Latest news with #MikeBudenholzer
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Leaked DMs Show Kevin Durant Defending His Legacy After Failed Season With Suns
Leaked DMs Show Kevin Durant Defending His Legacy After Failed Season With Suns originally appeared on Fadeaway World. As a member of the Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant is optimistic about the future. But before he can start his new chapter, answers must be found on what went wrong in his previous stop. In a long chat exchange with a Phoenix Suns fan, Durant came up with his explanation as he defended himself (and former head coach Mike Budenholzer) from blame. Advertisement It all started when the fan called out Durant for taking away Devin Booker's "competitive fire." Kevin Durant: "So you're saying I only take away his fire? Fan: "Not necessarily take it away, but your demeanor is a calm one, and body language isn't always the best, which I think has rubbed off on Book a little bit, but I get why it would be. You've been here for three years, and nothing has gone as expected." Kevin Durant: "So when Book plays good, do I rub off on him only when he plays bad?" Fan: "I think it's a little bit of both..." The Suns were a disaster last season and couldn't even make the play-in despite having three All-Star caliber players and one of the highest payrolls in the NBA. So when they struggled to even hold the 10th seed, morale hit an all-time low. According to the fan in this encounter, Durant's leadership and body language are what sealed their fate and eliminated any hope of a redemption arc. Advertisement Fan: "Just watch the game against the Raptors, the body language is horrible, and when players see one of the best players of all-time acting like that, it's gonna rub off." Kevin Durant: "My body language is why we lost? You don't know these players, you don't know how they feel," said Durant. "You are assuming and trying to use me as a scapegoat because you don't know why are are losing." The Suns were an utter failure, and while fans and experts try to find someone to blame, Durant believes it was other circumstances that caused their downfall. Fan: "It's pretty obvious why y'all are losing right now, and it's the coach." Advertisement Kevin Durant: "It's easy to always look at me, I'm that big of a star. I get it, but if you don't know the game, just ask me. You don't know basketball well enough to know why a team loses, so you look to blame anyone you can." We don't know when exactly this exchange took place, but it was obviously during the season, before Durant's trade out of Phoenix, and when frustration levels were sky-high. Clearly, the fan was disappointed with the lack of results, and he didn't know what else to say when Durant claimed he knew nothing about the game. Fan: "Okay, so if I don't know basketball and can't say why a team is losing, inform me. I'd love to know why a team with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and a good supporting cast is three games under .500 since I don't know ball." Kevin Durant: "You know what, my body language is the reason, you're right. My bad for questioning a fan. I should be above this, seriously. I don't want any problems, bro, I should've left it alone. I don't wanna ruin your experience, so believe what you want, brother. Enjoy the game tonight and the rest of the season." Advertisement Kevin Durant has no issue taking the fight to his critics, but he usually doesn't resort to arguing in someone's DMs like that. In this case, it seems he couldn't help but speak up after he saw a Suns fan looking for someone to scapegoat for the failed season. In Durant's eyes, the reason for their struggles was not tied to one individual. A mix of different variables came together to create the perfect storm of chaos and dysfunction. Now that it's all said and done, he can think more about this time in Phoenix, but with the way things ended there, he may want to forget that chapter of his career entirely. Related: Dwyane Wade Claims Kevin Durant Would Never Join The Heat Because He Doesn't Follow LeBron James This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Al Arabiya
10-07-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Suns sign Devin Booker to 2-year, $145 million max extension through 2029-30, AP sources say
The Phoenix Suns have signed star guard Devin Booker to a two-year $145 million maximum contract extension through the 2029-30 season, two people with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The 28-year-old Booker has been one of the NBA's best shooting guards, earning four All-Star appearances in 10 NBA seasons. The two-time all-NBA player has averaged 24.4 points since Phoenix took him out of Kentucky with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Booker averaged 25.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 46 percent from the floor during a disappointing 2024-25 season for the Suns. Phoenix failed to make the playoffs despite a roster that included Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. The Suns fired coach Mike Budenholzer after one season with the high-priced roster, replacing him with Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott. Phoenix also fired general manager James Jones and promoted Brian Gregory. The new leadership group quickly started reshaping the roster, sending Durant to Houston in a blockbuster seven-team deal that brought Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the desert. The Suns also could move Beal this offseason, leaving Booker as the anchor to the franchise.
