Bol Bol Reportedly Removed from Suns Rotation over Layups amid Plumlee, Adams Scuffle

In the March 12 matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, both Mason Plumlee and Steven Adams were ejected after a scuffle on the court. While it was happening, Suns' big man Bol Bol could be seen in the background not only avoiding the scrum, but shooting layups while it happened.

And as NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Friday, that rubbed former head coach Mike Budenholzer the wrong way.

"[Bol] is somebody who didn't get much burn with the Phoenix Suns, it's kinda been that way throughout his career," he noted [10:28 mark]. "You see spurts of what he can do. But I wanna throw this out there. He didn't get into the rotation until Feb. 7, and he was in the rotation for about a month under [former head coach] Budenholzer. His last day in the rotation was March 12. ... When Plumlee and Adams got into it, you see Bol in the background shooting layups. He didn't run to the incident, he was shooting layups. League sources told me that Budenholzer was irate when he saw that Bol did not run to the defense of his teammate and try to help out, try to intervene in some fashion."

That game was the last time this season that Bol was in the rotation, which doesn't feel like a coincidence. He had been playing well for the Suns before being relegated to the end of the bench, averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 12 February appearances.

After March 12, however, he made just six appearances and didn't get double-digit minutes in any of them. He clearly ended the season in Budenholzer's doghouse.