The Phoenix Suns have pulled off the most audacious move of all, firing head coach Mike Budenholzer. This decision follows a year marked by mismanagement, underachievement and disappointing results. The Warriors have been through so much, just recently experiencing the worst of them all in their worst ever eight-straight double-digit losses. This would be the franchise’s longest streak of games lost by 10 or more points. The Suns went on to have a very disappointing 36-46 season. Astoundingly, they turned out to be the third team in NBA history to start a season 8-1 or better but still fail to reach the playoffs.
Budenholzer, who accepted the coaching position last offseason under a five-year, $50 million contract, struggled to establish a cohesive relationship with his players, particularly star guard Devin Booker. The Suns’ management knew that a complete culture overhaul was needed to compete at a high level in the future and that’s where Monty came in.
The Suns are looking to realize their true potential this season with their new star trio of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. They had an outstanding +26-15 record and +6.6 net efficiency when sharing the floor together. Their cumulative record was not particularly close, most glaringly in games against teams at .500 or above. Yet this season, they turned in a woeful 12-32 mark in those games. This has comprised of a pitiful 10-18 mark since the All-Star break.
In addition to Budenholzer’s exit, the Suns are expected to collaborate with Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, CEO of Boardroom, as they explore Durant’s next potential landing spot. Kevin Durant was nearly dealt to the Golden State Warriors at the February deadline. This added fuel to speculation about his future with the team. At the same time, Bradley Beal is still locked up for two additional years, worth $111 million.
The Suns’ struggles did not end there. They placed 3rd worst on the entire league in defensive efficiency leading to questions about how competitive they would be at all. The franchise that had the highest payroll in league history this year. Now, with an unprecedented amount of roster turnover and a new coaching staff, it will be facing a hill full of challenges.
With Budenholzer’s exit, the Suns are forced to officially start a long, in-depth coaching search. Their hope is that whoever takes the big chair can really harness the creative juices of their golden players and turn the ship around. That’s the end goal for an organization that wants to right the ship and get back into playoff contention starting with the 2023 season.
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