Nothing has been good on the court for the team in the desert this season.
The Phoenix Suns, despite having Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, are nowhere in the picture for the Western Conference playoffs. Phoenix, who sits at 31-37, are in last place in the Pacific Division and is coming off a 96-107 loss in Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. Durant is averaging 26.6 points per game in his third year out west, but the two-time NBA Champion and two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player is not happy right now.
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Kevin Durant showing his frustration during a timeout. pic.twitter.com/bkVqoFkHHR
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 16, 2025
Booker was a stud out of college at the University of Kentucky and is in his tenth year with the Suns.
According to a report from Hoops Wire, Durant and Booker are not pleased with the leadership running the team. Both are not seeing eye-to-eye with Mike Budenholzer, who is in his first season as head coach.
The 55-year-old won four NBA titles as an assistant coach under Greg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and captured his first league championship as head coach in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Budenholzer is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year (2015, 2019) recipient, but his style is not getting it done in Phoenix.
He could be gone in the offseason, per Hoops Wire, to appease Durant and Booker. The Suns have an outside shot at the play-in tournament to make the playoffs, but only if it wins out and gets help from the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings.
Phoenix battles the Toronto Raptors on Monday night at home.
Stephen M. Smith is a writer for Ball Exclusives. You can follow him him X via @CoachingMSmith.
