PHOENIX — The firing of Mike Budenholzer was just the tip of the iceberg as to the significant changes that are set to take place this offseason for the Phoenix Suns.
The franchise has taken an all-in approach since Mat Ishbia acquired the governorship in February 2023 – and many of those moves made with good intent have fallen to the wayside.
Now, changes are likely a necessity for the Suns to move forward.
Shams Charania of ESPN took to “NBA Today” to discuss Devin Booker and the overall direction the organization is likely to go in the coming months.
“From my understanding, he (Booker) remains a foundation of everything they are doing in Phoenix.”
Booker trade rumors can be shut down for all intents and purposes – the three-time All-NBA guard is still entrenched as the franchise player. Neither side has any interest in moving on and Booker remains committed to bringing a title to Phoenix.
Next up, is the conversation surrounding the roster – Budenholzer’s exit was widely anticipated coming into the weekend, but he may not be the only victim of a disastrous season.
“This is just the start of what’s going to be multiple major changes in Phoenix from a roster perspective, that is going to start with Kevin Durant.”
James Jones could be on the way out, with his contract expiration imminent. Josh Bartelstein could be in trouble as well after being the architect of many unpopular trades in recent seasons.
The roster is a completely different issue – the new coach will likely need a roster that is more in-line with their own philosophy. The other factor is the overwhelmingly strong likelihood that neither Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal will be back with the Suns in 2025-26.
The changes that will be made within the organization are set to be seismic and systematic – let’s see how expansive the moves truly are in the coming months.