Associated Press
10-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Suns sign Devin Booker to 2-year, $145 million max extension through 2029-30, AP sources say
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have signed star guard Devin Booker to a two-year, $145 million maximum contract extension through the 2029-30 season, two people with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The 28-year-old Booker has been one of the NBA's best shooting guards, earning four All-Star appearances in 10 NBA seasons. The two-time all-NBA player has averaged 24.4 points since Phoenix took him out of Kentucky with the 13th overall pick in the 2015 draft. Booker averaged 25.6 points, 7.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 46% from the floor during a disappointing 2024-25 season for the Suns. Phoenix failed to make the playoffs despite a roster that included Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The Suns fired coach Mike Budenholzer after one season with the high-priced roster, replacing him with Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott. Phoenix also fired general manager James Jones and promoted Brian Gregory. The new leadership group quickly started reshaping the roster, sending Durant to Houston in a blockbuster seven-team deal that brought Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the desert. The Suns also could move Beal this offseason, leaving Booker as the anchor to the franchise. ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Phoenix Suns GM Takes New Role With NBA After Demotion
Former Phoenix Suns GM Takes New Role With NBA After Demotion originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Phoenix Suns have been quite active since the end of the regular season. Just days after they put the finishing touches on a disappointing season in which they went 36-46 and finished as the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference, they fired head coach Mike Budenholzer. Many were shocked by the move, as he still had four years and $40 million remaining on his contract. Advertisement The next move came when the Suns moved James Jones into a senior advisory role to install Brian Gregory as the new general manager. Jones had held the position of general manager since 2019. Now, owner Mat Ishbia has his hand-picked guy at the helm of the front office. Gregory and Ishbia's relationship goes back to their days at Michigan State, where Gregory was an assistant coach and Ishbia a player. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant and Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. fight for rebounding position at Footprint Center on March 30, Scuteri-Imagn Images Former Phoenix Suns GM takes new role with NBA after demotion Jones likely wasn't happy by the demotion by the new owner and might've started seeking opportunities elsewhere. On Wednesday, news broke regarding Jones' next significant career move from NBA insider Chris Haynes. Advertisement "BREAKING: James Jones is departing Phoenix Suns to replace Joe Dumars at NBA office to become league's new Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations, sources tell me," Haynes wrote. Jones was credited with helping build the Suns team that went to the NBA Finals in 2021. In perhaps his most significant move, he traded Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecue and a 2022 unprotected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Chris Paul. While the Suns went on to lose those finals to the Milwaukee Bucks, Jones earned the NBA Executive of the Year Award. The NBA is a series of what-ifs, and the Suns are no exception to that. If Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't make that incredible defensive play where he blocked Deandre Ayton's dunk attempt off an alley-oop and the Suns go on to win those finals, do any of these changes occur? Advertisement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Phoenix Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll will coach summer league team
The Phoenix Suns provide a peek into first-year head coach Jordan Ott's coaching staff, with DeMarre Carroll being listed as head coach of their summer league team. Ott and Carroll were assistants together last season in Cleveland under 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson. The Suns open summer league play in Las Vegas on July 11 against the Washington Wizards. Advertisement In talking with league sources, Carroll is viewed as being "authentic" and of "high quality" with a tremendous feel for the game. Carroll played for eight NBA teams in 11 NBA seasons. A late first-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Carroll averaged 8.9 points in his NBA career. Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons (25) drives against Brooklyn Nets forward DeMarre Carroll (9) during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on April 15, 2019. Carroll is considered a great communicator who is a straight shooter and is all about the process. A teacher of the game, Carroll understands offensive and defensive concepts and knows how to implement and enforce them. Carroll and Ott also worked together as assistants with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023-24 under Darvin Ham. Carroll's first job as an NBA assistant was in 2022-23 in Milwaukee under former Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer. Advertisement Ham, Ott, Carroll and Atkinson all worked under Mike Budenholzer, who coached Phoenix to a 36-win season last season and was fired after one season with the Suns. A two-time NBA head coach of the year, Budenholzer coached the Bucks to an NBA championship in the 2020-21 season, beating the Suns in the finals. Carroll played for Budenholzer in Atlanta for two seasons (2013-15). He averaged 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in his second season with the Hawks. Carroll shot 48.7% from the field overall, 39.5% from 3. Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@ or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin. Support local journalism: Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Suns assistant DeMarre Carroll will head coach summer league team
