The Phoenix Suns fired Frank Vogel on Thursday, and it appears they already had a replacement lined up when they made the move.
Mike Budenholzer will be named the next head coach of the Suns, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic. Phoenix is expected to make Budenholzer one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA.
Mike Budenholzer has agreed to terms on a five-year, $50-plus million deal to become the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Suns land the two-time NBA Coach of the Year and Arizona native. pic.twitter.com/FknlqMY6nD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 10, 2024
Immediately after the Suns fired Vogel, reports surfaced that Budenholzer was their top target. The 54-year-old had drawn interest from multiple teams after he took a year off from coaching last season.
Budenholzer is from Arizona, which is likely one reason the Suns job appeals to him. He will also be able to contend for a championship right away with a core of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Budenholzer last coached the Milwaukee Bucks from 2018-2023 and won a championship with the team in 2021. He coached the Atlanta Hawks for five seasons before that.
The Suns went 49-33 in their lone season under Vogel and were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round of the playoffs. There has been talk of them potentially trading a star player this offseason, but they are more likely to build out their bench and hope Budenholzer can get more from their Big Three than Vogel did.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!