Suns' unsurprising Mike Budenholzer decision doesn't solve any of their problems

It was less than six months ago that Mike Budenholzer led the Phoenix Suns to an 8-1 start. Fans were optimistic about what the future held, following a disappointing 2023-24 season that ended with the team getting swept by the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.

Phoenix's hot start wasn't a peek into what the rest of the season held. In fact, it was the opposite. The Suns missed the Play-In Tournament entirely, finishing No. 11 in the West with a 36-46 record, three games behind the Mavericks.

Dallas making the most shocking trade in NBA history by sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers wasn't enough to give Phoenix the boost it needed to secure a Play-In spot. Anthony Davis got hurt in his first game with the Mavericks and missed a few weeks. Kyrie Irving tore his ACL not long after that. Those two injuries weren't the only ones Dallas dealt with (and is dealing with), yet the Suns still finished below them in the standings.

Phoenix's league-high payroll resulted in nothing, making last season's sweep look better than anyone thought possible. Fans knew changes were coming, and the writing on the wall was that Mike Budenholzer wouldn't return.

Phoenix Suns fire head coach Mike Budenholzer

The Suns moved on from their head coach after only one season for the third consecutive year. On Monday morning, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Suns fired Budenholzer.

Hopes were high for Budenholzer after he led the Bucks to an NBA title in 2021 (the same goes for Frank Vogel, who won a championship with the Lakers in 2020), but he failed to take command of the locker room. Charania wrote: "Budenholzer's inability to coexist with his players centered around the franchise's cornerstone, Devin Booker, and went down the roster, those sources said."

Finding a new coach that will hopefully stick around for more than one season is one of many things the Suns will figure out this offseason. Kevin Durant's time in Phoenix is likely over, as Charania reported that the organization is "expected" to engage in trade discussions regarding the 36-year-old. Charania added that the Suns will "have discussions on Beal," but he has a no-trade clause.

The Suns' roster wasn't built to contend, and that blame doesn't fall on Budenholzer. You can agree with that while believing that he wasn't the right coach for Phoenix. Mat Ishbia isn't afraid to open his pockets, but his decision-making has led the Suns down a path that sets them further away from contending for a title.

Phoenix's priority needs to be getting the best-possible return for Durant, while listening to Booker offers, too. The 28-year-old star will give the Suns the draft capital they've lost over the past few years, but Ishbia seems intent on keeping Booker in the desert.

The future doesn't look bright at all for Phoenix. This offseason could begin changing that, but only time will tell.