Mike Budenholzer - Officially Suns new Head Coach

[JerkFace]

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[Mainstreet]

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It will be interesting to find out who the Suns new assistants will be. I'm ready for a breath of fresh air.

 

[JerkFace]

It will be interesting to find out who the Suns new assistants will be. I'm ready for a breath of fresh air.

The only names I’ve heard as a possibility is his past assistants Darvin Ham and DeMarre Carroll.

 

[Mainstreet]

The only names I’ve heard as a possibility is his past assistants Darvin Ham and DeMarre Carroll.

I'd be fine with Darvin Ham. I think the Lakers may have overachieved with him.

DeMarre Carroll makes sense since he was an assistant under Budenholzer. As a player, Carroll was all about effort.

 

[wagon mound 464]

No Surprise,,,,,ESPN officially,,OFFICIALLY this morning announced that Budenholzer has signed his Sun's 5 year contract for the $ figure mentioned previously on this thread.

All of the ESPN annalists stated that they didn't think that Budenholzer can deliver a NBA title with the Big 3 and present group of players. Having watched the Suns advance to the NBA Finals three times in 1976, 1993, and 2021 and returned to PHX home without the title, I'm going to agree with the ESPN mouth-breathers this time. I've resigned myself now that just seeing a 60 + game winning season for a couple of more years will satisfy my desires even if meaning a first round exit from the Finals.
I understand that you younger guys will be around for many more years, and will expect a NBA Title banner to someday hang high above in the rafters.

I hope your dream comes true! [ Aerosmith -

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[Covert Rain]

In Mat Ishbia's statement he makes a point of Buddenholzer winning 60% of his games in his career. I did some quick math, over 82 games a 60% win rate would get us.........drum roll........... 49 wins!!!!

We trade coaches just to be projected to win the same amount of games? LOL! You can't script that any better!

I think the idea is that anybody with some level of competency can get the most out of this talented group of guys. They were not looking for a coach to develop young talent and bring them along. If that actually happens we shall see but if he doesn't make half the weird decisions Vogel did he will already be a step ahead.

 

[Peter Sheldon]

I think Vogel losing to basement dwellers like SAS this season was his demise. As well it should have been. His inability to make adequate substitutions and utilize bench talent (Bol, Okogie, Young) even with their inherent warts, was inexcusable. As well as pulling players out of the game when they are hot as if there is some script he had to follow. Wearing down KD till he was useless in the 4th and not designing more 3 point plays for the frigging best 3 point shooter in the frigging league! Anybody that thinks Vogel should have stayed is just not paying attention.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I think Vogel losing to basement dwellers like SAS this season was his demise. As well it should have been. His inability to make adequate substitutions and utilize bench talent (Bol, Okogie, Young) even with their inherent warts, was inexcusable. As well as pulling players out of the game when they are hot as if there is some script he had to follow. Wearing down KD till he was useless in the 4th and not designing more 3 point plays for the frigging best 3 point shooter in the frigging league! Anybody that thinks Vogel should have stayed is just not paying attention.

Our complete ineptitude in the 4th quarter points mostly at the coach as well. He may not be a bad coach, but he is certainly not the coach for this team..

 

[Peter Sheldon]

Our complete ineptitude in the 4th quarter points mostly at the coach as well. He may not be a bad coach, but he is certainly not the coach for this team..

yeah, there are teams where Vogel could work out well. Teams with veterans and size.

 

[Mainstreet]

David Fizdale has yet to accept a Suns front office job.

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[leclerc]

Who's the kid with the cap?

 

[Chaplin]

David Fizdale has yet to accept a Suns front office job.

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I thought the report was that he wasn't going to take it?

 

[Mainstreet]

I thought the report was that he wasn't going to take it?

Afterward, there was a follow-up report Fizdale was going to take the Suns job. Where it stands now, I have no idea.

 

[95pro]

I thought the report was that he wasn't going to take it?

I thought no one was to return, even those offered 'office' jobs.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think Vogel losing to basement dwellers like SAS this season was his demise. As well it should have been. His inability to make adequate substitutions and utilize bench talent (Bol, Okogie, Young) even with their inherent warts, was inexcusable. As well as pulling players out of the game when they are hot as if there is some script he had to follow. Wearing down KD till he was useless in the 4th and not designing more 3 point plays for the frigging best 3 point shooter in the frigging league! Anybody that thinks Vogel should have stayed is just not paying attention.

Not a single minimum signing was used regularly outside of Eubanks and that was more of a necessity than his play warranting it. Eric Gordon was a minimum signing but a discount that we were lucky to add as he could have got a bigger deal elsewhere. Okogie, Bol, IT, KBD, Metu, Goodwin, Yuta, etc all flamed out under Vogel. Some of that is on them not being that talented but some is on Vogel for his awful rotations.

 

[Yuma]

Not a single minimum signing was used regularly outside of Eubanks and that was more of a necessity than his play warranting it. Eric Gordon was a minimum signing but a discount that we were lucky to add as he could have got a bigger deal elsewhere. Okogie, Bol, IT, KBD, Metu, Goodwin, Yuta, etc all flamed out under Vogel. Some of that is on them not being that talented but some is on Vogel for his awful rotations.

