According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Phoenix Suns have fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record. Despite having the most expensive roster in NBA history — featuring Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker — the Suns have now cycled through four head coaches in four seasons, following the firings of Monty Williams, Frank Vogel, and now Budenholzer.
The Monty Williams era: The high point that never peaked
The Suns' descent didn’t happen overnight. After reaching the NBA Finals in 2021 under Monty Williams, Phoenix looked like a franchise on the brink of its first title. But after losing in six games to the Milwaukee Bucks and failing to recapture that momentum, cracks began to show.
A humiliating Game 7 blowout loss to the Dallas Mavericks in 2022 sparked major changes. The front office traded away Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal for Kevin Durant. Despite Williams earning a Coach of the Year award and leading Phoenix to sustained regular-season success, he was fired in May 2023 after four seasons.
Frank Vogel’s one-and-done tenure
The Suns moved quickly, hiring Frank Vogel, fresh off an unexpected departure from the Lakers. Expectations soared after Phoenix pulled off another major trade, this time sending Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and four first-round picks to Washington in exchange for Bradley Beal.
The Durant-Booker-Beal trio was supposed to be a nightmare for opponents. Instead, depth issues and a lack of chemistry doomed them. Phoenix won 49 games and finished sixth in the West — but were swept in the first round by the Timberwolves. Vogel was fired after just one season.
Coach Bud’s short-lived stint
Enter Mike Budenholzer, signed to a five-year, $50 million deal with championship expectations. For a brief moment, it looked like the right hire. The Suns started 9-1. But injuries to Durant and Beal derailed momentum, and new acquisition Tyus Jones never found his rhythm at point guard.
Phoenix collapsed in the second half of the season, posting a 10-18 record after the All-Star break, including a 1-9 finish. They also fell to third-worst in the league in defensive rating. It wasn’t enough to save Budenholzer’s job.
The bigger problem is a franchise in free fall
Devin Booker — the team’s longest-tenured player — will now begin the 2025–26 season with his fourth head coach in as many years. The Suns don’t even own their 2025 first-round pick, which is projected to land at No. 9 and belongs to the Houston Rockets.
And perhaps most concerning: Kevin Durant is expected to seek a trade this offseason, a move that would be complicated by his massive contract and limited trade value at age 36.
The only glimmer of hope is the unusually deep pool of available head coaching talent. Proven names like Michael Malone, Taylor Jenkins, and Mike Brown could offer the kind of leadership this team desperately needs — if Phoenix can manage to keep one in place for longer than a year.
Until then, the Suns are stuck in a holding pattern: a once-promising contender now defined by chaos, unmet expectations, and a search for stability.