“Fire Bud Now”: Kevin Durant Aggressively Pulls Hand Away from Coach Mike Budenholzer, Fans React

Since starting their campaign with an 8-1 record, the Phoenix Suns’ season has fallen off a cliff. The team with the largest payroll in the NBA boasts the fourth-lowest record over the last 15 games, going just 4-11 since February.

As the frustration mounted in Arizona, the Suns front office began fielding calls for Kevin Durant last month. The Golden State Warriors quickly became frontrunners for the two-time champion’s signature, forcing KD to make a public comment about not being interested in a Dubs reunion.

Eventually, the trade deadline came and went with Durant remaining on the team that attempted to move him. It has certainly created some locker room tension in Phoenix as the team’s chemistry and communication have become major talking points among the players and coaches.

The rift between KD and the Suns widened tonight when the Slim Reaper showed his frustration with Mike Budenholzer. During a first-half timeout, Durant and the head coach were in a vocal disagreement as the Clippers held an early 7-point lead.

KD attempted to walk away from his coach, prompting Budenholzer to grab him by the arm. Durant pulled his hand away from the two-time coach of the year, reflecting a rift in the team’s leadership. TNT’s broadcast captured the moment which quickly caught on online.

Viewers responded to the clip with a fair share of skepticism about Phoenix’s campaign. Some placed the blame squarely on Budenholzer’s shoulder with one user tweeting, “fire bud now he’s a terrible coach he’s never been good.”

Other fans sympathized with the situation in Phoenix. In 2023, the Suns traded away Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, four unprotected first-round picks and one pick swap to land Durant.

The move was a declaration of new owner Matt Ishbia’s intentions. He wanted his team to win now and was willing to pay the premium for it. For Durant too, it was a cause for celebration as the Brooklyn Nets experiment had clearly failed to help him contend for a title.

However, the 2024-25 season has brought back memories of that failed Nets Big Three. And some fans reflected on how frustrating the situation must be for all parties involved.

Nonetheless, once the chips fall, someone will have to be held accountable for this disastrous period in Suns basketball. For some fans, the blame is already on the head coach, who has seemingly lost control of his locker room.

While it’s no easy task handling three big personalities in Durant, Booker and Beal, the fanbase in Phoenix believes Budenholzer has failed to draw the respect of his roster. “No wonder why the suns are doing so bad coach lost the team already,” another user tweeted.

It may seem unfair but KD isn’t the only Suns star to have gripes with the head coach. Devin Booker, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, has also been clashing with Budenholzer as well over the past few weeks.

NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported that coach Bud asked Book to “tone down” during games as his communication was making it harder for the coaches to be heard. However, after their disappointing loss against the Pelicans, the 28-year-old pointed out how the team’s communication has suffered in recent weeks.

Though Booker’s relationship with the Suns doesn’t seem to be fractured beyond repair, KD certainly seems to be on the outs with his fifth NBA team. Thankfully for the Suns, they at least secured a win against the Clippers tonight after the awkward interaction between Budenholzer and Durant.