When the Suns hired Mike Budenholzer as their head coach last summer, they expected him to bring over the championship grit he had in Milwaukee. But the two-time Coach of the Year has not lived up to the hype so far. Under his leadership, the Phoenix franchise is stuck at the eleventh seed in the West and struggling to book a playoff spot. Moreover, a recent report by media veteran Evan Sidery claimed, “People within the Suns’ organization say Mike Budenholzer is miserable to deal with.”
Sure enough, these speculations have led to concerns about Coach Bud’s future in Phoenix. And amid the rising uncertainty, Mike’s questionable actions toward Center Nick Richards during tonight’s Nuggets clash could hurt the head coach’s reputation even more. Well, the incident occurred midway through the third quarter. With Bradley Beal dribbling the ball up the court, Richards set a screen and opened a driving lane for him. However, the shooting guard choked under pressure and hit the side of the backboard, leading to the Nuggets winning possession.
Visibly frustrated after the play, Budenholzer charged into the playing area and surprisingly began yelling at Richards instead of Beal. Even the on-air ESPN announcers noticed the absurd situation, as one said, “Mike Budenholzer coming out near mid court and seems to be barking at Nick Richards. Not sure about offense or defense but not happy with him.” Meanwhile, his colleague highlighted how confusing Mike’s actions potentially were for Richards, “I always hated that as a player. You get yelled at when your teammate just shot the ball at the side of the backboard. Not sure Nick Richards fully understands exactly why he was catching an earful right there.”
Well, it is possible that Richards forgot or messed up a set play, which is why Budenholzer acted the way he did. But publicly losing cool on one of his players midgame is not a good look for the head coach, especially in the current circumstances while his job is in question. However, Nick might have been at fault this time because his actions even riled up Devin Booker!
Devin Booker turns aggressive like Mike Budenholzer after Nick Richards is caught “Ball Watching”
Soon after Budenholzer was seen giving Nick an earful, a similar situation occurred between the Center and Booker. The superstar was spotted barking at his teammates after Richards and Royce O’Neale were caught ball watching instead of making a play on the loose ball. Adding to the Suns’ misery, their carelessness led to Jamal Murray getting an easy layup on the other end, increasing the Denver team’s lead to twelve points.
Devin Booker was barking at his teammates after it looked like Nick Richards and Royce O’Neale were ball-watching instead of making a play on the loose ball, resulting in a fast break layup for Jamal Murray. Suns down 12 again
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) March 8, 2025
So, coach Bud might have had a valid reason for his outburst on Nick. Of course, it has not been very long since Richards became part of the Suns roster. Just two months ago, he got traded for Josh Okogie. However, the big man has settled well in Phoenix so far, averaging 9.4 points and nearly ten rebounds. Sure, there are times like tonight when he is caught lacking, but Richards has been a solid overall addition to the team.
Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount on Budenholzer as his team is struggling to find their rhythm and their playoff dreams are slipping away with each game. And speculations are that a failed season could lead to him losing his job this summer despite his reported five-year $50 million contract. So, Budenholzer needs to figure out a way to get out of this slump soon before its too late to salvage the situation. Do you think he can do it?
The post ESPN Broadcasters Confirm Mike Budenholzer’s Aggressive Act That Left Suns Star Confused Amid Rising Pressure Over Future appeared first on EssentiallySports.
