The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer on Monday, less than 24 hours after the team with the NBA’s highest payroll finished with a 36-46 mark.
“Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season. Our fans deserve better. Change is needed,” the team said in a statement Monday.
The Suns ended the season in 11th place in the Western Conference, three games out of a spot in the play-in tournament in Budenholzer’s only season as head coach. He was hired to replace Frank Vogel, who also was dismissed after a single season last year.
Phoenix made the playoffs the past four seasons, and owner Mat Ishbia went all in on spending for his team, paying the combination of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal a total of $150 million this season.
He thought Budenholzer was the right coach to lead the team, an Arizona native who won the 2021 NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, and gave him a five-year, $50 million contract. The coach and the players never meshed, however, according to reports.
Phoenix will be looking for its fourth head coach in four seasons and its eighth since 2015-16, which was star guard Booker’s first in the NBA.
It’s also likely Phoenix will entertain trade offers for Durant and must figure out what to do about Beal, who has two years and $110 million left on his no-trade deal. Durant is owed $54.7 million for 2025-26, the final year of his existing contract.
Durant, Beal and Booker played in only 37 games together because of injuries, going 19-18.
Budenholzer has a career record of 520-363 in 11 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Bucks and Suns.
–Field Level Media
