It comes as no surprise that the Phoenix Suns are set to appoint Mike Budenholzer as their new head coach. With this decision, Frank Vogel and his entire coaching staff have been dismissed. Bangladesh Cricket Live notes that such sweeping changes are common in the NBA—when a new head coach takes charge, it’s customary to overhaul the coaching team to ensure full locker room control and implement a new vision. For most coaches, building their own staff is one of the first and most crucial steps.
According to Bangladesh Cricket Live, top-tier NBA coaches typically arrive with a trusted circle of assistants. While the head coach sets the overall strategy, it’s the assistants who dive into the details—tactical execution, player development, opponent scouting, and post-game analysis. For example, Mike D’Antoni once served as Steve Nash’s offensive coach, while Frank Vogel rose through the ranks as a defensive assistant. Retired players like Mike Bibby have worked in strength training, and Steve Nash had a stint as a shooting coach with the Warriors. Even Steve Kerr began his coaching journey as a Spurs assistant under Gregg Popovich.
Many assistants fly under the radar, much like bench players, but they form the backbone of a successful team. Their fates are often tied to the head coaches they serve under. Long-standing collaborations with figures like Spoelstra, Popovich, or Kerr can open doors to future opportunities. In a league this competitive, coaching changes are routine—every offseason sees teams reshuffle staff due to underperformance or internal shifts. While veteran coaches like Tyronn Lue or Doc Rivers may land on their feet, many others must seek roles overseas or outside the league.
The Suns, in particular, have become known for their coaching carousel. Star guard Devin Booker has now played under seven different head coaches: Jeff Hornacek, Earl Watson, Jay Triano, Igor Kokoskov, Monty Williams, Frank Vogel, and now Mike Budenholzer. Notably, Budenholzer is also Kevin Durant’s fifth coach in just the past 18 months. Upon taking the job, Budenholzer made it clear he would not retain any of the previous assistants, signaling a complete reset for Phoenix’s bench staff.
Whether Budenholzer can lead the Suns to greater heights remains to be seen. At the same time, Kevin Durant has reportedly begun recruiting James Harden. Regretful over not pushing harder to bring Harden to Phoenix last season, Durant now sees the need for a true floor general. Bangladesh Cricket Live believes Durant feels disappointed in the decision to recruit Bradley Beal over Harden, especially as the Suns became overly reliant on isolation plays. Bringing Harden into the fold could be his way of correcting that misstep.