Devin Booker, Budenholzer Reportedly Had 'Contentious Relationship' Before HC's Firing

It took just one season for the Phoenix Suns to fire head coach Mike Budenholzer, and the decision reportedly centered around his failure to connect with the face of the franchise.

The Athletic's Doug Haller, Sam Amick and Fred Katz reported that Budenholzer's "contentious relationship with four-time All-Star and franchise centerpiece Devin Booker, as well as several other key players, was seen internally as a major issue" and played a key part in his firing.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Budenholzer "had issues connecting with the locker room this season," and team officials concluded that "the roster failed to respond to the 2021 NBA championship coach." Sources told Charania that the 55-year-old's "inability to coexist with his players centered around the franchise's cornerstone, Devin Booker, and went down the roster."

Booker played 75 games this season, his most since 2019-20, and averaged 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and a career-high 7.1 assists. However, his 33.2 percent shooting from three-point range was the second-worst mark of his career even though he attempted a career-high 7.3 triples per game.

The Suns were hoping that pairing Booker with veteran stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal would pay dividends, but both players missed 20 or more games this season. When they were on the court together, they showed a lack of chemistry and weren't as dominant as the team expected them to be. Phoenix finished 11th in the West with a 36-46 record.

Haller, Amick and Katz reported that the Suns "are widely expected to trade Kevin Durant this summer," but they "are still planning on building around the 28-year-old Booker and didn’t see a productive path forward with Budenholzer at the helm."

This marks the third time in the last three years that Phoenix will be looking for a new head coach, so it will be important for the team to find the right fit for Booker if it hopes to return to playoff contention next year.