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Is Mike Budenholzer’s job in jeopardy amid latest report?
Is Mike Budenholzer’s job in jeopardy amid latest report?
The Phoenix Suns are currently a trainwreck.
They have lost four of their last five and eight of their last 10. As each day wanes on, the possibility of making the play-in continues to slip away from Phoenix. It is the No. 11 seed in the West at 28-33, four games back of the Dallas Mavericks for the fourth-and-final play-in spot. After their 18-point thrashing Sunday night against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, there is no sign of immediate improvement with 21 games left.
Expectations were heightened for first-year Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer. The one-time champion had a deep track record for success with the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, finishing with at least 50 wins five times over his 11-year career, including two 60-win campaigns. That hasn’t come to fruition this season, and he is on track to finish with his worst regular season record since 2017-18, his last with Atlanta.
To make matters worse, a report surfaced last week that he allegedly told Devin Booker–the face of the franchise–to tone it down vocally amid the frustrating stretch. Alienating the superstar’s leadership is the last thing any head coach should do, so could his job be in jeopardy after just one season?
The dialogue has gotten louder, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Courtesy of Hoops Rumors’ Luke Adams, Stein hasn’t confirmed that his job would indeed be in jeopardy, but there has been “heightened whispering and curiosity” regarding Budenholzer’s job status.
The Suns fired head coach Frank Vogel after one season last year, where he went 49-33, leading to the No. 6 seed in the West. Phoenix may have been swept in four games, but last year was nowhere near Vogel’s fault … and Budenholzer’s tenure has been considerably worse.
Phoenix finished 10th in offense and 13th in defense last season; they are Nos. 11 and 27 in those marks this year, respectively. It made marginal improvements at the deadline, but it was barely enough to raise its floor and ceiling. Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant aren’t getting any younger, either.
Furthermore, the Suns are still paying head coach Monty Williams, who had three years and more than $20 million after getting fired in May of 2023. Do the directionless Suns really want four head coaches on the books in 2024-25? While it doesn’t count against the cap, that would be quite bold.
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