Kendrick Perkins Rips Suns for Quitting on Mike Budenholzer Amid Elongated Slump

Karl Rasmussen | Mar 17, 2025

Kendrick Perkins discusses the Phoenix Suns on ESPN's NBA Today. / Screenshot via NBA on ESPN

Things have not been going well for the Phoenix Suns, who find themselves mired in a slump and struggling to turn things around.

At 31–37, the Suns sit in 11th place in the Western Conference and are 1 1/2 games out of a play-in spot. Phoenix has lost three of its last four games and as the playoffs drift further out of reach, Kendrick Perkins issued a harsh take on the state of the team.

Speaking on NBA Today, Perkins indicated that he feels that the team's stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have all quit on coach Mike Budenholzer.

"A disaster. A team that has quit on their coach. And, if I'm Mike Budenholzer, to be honest, there's no more rankings in the locker room. There's no more franchise guys. I'm playing the guys that are going to compete for me, and if that means Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal not getting the minutes, then damn it, so be it," Perkins said.

"When I look at the Phoenix Suns, in my 14 years of playing, I have never been part of an organization that quit on their coach. ... This is an embarrassment. Not only to the Phoenix organization, but the rest of the NBA," added Perkins.

"Dallas' season is over, and they are literally moving backwards down the sidewalk and Phoenix still can't catch them."@KendrickPerkins and @LegsESPN discuss the struggles of the Suns and their chances to make the play-in tournament. pic.twitter.com/dVkuXT90RN

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 17, 2025

Perkins didn't hold back when assessing the team's general lack of effort, not hesitating to label the Suns as an embarrassment to the NBA. Phoenix entered the month of February with a 25–22 record, but have since won just six games while losing 15. As they continue to lose ground in the race for a play-in spot, Perkins didn't hesitate to shift the blame onto the team's stars such as Durant and Booker, who he feels haven't shown enough fight.

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