The Phoenix Suns have fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after coaching the team only one season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The news was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
“Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season,” the Suns said in a statement. “Our fans deserve better. Change is needed.”
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns have fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after finishing in 11th place with a 36-46 record in his one season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/ocySLmWDQI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2025
Disappointing Phoenix Suns Season
The Phoenix Suns wrapped up the season with a record of 36-46, missing their season goal by a wide margin of delivering the city its first championship in franchise history.
At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, the Suns boasted a dominant record of 8-1 before forward Kevin Durant suffered a calf injury. The team struggled to recover after returning from his injury. There were also instances when the backcourt duo of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal missed games due to injuries.
The few bright spots of the disappointing season were Booker surpassing Walter Davis to become the franchises’ all-time leading scorer and Durant surpassing 30,000 career points.
Many Changes Since 2021 NBA Finals Run
Four years ago, the Phoenix Suns made an unexpected run to the NBA Finals, thanks to a talented young core that included Deandre Ayton, Booker, Mikal Bridges, and Cam Johnson. They were supported by Chris Paul and Jae Crowder, veterans who provided valuable leadership and experience.
The Suns also built on that run, winning a franchise record of 64 games and finishing on top of the Western Conference during the 2021-22 season under head coach Monty Williams. In the Western Conference Semifinals, however, Phoenix fell to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games.
As of 2025, Booker is the only player off the 2020-21 roster still active with the team. The Suns have undergone significant changes, including Mat and Justin Ishbia taking over ownership after Robert Sarver sold the team to the brothers more than two years ago.
The Suns also traded Bridges and Johnson on the night of the 2023 NBA trade deadline to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Durant. After falling to the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Phoenix traded Paul to the Washington Wizards, in exchange for Beal, and Ayton and Tounami Camara to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic as part of a three-team deal.
Phoenix will have its fourth different head coach in two years after parting ways with Monty Williams in 2023, firing Frank Vogel in 2024, and letting go of Budenholzer after the just completed season. James Jones, the Suns’ General Manager, has an expiring contract, and the question around The Valley is whether the franchise will extend it or not.
The Suns face numerous challenges in reconstructing their roster after a disappointing season, particularly regarding how they will manage Beal’s hefty contract, which includes a no-trade clause. The Suns still owe millions of dollars to Williams, Vogel and Budenholzer, in addition to having to play whomever they hire for 2025-26 and beyond.
The franchise also is dealing with a fan base that is hugely disappointed after there was so much hope following that 2021 NBA Finals run. The coaching situation doesn’t help fan morale, so the franchise is hoping for a home run hire and the right personnel moves heading into the 2025 NBA Draft.