Bench guys aren't going to be the most talented guys. However, you can't play your starters big minutes all season and expect them to be fresh in the playoffs. In the playoffs you need them to eat some minutes so the starters can be fresh in the fourth quarter. Either our guys were not as talented as we thought, or Vogel couldn't figure out how to use them. Our bench was a problem all year long.

 

[Hoop Head]

Bench guys aren't going to be the most talented guys. However, you can't play your starters big minutes all season and expect them to be fresh in the playoffs. In the playoffs you need them to eat some minutes so the starters can be fresh in the fourth quarter. Either our guys were not as talented as we thought, or Vogel couldn't figure out how to use them. Our bench was a problem all year long.

You look at the teams still standing and they all have guys who are producing outside of their stars. I understand our options are limited as far as help we can sign but finding guys who fit is the GM's job and JJ failed.

 

[taz02]

You look at the teams still standing and they all have guys who are producing outside of their stars. I understand our options are limited as far as help we can sign but finding guys who fit is the GM's job and JJ failed.

I wonder how many of them are on minimum contracts

 

[Covert Rain]

Bench guys aren't going to be the most talented guys. However, you can't play your starters big minutes all season and expect them to be fresh in the playoffs. In the playoffs you need them to eat some minutes so the starters can be fresh in the fourth quarter. Either our guys were not as talented as we thought, or Vogel couldn't figure out how to use them. Our bench was a problem all year long.

I think it's both. Although, I am not sure how "talented" we thought most of our bench was. They likely knew what you could get for minimum type guys and were just hoping they could find a diamond in the rough. It's going to be much of the same unless we can move someone.

 

[Hoop Head]

I wonder how many of them are on minimum contracts

I'm sure they all have 1-2 guys who are. The Knicks have Miles McBride who is essentially on a minimum deal as a 2nd round pick. Shake Milton is a minimum contract as well.

They all constructed their teams in a way where they could add talent through other means that minimum deals instead of having 4-5 guys making more and the rest making nothing in comparison.

I'm so tired of seeing people excuse the drek that surrounds our "big 3" by mentioning that everyone outside of the starting 5 is on minimum deals. Whose fault is that? That seemed to be the plan for building this team. You heard it last off-season regularly, "It doesn't matter who is out there with the big 3, no one will be able to stop those 3 together". Everyone we signed for the minimum flamed out and we're doubling down on that approach this season after being swept.

 

[Ronin]

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[Suns_fan69]

I wonder how many of them are on minimum contracts

Looking around the rosters, here's who fit the bill (excluding rookie deals):
NYK - None
Indiana - None
Boston - Luke Kornet
Cleveland - Sam Merrill and Tristan Thompson are on minimums and have averaged about 10mpg, but they statistically haven't contributed much
Dallas Mavericks - Derrick Jones Jr, Exum
Minnesota - None (NAW is close, but he had the bi-annual exception I think)
Denver - Justin Holiday
OKC - None

DJJ is probably the best case scenario, and apparently the Suns were considering him during the offseason before he signed with Dallas. In hindsight, he would have been a great fit.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Probably not many here subscribe to the Athletic, but they have an article talking about Bud: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5494661/2024/05/15/mike-budenholzer-phoenix-suns-coach-players/

Some notable excerpts

The Athletic talked with five former players who have worked with Budenholzer. They described a coach who knows how to keep an entire roster engaged and understands how to navigate the grind of an NBA season. They also described a coach who does not play favorites and knows the importance of accountability.

“I would say Bud is a little bit more hard-nosed than Frank,” Augustin said. “Frank is a really nice guy. He doesn’t yell much. If he does, you’re kind of surprised by it. Bud doesn’t mind getting on guys. He’ll yell, he’ll raise his voice. They’re different in a lot of different ways.”

“He does a great job of managing players’ minutes, making sure everyone is staying healthy,” Mack said. “But the biggest thing is he’s really good with guys off the court. We did a whole bunch of team activities. He does a great job of keeping you engaged the whole year.”

 

[Yuma]

I think it's both. Although, I am not sure how "talented" we thought most of our bench was. They likely knew what you could get for minimum type guys and were just hoping they could find a diamond in the rough. It's going to be much of the same unless we can move someone.

I have heard that overall the vet minimum market is supposed to be better than last year's market, FWIW.

 

[taz02]

Looking around the rosters, here's who fit the bill (excluding rookie deals):
NYK - None
Indiana - None
Boston - Luke Kornet
Cleveland - Sam Merrill and Tristan Thompson are on minimums and have averaged about 10mpg, but they statistically haven't contributed much
Dallas Mavericks - Derrick Jones Jr, Exum
Minnesota - None (NAW is close, but he had the bi-annual exception I think)
Denver - Justin Holiday
OKC - None

DJJ is probably the best case scenario, and apparently the Suns were considering him during the offseason before he signed with Dallas. In hindsight, he would have been a great fit.

Thank you for posting this. There are more than expected.