Report: Suns Found Next Head Coach

The Athletic's Shams Charania is reporting the Phoenix Suns have found their next head coach.

Apr 2, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer calls a play in / Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- Well - that didn't last long.

The Phoenix Suns are reportedly closing in on a deal to make Mike Budenholzer the organization's next head coach, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania on Twitter/X:

"The Phoenix Suns plan to hire Bucks champion Mike Budenholzer as their head coach on deal expected to approach eight figures per year, league sources tell The Athletic/Stadium. The Holbrook, Ariz., native will be tasked with optimizing Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal."

The Phoenix Suns plan to hire Bucks champion Mike Budenholzer as their head coach on deal expected to approach eight figures per year, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The Holbrook, Ariz., native will be tasked with optimizing Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal. pic.twitter.com/eWFMedRNA2

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 10, 2024

After losing lead assistant Kevin Young to the college ranks at BYU, Charania added in a later tweet that fellow assistant David Fizdale would be joining the Suns in a front office role.

The news comes less than 24 hours after the Suns fired Frank Vogel, who served as the head coach for one year in Phoenix before fired. The Suns now move on to their third coach in as many seasons.

“As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made,” said Suns President of Basketball Operations and General Manager James Jones.

“After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank’s hard work and commitment. 

"We are here to win a championship and last season was way below our expectations. We will continue to evaluate our operation and make the necessary changes to reach our championship-caliber goals. We all take accountability, and it’s my job, along with Josh and ownership, to build a championship team.”

The decision to move on from Vogel didn't come fast, as the organization took their time but ultimately moved on him - just after inking him to a five-year, $31 million deal the offseason prior.

Expectations are large in Phoenix, and Budenholzer - who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 NBA Finals - is expected to bring himself and an entirely new staff to put the Suns back on track to win their first ever championship.