The Phoenix Suns Fire Mike Budenholzer After a Forgettable Season!

After missing out on the NBA playoffs and play-in with the highest payroll in league history, the Phoenix Suns have fired coach Mike Budenholzer, as announced by the team this Monday afternoon, April 14, 2025.

"Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we have not met expectations this season. Our fans deserve better. Change is necessary," the team stated in a release.

For the third consecutive season, Mat Ishbia, owner of the Suns, Josh Bartelstein, CEO, and James Jones, general manager, have changed coaches. Phoenix finished the season with a record of 36 wins and 46 losses. Budenholzer struggled to connect with the locker room this season, and the team's executives concluded that the roster did not respond to the NBA champion coach from 2021, according to sources. Budenholzer's inability to coexist with his players focused on the franchise cornerstone, Devin Booker, and trickled down the list, those sources said.

The Suns will now conduct an extensive coach search, sources said. Budenholzer took the job with the Suns on a five-year, $50 million contract last offseason, hired for his winning pedigree and schemes on both ends of the court. The Suns became the third team in NBA history to start 8-1 or better and miss the playoffs, joining the 1970-71 Detroit Pistons and the 2001-02 Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN Research. In March and April, the Suns lost eight straight games, all by double digits, marking the most consecutive losses by more than 10 points in franchise history.

A year after winning 49 games, securing the sixth seed, and being the 13th-ranked defensive team under Frank Vogel in 2023-24, the Suns ranked as the third-worst defensive team in the NBA this season, including the second worst since the All-Star break, according to ESPN Research. The Suns were 26-15 last season when Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal played with a net efficiency of +6.6 compared to 19-18 and -4.1 net efficiency this season, according to ESPN Research.

Phoenix's Issues This Season

After two years as owner, Ishbia has shown supreme aggressiveness and willingness to spend on players, coaches, and resources for the organization. This team iteration did not work, however, and the franchise is prepared to reorganize around Booker. The Suns had a record of 10-18 since the All-Star break. They were 12-32 against teams with a .500 or better record this season, compared to 28-25 against such teams in 2023-24.

This marks the first move in a summer of change for the Suns. Phoenix is expected to engage in trade talks involving Durant and will have discussions regarding Beal's future, sources said. Multiple teams will aggressively pursue Durant, who had another stellar season, and the franchise is expected to work with Durant and his boardroom partner and CEO, Rich Kleiman, on the future Hall of Famer's next landing spot.

Beal has two years and $111 million remaining on his contract. Durant was on the verge of being traded to the Golden State Warriors in February before making it clear in league circles that he did not want to return to his former organization. Next season will mark the final year of his contract. The Suns went 33-29 when Durant played and 3-17 when he did not this season.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¡Los Phoenix Suns despiden a Mike Budenholzer tras una temporada para el olvido!