In the NBA, coaching changes and player trades are just part of the game. But when coaching changes occur every season, it starts to feel strange. After all, how would one justify going through 3 coaches in 3 seasons? That’s the situation with the Phoenix Suns: Three coaches. Gone in three years! First, Monty Williams was let go in 2023. Then, Frank Vogel lasted only one season. Now, Coach Mike Budenholzer is out after just one year. What’s really going on in Phoenix?

After finishing the season with a 36–46 record, the Suns fired Coach Bud. Under owner Matt Ishbia, who took over in 2023, the team has had three different head coaches. Budenholzer’s exit didn’t shock many, but the pattern is raising eyebrows. The franchise also hinted at working with Kevin Durant on a trade, which surprised fans. Just a couple seasons ago, they looked like title contenders. Now, the franchise appears to be unraveling at the seams.

Matt Barnes recently broke it all down on his All The Smoke podcast. He said, “The Phoenix Suns have fired Coach Bud. One and done—36 and 46 was his record.” He reminded listeners this wasn’t new under Ishbia. “He’s had three coaches in his three years here.” Barnes walked through each firing, calling Bud the only one who maybe deserved it. Still, the bigger story might be the drama behind the scenes.

Barnes candidly addressed the perceived ‘insider trading‘ involving Bradley Beal. “Mark is Beal’s agent. Mark’s son is the CEO of the Suns.” That connection raised questions, especially since Beal blocked a trade that could’ve brought Jimmy Butler to Phoenix. Barnes pointed out that Beal’s no-trade clause made things worse. “Beal exercised his no-trade clause and completely plugged up and clogged up and f—-d up that deal.” Moreover, he also pointed out, “The team has been bad. He hasn’t been very good.”

“I think he’s averaging 17 and 4 over his two years with the Suns, played no more than 53 games each season,” he added. To wrap it up, Barnes criticized new ownership across the league. “This is not fantasy basketball,” he said. And now, Ishbia owes his former coaches a stunning $85 million—$20M to Monty, $25M to Frank, and $40M to Bud. The moves may be legal, but are they smart? Phoenix now faces the risk of losing Durant, too. Barnes wasn’t the only one asking: What could the Suns have achieved if they had handled things differently?

Beal vs. Budenholzer: A clash of roles that sparked the Suns’ locker room tension

While the coaching carousel continues in Phoenix, fresh reports suggest the real fire started long before Mike Budenholzer was let go. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the tension began when Budenholzer attempted to reshape Bradley Beal’s role into something Beal never signed up for. That idea? Make Beal the new Jrue Holiday.

Haynes explained that Budenholzer’s downfall began with poor communication. “How he conveyed his message,” Haynes noted, led to friction. Bud told Beal he wanted him to model his game after Jrue Holiday, who helped Budenholzer win a title in Milwaukee. But to someone like Beal, a natural scorer who thrives with the ball, that comparison didn’t sit well.

Beal, who battled injuries all season, never seemed comfortable with his role. He shuffled between starting and coming off the bench, never truly settling in. And even when healthy, his production dipped, adding to the confusion around what exactly his job was. It wasn’t just about Xs and Os it was about identity.

On paper, Budenholzer’s vision made sense. Holiday is the kind of selfless defender and off-ball playmaker every team wants. But Beal has always been a bucket-getter. Recasting him as a lockdown guard felt more like rewriting his basketball DNA. It’s no wonder the message wasn’t well received.

Ultimately, it’s easy to see both sides. Bud wanted what worked in Milwaukee. Beal wanted to stay true to his strengths. But without trust or clarity between coach and star, it was doomed from the start. The fallout? Another fired coach and another season of what-ifs for Phoenix.