Suns’ Bradley Beal Hated Mike Budenholzer For 1 Big Reason
Suns' Bradley Beal Hated Mike Budenholzer For 1 Big Reason
The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer in April 2025 after just one disappointing season at the helm. Despite having the highest payroll in the NBA, the Suns finished with a lackluster 36-46 record and missed the playoffs, landing in 11th place in the Western Conference.
Reports indicate that communication issues and player relationships significantly contributed to Budenholzer’s dismissal. A key point of contention emerged earlier in the season when Budenholzer met with Bradley Beal and suggested he play more like Jrue Holiday. This request was poorly received by Beal, creating tension between the star and his coach.
“So league sources told me earlier in the season, Coach Budenholzer met with Bradley Beal, and he told Bradley Beal that he wanted him to be the Jrue Holiday of this team. Now listen—understanding that Jrue Holiday is a player who might become a Hall of Famer—definitely one of the best defensive players we’ve seen in this league out on the perimeter,” Chris Haynes reported.
“But you’ve got to understand, like, when you’re talking to a guy, a player of Bradley Beal’s caliber, to tell him to play like Jrue Holiday—it wasn’t well received. That’s the way it was relayed to me. It was not well received. I think the better way to probably explain Beal’s role is to say: “Hey, this is what we kind of need you to do. This is what we want you to work on on this side of the ball.”
The comparison between Beal and Holiday highlighted a fundamental misunderstanding of player strengths:
| Player | Playing Style | Career Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Bradley Beal | Score-first guard | Multiple 30+ ppg seasons |
| Jrue Holiday | Defense-first, lower usage | Known for defensive prowess |
Beal’s performance suffered throughout the season, culminating in what some called a career-worst game shortly before Budenholzer’s firing. While the coach may have been trying to reshape Beal’s approach to benefit the team, his delivery and understanding of his star player appeared lacking.
Reports suggest Budenholzer’s relationship issues extended beyond Beal to the team’s other stars, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. This pattern of disconnection with key players made his position increasingly untenable.
The firing marked a dramatic fall for Budenholzer, who previously led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021 with Jrue Holiday as a key contributor. His inability to adapt his coaching approach to fit the personalities and playing styles of the Suns’ roster ultimately proved his undoing.
Phoenix now faces the challenge of finding a new head coach who can better connect with their star-studded roster and maximize their considerable talent and financial investment.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
