cap, if they waive Beal the Suns are looking at abut 22 mil of dead money on the cap, can’t trade him with his no trade clause, will not get value for Durant because of salary cap space, cannot afford to trade the franchise in Booker and no solid draft picks. So, this team is stuck in the bad franchise level of the NBA for the near future. That is what you get when you push all your chips in and have a one-to-two-year window to win it all. The fans end up suffering when you don’t win.
Like me, you CLEARLY live in AZ. Could NOT have said it better.
I think if my math is right the suns need to shed 12MM and 24MM to get under the aprons. If you cut and stretch Beal that takes him from 52MM to 22MM saving 30MM and gets you under both aprons and allows you to trade Durant for assets. Durant is gonna make 54MM and lets say you take back 30-40MM in salary, you are saving another 14-24MM, for a total reduction of about 44-54MM, add on Micic and you are saving 52-62MM. not saying they are a playoff team next year but getting off of Beal and adding flexibility is what we need in PHX.
many fingers to point here, but I miss CP3’s leadership. Was the only guy who would call anyone out for lack of effort including the superstars.
You realize KD has had 6 head coaches in 6 years 3 in 3 years with Nets 3 in 3 years with Suns something tells me it’s not the coaches seems like KD is the real problem
Not sure anyone would want to take the job if they are going to be fired after one year. Ishbia will probably ask his college coach Tom Izzo if he is interested.. the way NIL is these days and Izzo not a fan of it he might consider it.
Yeah, cause 70 year old white coaches are all the rage in the NBA. LOL!
“Ask the other 29 GMs— 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks and everything as is.”
– Ishbia