Owner: Suns Season Was 'Embarrassing'

Suns owner Mat Ishbia did not hold back during his end of season media availability.

Dec 19, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia sits courtside against the Indiana Pacers at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- A labored and wildly disenchanting season for the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns is officially complete - it was wrapped up on Sunday afternoon in a loss to the Sacramento Kings that saw the squad finish with a 36-46 record.

The highest payroll in league history finished with a lower winning percentage compared to the scrappy, intrinsically motivated "bubble" team of 2019-20 - that could be an obvious sign that philosophies must change moving forward.

Governor Mat Ishbia, CEO Josh Bartelstein, and general manager James Jones all hosted media at the Suns practice facility on Thursday morning to reflect on a season that went to the wayside after a promising start.

They discussed potential shuffling in leadership, changes in approach, and the foundational piece of the roster, among other topics over nearly 45 minutes.

Ishbia began his time by discussing the season that was - with a clear message that was pointed at Mike Budenholzer, who was fired Monday just one year into a previously agreed upon five-year contract that was signed last May.

“The team, and the roster that was constructed, is much better than a 36-win roster. There’s a lot of reasons why Coach Bud is not here," he said.

It is abundantly clear that an ample amount of blame for the failure of the season has been placed on Budenholzer, who was expected to be a more natural fit for the roster that Ishbia put forward - that clearly did not translate to the court.

Budenholzer reportedly clashed with every member of the Phoenix's star trio, was not as prepared as an NBA head coach should be, and was anything but a pleasure to deal with for anyone within the organization.

Could a new voice on the sideline lift Phoenix back into contention? Maybe not right away, but building the foundation next season behind a roster that will still receive substantial support from the Phoenix governor could be franchise-altering.

Ishbia went on to call the season "embarrassing" and hinted that the Suns would be unlikely to hold the highest payroll in the league in 2025-26, but also reiterated that money would not be an issue in the midst of a "re-tool" that could be taking place in the coming months.

This could be an ultimate hint that Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal will find themselves in a new home over the summer - especially since Ishbia also hinted the franchise is actively seeking to find a new identity.

Lastly, the Phoenix governor remains confident in backing franchise player Devin Booker and the pursuit of bringing championships to Phoenix despite the current bleak outlook at hand.

“We’re very aligned on what we’re going to do. His mission and my mission are very similar. Let’s bring a championship to Phoenix," Ishbia lamented when asked about Booker and the outlook of the pairing.

Booker and Suns management are committed to each other and have a clear alignment in philosophies when it comes to building a sustainable winner - the next year or two will go great lengths in determining if the franchise can climb out of the position they currently are in.